UFC 293: Previewing The Odds on the Fights in Sydney, Australia

Isreal Adesanya has never lost a UFC/MMA fight on Australian soil, but hard-hitting – and talking – American Sean Strickland will certainly get some licks in.

Adesanya-Strickland is the Main Event of UFC 293 Saturday night/Sunday morning at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. Michigan online sportsbooks have full markets open on each of the night’s 12 fights in the Octagon.

It’s the first title defense for Adesanya since reclaiming the championship in April. The Nigerian-born Adesanya has lived and trained in New Zealand since he started his MMA career and has never lost at home.

What Do The Oddsmakers Say?

Adesanya is a -650 moneyline favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook Michigan and the over/under on rounds is 4.5. That shows the belief that Strickland can at least hang around and make it a fight. He has a punchers chance for sure.

DraftKings Michigan lists Adesanya to win by knockout/TKO or submission at +100. What about the underdog? They list Strickland to win by knockout at +1000.

This will be Adesanya’s 11th appearance at a UFC PPV event. He is 4-1 in his last five fights, winning three of those by decision. Strickland already made headlines in Australia with some of his over-the-top comments. He’s 8-2 in his last 10 fights and has never beaten anyone of this caliber in his career. The fight is scheduled to start right around midnight ET.

The Big Co-Main is a ‘Shoey’

A pair of heavyweights with something to prove will star on the undercard as Tai Tuivasa (15-5) takes on Alexander Volkov (36-10).

Tuivasa will have the home crowd behind him rooting to see his post-fight “Shooey” celebration (drinking a concoction out of a shoe), but he’s lost his last two fights.

FanDuel has Volkov as the big moneyline favorite at -265 and the over/under at DraftKings Michigan is 1.5 rounds. Volkov has won his last two fights with first-round TKOs.

The Undercard Down Under

Undefeated Felipe dos Santos takes on Manel Kape in a flyweight battle on the undercard. DraftKings has Kape as the favorite at -395, and round total set at 2.5.

There’s another exciting heavyweight fight listed on the undercard between Justin Tafa (6-3) and Austin Lane (12-3). Lane is a former NFL defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tafa is the DraftKings pick at -218 on the moneyline.

Tyson Pedro (9-4) fights Anton Turkalj (8-2) in a light heavyweight fight of two contenders in the last fight on the undercard. Pedro is the slight -130 moneyline favorite in a match that may steal the show.

ESPN will broadcast the prelims and undercard, with the main card available on ESPN+.

By:Darren Cooper

Born and raised in Louisiana, Darren Cooper has a fond appreciation for bayous, Mardi Gras beads and the sports betting industry. Darren has worked for multiple print and online publications since 1998, primarily as a sports columnist in the Northeast. He’s covered a Super Bowl (it was a blowout), the World Series (same) and the NBA Draft (man, those guys are tall). For the last few years he’s dug deep into the sports gambling industry as it exploded across America, learning how the legal sausage is made and how while all the sportsbooks look the same, they all have different identities and styles. He’s learned to always bet within his means -- and take the under. When not in front of his computer creating, Darren spends time with his three boys. He runs, reads and is always looking for the next big thing to write about.