Israel Adesanya gets his first main event opportunity in the UFC when he faces Brad Tavares at the UFC Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale.
The undefeated prospect defeated Marvin Vettori in his last fight, but Adesanya considers Tavares an easier challenge than Vettori was.
“Brad, I think is gonna be easier than my last opponent, just because I’ve seen that style so many times,” Adesanya said on The MMA Hour. “I’ve read that stuff so many times. That’s nothing to me. My last opponent, Marvin Vettori, was an awkward, weird southpaw and I was able to read things on the fly with him. Brad, I’ve seen that style many, many times, so it’s going to be easier to read this book.”
Tavares also gets the opportunity to headline his first UFC card at the TUF 27 Finale, but he has also fought 14 times more in the promotion than Adesanya has.
Adesanya predicts that Tavares will last three rounds or less in their five round main event encounter.
“Look at Brad, the way he’s fought,” said Adesanya. “His last fight was his first finish in seven years. His chin isn’t as durable as Marvin. I don’t like to say things like that, because no one has a chin. Everyone has a button, it’s just how you can find that button. His button, his style with his stance, is easier to find than Marvin’s button. I’ll give it less than three rounds. Less than three rounds. The way he likes to throw, he’s from Hawaii. He’s a heavy guy when he throws. He’s a scrapper. So, we could scrap.”
UFC Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale takes place on Friday, July 6 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Brad Tavares and Israel Adesanya headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which airs live on Fox Sports 1.
