The UFC 293 main event features Israel Adesanya defending his middleweight title against Sean Strickland. This fight takes place at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. You can livestream the fight on your computer, phone or TV with a PPV pass to ESPN+.

Also on the card is Tai Tuivasa vs Alexander Volkov, Justin Tafa vs Austen Lane and Tyson Pedro vs Anton Turkalj.

Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland

Israel Adesanya is one of the most exciting in-cage performers around, and he was poised to entertain fans in Sydney in his first fight Down Under since winning the middleweight title in 2019. But Strickland got in his face and battered him all the way to a unanimous decision, becoming the new UFC champion.

Adesanya’s quick reign ended in a major upset, as the Nigerian-New Zealander was unnerved by the tough challenger from Kentucky. Strickland, who entered the bout with a 24-2 MMA record and was coming off a win over Alex Pereira, dropped Adesanya late in Round 1 with a picture-perfect right cross. After the knockout, Strickland pressed forward for a finish but could not find the punch that would put his opponent away.

The two combatants traded a few blows in the second round, but Adesanya was content to take a cautious approach, which allowed him to keep his distance. Strickland was more active and began to press forward more, but Adesanya still stayed out of harm’s way by moving in and out of range.

In the third round, Adesanya began to push forward with more frequency, but he was still wary of the challenger’s counter-strikes. Strickland began to get more aggressive, though, and landed a hard low kick that sent Adesanya off balance. He followed with a crisp jab, and then a solid right cross.

Adesanya looked to load up on a left hook, but he didn’t commit to it and backed off instead. He was more active in the fourth round, but he struggled to make the most of his opportunities and ended up on the losing end of a close fight.

Adesanya was clearly the better fighter throughout the fight, but he did not have the power to pull off the kind of finish that he is known for in his other outings in the UFC. He was still a dominant force in the middleweight division, however, and is now one of the sport’s brightest young stars. He will look to return in the fall, where he will likely defend his title against the winner of Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev’s fight.

UFC 293 Live Stream

The main event of UFC 293 featured middleweight champion Israel Adesanya defending his title against challenger Sean Strickland. The fighters are both known for their striking prowess, so fans expected a back-and-forth affair. However, Strickland came into the fight with a game plan and took control of the first three rounds by keeping Adesanya off balance and uncomfortable.

Adesanya landed a few leg kicks in the early rounds but Strickland continued to pressure him with jabs and combos. Adesanya tried to keep his distance with fakes and feints, but Strickland kept his foot on the gas and kept moving forward.

In the second round, Adesanya finally began to land some more shots. He landed a right hand that dropped Strickland but could not follow up on the shot. Strickland was still able to press the Nigerian-New Zealander and continually looked for a finish throughout the rest of the round.

Despite being behind in the scorecards, Adesanya did not give up and remained composed until the bell. He threw a few more punches in the third round but was not able to make any big impacts. The final round was more of a back-and-forth affair as both fighters traded jabs.

Strickland landed one big counter right hand late in the round that sent Adesanya flying to the canvas. He looked for the finish but was not able to get it and the fight went to the judges.

The result was a unanimous decision for Strickland. He was the more active fighter in the first two rounds and his chin held up well against Adesanya’s strikes. The 34-year-old will now be considered the clear middleweight champion in the division.

The fight took place at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. It was the fifth main event of the night and was part of a stacked card featuring a number of high-profile matchups. The main card aired on ESPN Plus in the US and was available on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Samsung smart TVs. It was also streamed on the ESPN app.

UFC 293 Prelims

Israel Adesanya defends his middleweight title against Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 293. The New Zealander regained the belt in April by beating his old kickboxing rival Alex Pereira. The champion is a prohibitive favorite against the challenger, but Strickland has courted controversy with his comments about wanting to “kill” an opponent in the octagon in 2021.

The pair have traded jabs to open the fight. Adesanya tries to teep a body shot but it misses. He then throws a straight left but it also falls short of its mark. Strickland continues to plod forward, edging inside with his left and looking for opportunities to counterattack.

Adesanya hits a jab and a low kick but he can’t land anything clean. The champion moves back and forth in his stance, trying to find an opening to hit with a clean strike.

In the second round, Strickland lands a nice counter right hand but Adesanya’s follow-up flurry is ineffective. Strickland is looking to put the fight away with a big strike, but he can’t find it and Adesanya makes it to the bell.

Adesanya has landed just 34% of his strikes and Strickland is the more aggressive fighter throughout the rest of the fight. Adesanya can’t find a finish and the challenger wins the middleweight title by unanimous decision (49-46 x3). The result is one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

UFC 293 Finale

Few moments have shocked the MMA world as much as Israel Adesanya’s dethronement in the main event of UFC 293. In a fight that was supposed to be one of the most anticipated in recent memory, Sean Strickland outworked the champion to become the new middleweight champ. This will go down as one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, and it leaves the division wide open for the champion’s first challenger.

In the co-main event, Australia’s Tai Tuivasa faced another tough task in his quest for a title shot as he took on former number-one heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov. This was the first time the two had ever met, and it was a close contest all the way until the final bell. In the end, Tuivasa was able to earn the split decision win over Volkov.

Round 1 – They both trade quick leg kicks to start the fight. Adesanya circles around Strickland, picking him apart with his footwork. Strickland continues to press forward, looking to catch Adesanya with his unique guard. Adesanya is unable to land many shots to the head of his opponent, but he continues to work the legs of Strickland with precision.

Adesanya is unable to land any clean strikes in the second round, but he’s still working the leg of his opponent with great success. Strickland continues to move forward, but his awkward guard is preventing him from getting many punches into the head of Adesanya. Adesanya finally lands a big shot to the head of his opponent in the final minute of the round, but it wasn’t enough to steal the round.

The third and final round is much more competitive as both fighters try to find an opening. Adesanya continues to work the leg of Strickland, and he looks for the occasional strike to the head as well. Strickland moves in and tries to take down Adesanya, but the challenger manages to break free and survive the flurry of strikes.

In the fourth round, both fighters begin to wear down from the hard-fought fight. Adesanya is able to land a few jabs, but he’s having a hard time connecting with his other strikes. Strickland is able to connect with a few big left hooks, and the fight comes to a close as the bell rings.