Five reasons to watch UFC 248 with two title fights, Adesanya and three Brazilians

I. Adesanya (left) makes his first title defense against Y. Romero (right) in UFC 248. Photo: Montage SL/MMA Press

Known as the 'City of Entertainment', Las Vegas (USA) will host a card that promises to rock the weekend for MMA lovers. With two title fights, the UFC 248, which takes place this Saturday (7), will present the public with 12 fights and lots of excitement.

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In the main fight, Israel adesanya will be committed to winning in his first defense of the middleweight title (up to 83,9kg.). The Nigerian will exchange forces against the dangerous Yoel romero and will try to maintain his unbeaten record in his career.

Before the last fight, however, Ultimate will present the fight between the strawweight champion (up to 52,1kg.), Weili Zhang, against the former number one in the category, Joanna Jędrzejczyk. The dispute will confirm whether the Chinese will remain as 'queen' of the category or whether the Pole will return to her old position.

The card will also feature three performances by Brazilians. On the preliminary card, Polyana viana e Rudolph Vieira will take green and yellow to the Octagon. In the main, Alex Cowboy fights the 'fight of life' against Max griffin.

The event starts at 20:30 pm (Brasília time) and, around midnight, the main presentations will begin.

To get in the mood, our team selected five reasons to follow the UFC 248. Check out:

1) Israel Adesanya x Yoel Romero

I. Adesanya wins absolute middleweight belt in UFC 243 . Photo: Reproduction / Facebook @ufc

In this Saturday, Israel adesanya will have one of the toughest commitments of his career. The athlete will face one of the most feared opponents in the category and needs to win to prove that he is not just the owner of a momentary talent in the sport.

This will be the first defense of the belt for Israel, who became champion after beating the former number one, Robert whittaker in the main fight of UFC 243, in October last year. The fight was valid for title unification and the Nigerian ran over the Australian on that occasion.

The challenge against Romero was a personal request from Adesanya to Ultimate. Unable to face Paulo borrachinha, who was recovering from biceps surgery, the fighter chose to face Romero, who is coming off two consecutive setbacks. The request displeased some fans and was criticized by the specialized press. However, the Cuban's negative record does not take away from the athlete's qualities and history in MMA.

2) Youth x Experience

I. Adesanya (left) and Y. Romero (right) facing the UFC 248. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ufc

12 years younger than his rival, Israel will have, this weekend, another trial by fire that involves facing a much older opponent. This situation is not unprecedented in the Nigerian's career, as the champion, in February last year, faced and beat the legendary Anderson Silva in the main fight of UFC 234.

Although he didn't have an easy time in the fight against 'Spider', the Brazilian is currently not in the best phase of his career. Romero, in turn, can be considered a more risky rival to the Nigerian's impeccable record.

The meeting with the Cuban will represent Israel's 19th fight in his professional MMA career. The middleweight has never suffered a defeat in his career.

3) Zhang x Jędrzejczyk: champion and former champion

W. Zhang (left) and J. Jędrzejczyk (right) face each other in the UFC 248. Photo: Montage SL/MMA Press

By winning the strawweight belt after having beaten Jessica Andrade in the main fight of UFC Shenzhen, in August last year, Weili Zhang opened the doors of MMA in China after becoming the first athlete in the country to hold an Ultimate title. The fighter, however, will have a great test of fire this weekend when she faces an old acquaintance of fans of the sport.

Joanna, who went through an unstable phase in her career, managed to recover her good momentum and qualified to face the Chinese after a gala performance in the victory over Michelle Waterson No. UFC Tampa. After winning and convincing, the Polish woman won the right to challenge Zhang, who will defend her first belt.

In addition to the challenge of regaining the title, Jędrzejczyk will have the duty of ending the rival's unbeaten run that has lasted 19 appearances and six years. Weili was beaten on only one occasion, interestingly on her debut in the sport. After the episode, the Chinese woman no longer knew what it was like to be defeated.

Joanna was champion of the category between 2015 and 2017. The fighter defended the title on five occasions until losing it in 2017, in the match against Rose namajunas.

4) Rodolfo Vieira, the promise of the midfielders

R. Vieira after his UFC debut. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @rodolfovieira89

Considered one of the great Brazilian names for the future of middleweights, Rudolph Vieira arrives, this Saturday, at his second appearance since signing his contract with Ultimate. Known as 'The Black Belt Hunter', the athlete, who is a multiple jiu-jitsu champion, has maintained regularity in the transition from the 'gentle art' to MMA.

With six performances in mixed martial arts, the Rio native remains undefeated in the sport and will have a tough commitment against the aggressive Saparbek Safarov. Known for his knockout power, the Russian will have the duty to stop the Brazilian's excellent jiu-jitsu and interrupt Vieira's unbeaten run.

5) Alex Cowboy has the 'fight of his life'

A. Cowboy needs to win again for the UFC. Photo: Disclosure / Twitter @ufc_Brasil

In a bad phase in Ultimate, Alex Cowboy will have the most important commitment in his UFC career. Coming from three consecutive setbacks, the athlete from Três Rios (RJ) will face the North American Max griffin.

Cowboy, who was once considered one of the greatest talents among the welterweights (up to 77kg.), has not won since his triumph over Carlo Pedersoli, in September 2018. Outside of the category's ranking, today, the Brazilian is concerned with maintaining his contract with the organization, which usually releases athletes after consecutive defeats.

Alex has not played since the negative result in the clash against Nicholas Dalby, in September of last year.

UFC 248 technical sheet

DAY: March 7, 2020

HORA: From 20:30 pm (Brasília time)

LOCAL: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada (USA)

HOW TO WATCH: SUPER FIGHTS (the first two fights LIVE) and Combate channel (the entire card)

MAIN CARD (0 p.m. Brasília time)

Average weight (up to 83,9kg): Israel adesanya x Yoel romero – Fight for the belt

Straw weight (up to 52,1kg): Weili Zhang x Joanna Jedrzejczyk – Fight for the belt

Light weight (up to 70,3kg.): Beneil Dariush x Drakkar Klose

Welterweight (up to 77kg): Neil Magny x li jingliang

Welterweight (up to 77kg): Alex Cowboy x Max griffin

PRELIMINARY CARD (20:30 p.m., Brasília time)

Bantamweight (up to 61,2kg): Sean O'Malley x José Quiñonez

Light weight (up to 70,3kg.): Mark madsen x Austin Hubbard

Average weight (up to 83,9kg): Rudolph Vieira x Saparbek Safarov

Average weight (up to 83,9kg): Gerald meerschaert x Deron Winn

Straw weight (up to 52,1kg): emily whitmire*x Polyana viana

Featherweight (up to 65,7kg): Giga Chikadze x Jamall Emmers

Bantam weight (up to 61,2kg): Danaa Batgerel x Guido cannetti

*It was approximately 600g above the division limit.