UFC Fantasy: Significant Stats - UFC 263: Adesanya Vs Vettori 2

Key Stats: 11 knockdowns landed (3rd all-time among MW), 86.5% takedown defense (2nd all-time among MW), 65.25% significant strike defense (2nd)

What It Means: When it comes to striking, “The Last Stylebender” is as complex a fighter as we’ve seen in the UFC and he has worked to maximize that extensive kickboxing experience in the Octagon. His defensive grappling is sound. He does everything you want a fighter to do when their opponent shoots for a takedown – stuffing the head, sprawling quickly, getting to the fence, digging for underhooks, etc. – and he punishes opponents once he fends off their shot. He likes to pick his shots and make reads from a distance, and his counterstriking in the pocket has become more lethal, utilizing his flexibility to slide out of danger while staying in range to land his own punishing strikes.

Order UFC 263 For Any Device

Marvin Vettori

Key Stats: 66.2% significant strike defense (3rd all-time among MW), 53.7% takedown accuracy (5th all-time among MW), 29.1% control time percentage (5th)

What It Means: Vettori is a ferocious, aggressive fighter who has honed those traits to become an excellent mixed martial artist. His strikes hold plenty of power, and he’s often a flurry of movement and pressure when he wants to get on the front-foot. He’s a tenacious grappler and has great strength for the division. Once he obtains control, he can land heavy ground-and-pound and look for any opportunities to finish.

ATHLETE PROFILES: Israel Adesanya | Marvin Vettori

What to Look For in the Fight: This high-stakes rematch is going to be a strong showcase for both fighters to show how much they’ve improved since their first meeting more than three years ago. Adesanya has become much more lethal in his ability to fend off takedowns and punish opponents as he exits. Vettori is more polished as a striker and better at using his physical strength to gain the advantage grappling, but he also has a lot of power in his hands. How Adesanya dictates the range and distance against Vettori is critical, and because “The Last Stylebender” likes to work off leg and body kicks, it’ll be interesting to see how Vettori uses that tendency to get inside and attempt to grapple against the champ.

Co-Main Event: Deiveson Figueiredo vs Brandon Moreno

Deiveson Figueiredo

Key Stats: 7 finishes (tied-1st all-time among FLW), 1.05 knockdowns per 15 minutes (3rd all-time among FLW), 56.4% significant strike accuracy (2nd all-time among FLW)

MORE UFC 263: Top Flyweight Fights | Fighters On The Rise

What It Means: Figueiredo is an incredibly powerful and precise fighter with an instinctive knack to finish his opponents either via knockout or submission. On the feet, he is efficient with his striking selection, utilizing his range and knowledge of his power to set traps and find the one or two openings to land a few punches. His ground game is slick, and much like his striking, he has almost no wasted movements. The squeeze on his chokes is vice-grip tight, and his physical strength often gives other flyweights problems in clinch situations.

Brandon Moreno

Key Stats: 14:09 average fight time (1st longest), 38.8% significant strike accuracy (7th), 19 takedowns landed (tied-2nd)

What It Means: Although Moreno is a submission artist, the improvements made in his standup have launched him into the division’s elite. His boxing is fluid, and he throws in bunches both when initiating and countering his foe. He makes good use of the jab to disrupt his opponent’s timing, and he mixes up his punches to the body and head. On the ground, he uses his wiry frame and limbs to fish for submissions and find leverage. He has a solid chin as well, which helps him pressure forward and drag opponents into a dogfight.

ATHLETE PROFILES: Deiveson Figueiredo | Brandon Moreno

What to Look For in the Fight: Nobody would blame a viewer if they had the score even at two rounds each heading into the fifth round of their first fight. Figueiredo wasn’t able to walk Moreno down for the early parts of the fight despite landing some bombs, and Moreno’s pace and pressure seemed to wear on the champion. How either might implement some more grappling early is a piece to watch, but as both are so dangerous on the ground, it’ll be interesting to see how Moreno makes use of what might be more polished punching and how Figueiredo manages to land more power shots on the Mexican.

Other Fights to Watch (Leon Edwards vs Nate Diaz, Joanne Calderwood vs Lauren Murphy)

Leon Edwards

Key Stats: 2.03 strikes absorbed per minute (4th), 26.9% control time (9th), 7 decision wins (tied-3rd)

UFC 263 PUBLIC EVENTS SCHEDULE

What It Means: “Rocky” is a technically sound, intelligent fighter whose ability to manage the tempo and distance of a fight makes him a puzzle for most of his opponents. Although his fights might seem slower or methodical, it’s a testament to his defensive ability and ability to punish his opponent during the in-between moments of the fight. He does well to use clinches to fend off pressure-forward fighters and snuff out their attacks, and if they become frustrated or overeager, Edwards is sharp to land elbows off the break. Edwards’ grappling is often overlooked, and he exhibits good control along the fence.

Nate Diaz