Marvin Vettori (Credits: UFC YouTube)
Marvin Vettori squares off against Israel Adesanya this weekend at UFC 263
Vettori will be chasing Adesanya’s middleweight title as the pair headline this weekend’s UFC event at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. This will be Adesanya’s third middleweight title defense.
‘The Italian Dream’ is coming off a massive victory against Kevin Holland at UFC on ABC 2. Vettori won via. unanimous decision that night. But it was the way he earned his victory that grabbed eyeballs.
Vettori executed a staggering 11 takedowns against Holland, thereby setting the record for the most takedowns in a single match in the history of the UFC’s middleweight division.
Saturday night, Vettori will be looking forward to doing the same to Adesanya, given the middleweight champion’s weakness in the ground, which was clearly exposed when Izzy faced Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 (and eventually lost via. unanimous decision).
So, what would a win mean for Marvin Vettori?
If Vettori manages to beat Adesanya at UFC 263, he would become the first Italian champion in the history of the UFC. Italy is not known for producing mixed martial artists, due to the sport not being that popular in the nation.
It would also satisfy Vettori’s heart as he would have exacted revenge for his loss against Adesanya at UFC on Fox: Poirier vs Gaethje back in April 2018, at the very same arena they will be fighting at UFC 263.
Vettori lost to newcomer Adesanya that night via. a narrow split decision. ‘The Italian Dream’, hasn’t got over that loss yet, and believes that he should have been awarded the fight.
The whole of Italy would be tuning in, come the 12th of June, to see their hero make history and do the country proud.
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