It has taken two and a half years, but UFC fans finally get their wish. Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will face Robert Whittaker in a rematch of their title bout from October 2019. Adesanya won the first UFC betting matchup against Whittaker and has held the title belt for the duration. Since that bout, Whittaker has been focused on revenge. And many gamblers believe he has what it takes to get it. However, Adesanya is the favorite as a proven long-term champion. Five bouts are on a loaded Main Card for Saturday night.
UFC 271 Main Card
| Date and Time: | Saturday, February 12, 2022, 10 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Toyota Center, Houston, Texas |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN+ |
Middleweight Title Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Israel Adesanya | -275 |
| Robert Whittaker | +220 |
On the whole, Israel Adesanya has a career online betting record of 21-1. Robert Whittaker is at 24-5 for his career. Consider that Israel Adesanya has successfully defended his title three times. In their previous meeting, Robert Whittaker lost his first title belt defense to Adesanya.
The last time out for Adesanya was on June 12, 2021, against Marvin Vettori. Adesanya scored a unanimous decision win. Previously, Adesanya suffered his first career loss. After stepping up to the light heavyweight class, Adesanya dropped a unanimous decision to Jan Blachowicz.
Since his loss to Adesanya, Whittaker has won three consecutive fights. He is coming off a unanimous decision win over Kelvin Gastelum on April 17, 2021.
Heavyweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Derrick Lewis | -190 |
| Tai Tuivasa | +160 |
Derrick Lewis has a career record of 25-8 with one NC. And then Tai Tuivasa is 13-3 for his career.
The last time out for Derrick Lewis was a 1st-round knockout win over Chris Daukaus on December 18, 2021. It was a nice rebound for Lewis after his 3rd-round technical knockout loss to Ciryl Gane on August 7, 2021. Since losing his only heavyweight title shot to Daniel Cormier in November 2018, Lewis has been on the quest for another opportunity.
Late on, Tai Tuivasa is riding a 4-bout winning streak. Tuivasa is coming off a knockout win over Augusto Sakai on December 11, 2021.
Middleweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jared Cannonier | -180 |
| Derek Brunson | +155 |
Jared Cannonier has a career marker of 14-5. Counter to that is Derek Brunson at 23-7.
The last time out for Jared Cannonier was a unanimous decision win over Kelvin Gastelum on August 21, 2021. It was a nice rebound after a unanimous decision loss to Robert Whittaker.
Accordingly, Derek Brunson is riding a 5-bout winning streak. Brunson is coming off a submission win over Darren Till on September 4, 2021.
Bantamweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kyler Phillips | -365 |
| Marcelo Rojo | +280 |
Kyler Phillips is 9-2 for his career. In comparison, Marcelo Rojo brings a record of 16-8 with the UFC Betting odds.
Lightweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Bobby Green | TBD |
| Nasrat Haqparast | TBD |
Overall, Bobby Green has a career record of 27-12-1. Nasrat Haqparast stands at 13-4 for his career.
UFC 271 SBG Free Picks
In this situation, Robert Whittaker is getting a great price for a fighter of his ability. Additionally, Whittaker will bring a strong motivational advantage in his quest for revenge against Israel Adesanya. While in the heavyweight bout, Derrick Lewis outclasses Tai Tuivasa.
UFC 271 SBG Best Bets: Robert Whittaker and Derrick Lewis.