Israel Adesanya shares reason for not picking a winner for Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera in UFC 299 prediction video
Israel Adesanya has put forth his breakdown of multiple matchups on the UFC 299 fight card. The highly-anticipated pay-per-view (PPV) event will transpire on March 9, 2024. It'll be headlined by a UFC bantamweight title showdown between reigning champion 'Sugar' Sean O'Malley and challenger Marlon 'Chito' Vera.
In a video posted to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya notably analyzed the O'Malley-Vera matchup. During similar breakdown videos he posted in the past, the UFC icon generally revealed his prediction as to who'll win a given fight.
Nevertheless, the former UFC middleweight champion has seemingly refrained from picking sides in the second encounter between O'Malley and Vera. The 34-year-old suggested that it's because he shares a respectful relationship with both fighters.
Besides, the widely-revered striking savant indicated that his bond with Vera is deeper. Adesanya alluded that his teammates, 'Blood Diamond' aka Mike Mathetha and the late Jamie van der Kuijl, had told him "good things" about 'Chito.'
Furthermore, 'The Last Stylebender' appeared to suggest that 'Chito' used to help his teammates back in the day. As for the Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera prediction, Adesanya explained:
"I'm not going to pick just 'cause I think they will sort it out themselves ... And again, I love 'Chito' as a person. We have history, like, deeper than that..."
He added:
"Whenever I've met him [Vera], he's always cool, and so was Sean. They always show respect. Because, they're fans of me, and they appreciate me as people. So, for me, I feel like it'd be a disservice to try and pick one to win. It's not my fight. It's their fight. So, yeah, you guys can roll the dice on that one. May the best man win. I wish both guys the best in this fight. And hopefully, they come out unscathed."
Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below (18:17):
UFC 299 prediction: Israel Adesanya picks former champion to emerge victorious
Israel Adesanya hasn't competed since losing the UFC middleweight title via unanimous decision against Sean Strickland in September 2023. While Adesanya subsequently announced that he'll take a hiatus till 2027, he's lately clarified that he could return soon. Speaking of which, the MMA great has also discussed the much-awaited comeback of Dustin Poirier.
During the 14:11-minute mark of his UFC 299 breakdown video on his YouTube channel, Israel Adesanya addressed Dustin Poirier's upcoming lightweight bout against Benoît Saint Denis. The Poirier-Saint Denis clash would serve as the co-headlining fight at UFC 299.
Adesanya emphasized that Poirier is a veteran of the sport. He further implied that 'The Diamond' is resilient despite his losses. Foreseeing a stoppage victory for the former interim UFC lightweight champion, he said:
"I'm gonna go Dustin just 'cause he's Dustin Poirier. He's a veteran -- 'The Diamond.' He's done so much ... I know he's had some losses and whatnot. But they don't really define him. He's defined by who he is as a fighter. I'm going to go Dustin ... Maybe a late stoppage."