UFC 293 Fight Card: PPV Schedule, Odds and Predictions for Adesanya vs. Strickland

The heated exchanges and social media barbs will stop on Saturday night when Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland are locked in the Octagon with one another for the main event of UFC 293 from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Adesanya and Strickland, both known for their outspoken personalities, have not held back in the lead up to this one. The result should be a violent fight with Adesanya's middleweight strap on the line.

The co-main event figures to be a possible slugfest. Tai Tuivasa's heavy hands will meet Alexander Volkov in a heavyweight co-main event.

The main card has a decidedly Down Under feel to it with Justin Tafa and Tyson Pedro also making appearances.

Here's a look at the entire schedule with a closer look at the featured bouts and the latest odds.

Main Card (ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET)

Israel Adesanya (-675) vs. Sean Strickland (+490)

Tai Tuivasa (+205) vs. Alexander Volkov (-250)

Manel Kape (-410) vs. Felipe dos Santos (+320)

Justin Tafa (-205) vs. Austen Lane (+170)

Tyson Pedro (-105) vs. Anton Turkalj (-115)

Prelims (ESPN/ESPN+/ABC at 8 p.m. ET)

Carlos Ulberg (-285) vs. Da Un Jung (+230)

Jack Jenkins (-205) vs. Chepe Mariscal (+170)

Jamie Mullarkey (-270) vs. John Makdessi (+220)

Nasrat Haqparast (-455) vs. Landon Quinones (+350)

Early Prelims (ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET)

Blood Diamond (+260) vs. Charlie Radtke (-325)

Shane Young (-125) vs. Gabriel Miranda (+105)

Kevin Jousset (-162) vs. Kiefer Crosbie (+136)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Anytime Israel Adesanya fights, it's a spectacle. At this point, he's already established himself as one of the greatest middleweights of all-time and he has the opportunity to put his resume against Anderson Silva's by the time it's over.

But this does not go down as one of the biggest fights of his career. Strickland knows how to sell a fight. He knows how to generate heat like a heel and he has enough skill to back it up most of the time.

A fight against The Last Stylebender is not "most of the time," though. It's a matchup that leaves little margin for error against a precise striker with one-strike knockout power.

That's going to be a problem for Strickland who relies on establishing his jab and beating opponents with sheer volume and pace.

Against a calculated counter-striker like Adesanya, that's a recipe to wind up on a highlight reel.

The first round might actually go to the challenger. Adesanya can take a round or two to get warmed up and get his reads, but don't expect it to last long. Once the champ is comfortable he'll go into terminator mode and end Strickland's night.

Prediction: Adesanya via third-round TKO

Tai Tuivasa might not be among the best heavyweights in the world, but he is one of the most entertaining. He has brick fists and won't hesitate to celebrate a knockout with a shoey.

He'll be a popular upset pick for the fact that he's fighting on his home turf and has more pure power than Alexander Volkov, but he has an uphill battle ahead of him.

For one, Volkov is a long fighter who does a good job of managing the distance. The Russian hasn't been knocked out since 2018 when Derrick Lewis caught him at UFC 229. His 80" reach helps him to keep opponents at bay and he isn't afraid to pepper in some body and leg kicks as well.

Tuivasa doesn't really threaten with his wrestling so Volkov will be free to throw those kicks without worrying about takedowns from the Aussie.

The Russian's power can't be completely discounted here either. He's won his last two fights with first-round knockouts and that's going to lead to a lot of confidence.

But Volkov is a smart fighter so he's likely to pick and choose his spots against the powerful Tuivasa.

Manel Kape is starting to make a name for himself and he has the opportunity to increase his stock again on the main card. This bout was supposed to be against Kai Kara-France in a high-profile flyweight affair.

However, Kara-France was pulled from the fight and Felipe dos Santos was tabbed as a short-notice replacement.

Dos Santos was supposed to fight on Dana White's Contender Series but got signed by the UFC and moved to the main event after his opponent didn't weigh in for the event. Now the 22-year-old has a career-altering opportunity.

It would be an amazing story for him to take advantage and pull off the massive upset, but it isn't likely in the cards.

Kape is on his way to proving he belongs in the top echelon of the division and has a well-rounded game. He's on a three fight win streak and has the kind of flashy striking game that is going to resonate with audiences and create some highlights.

Expect one of them to come on Saturday night.

Prediction: Kape via first-round TKO

Gambling Problem? Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369).

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).

Odds and lines subject to change. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.