UFC 239 ADDS JON JONES VS. THIAGO SANTOS, AMANDA NUNES VS. HOLLY HOLM
The primary and co-main events for the summer’s blockbuster UFC International Fight Week card are revealed. UFC 239 occurs July 6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and ESPN has reported the following bouts.
Jon Jones vs. Thiago Santos, UFC 239
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will return to the Octagon at UFC 239 when he puts his name on the line against knockout artist Thiago Santos.
Jones (24-1, 1 NC) is 18-1, 1 NC in the UFC and in the heads of many observers of the sport is the greatest talent to ever step into the Octagon. Obviously, problems outside of the sport with the law and also USADA have hindered his career, but he’s finally back to a consistent fight schedule and that is a good thing for everybody. Since his No Contest against Daniel Cormier in the summer of 2017, Jones has looked better than everbefore. He won back the vacant title with a brutal knockout win over Alexander Gustafsson in UFC 232 and then defended the belt using a decision over Anthony Smith in UFC 232 just a few weeks ago. Jones has assured the fans that he’ll fight more frequently now that his private issues are taken care of, and this bout with Santos will be his third battle in less than less than eight weeks.
Santos (21-6) is 13-5 overall from the UFC and is now riding a four-fight win streak, including three straight wins since moving up to light heavyweight. Since moving around 205lbs, Santos has knocked out Jimi Manuwa, Eryk Anders and Jan Blachowicz in catastrophic fashion. He is actually second all-time now behind Vitor Belfort on the list of the UFC’s all-time best grossing musicians. Although he had been inconsistent as a middleweight, it seems the move up in weight has helped him attain some durability that can make him a genuine threat in this struggle against Jones.
While Santos has a puncher’s chance against Jones, you simply can not go against the champion. Jones, for his or her problems, is the best MMA fighter of all time, and he will be a heavy favorite here in order to defend his belt.
MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas has already released the launching betting line for this particular bout. Jones started as a -900 favored, with Santos as a +600 underdog. Click the hyperlink to read Kalikas’ rationale for the opening line.
Amanda Nunes vs. Holly Holm UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes will stick around 135lbs and defend her belt at UFC 239 against leading competition Holly Holm.
Nunes (17-4) is 10-1 overall from the UFC and is now riding an eight-fight win streak. After going through every challenger thrown her way at bantamweight, including Valentina Shevchenko twice, Ronda Rousey and Raquel Pennington, she proceeded up to featherweight in her last outing and became the first girl to knock Cris Cyborg, becoming the featherweight champion in the procedure. In this fight against Holm, she’ll move down to bantamweight and shield her belt there.
Holm (12-4) is only 5-4 in the UFC, but she’s fought elite competition in most of her writings within the Octagon and her album is skewed as a result. Since her shocking angry head kick KO win over Ronda Rousey in late 2015, Holm is just 2-4 in the UFC, but she has won just two of her last three bouts such as a determination win over Megan Anderson in her last outing. Despite her inconsistencies the past couple of years, she is still one of the most admired female MMA fighters ever.
Although Holm is a formidable challenge for Nunes, the UFC’s first women’s double winner deserves to be a sizable favorite heading into the bout.
MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas additionally opened the opening betting line for this bout too. Nunes opened as a -345 favorite, with Holm that a +275 underdog. Click the hyperlink to read Kalikas’ logical for the opening lineup.
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