Point of interest: Potential wrestling threats
Given that Romero will have an undeniable wrestling edge on paper, many – including myself – will be curious to see if the title challenger elects to challenge the champion in that area.
Despite the former Olympian mainly using takedowns as defensive triggers or strike setups, we have seen Romero return to his wrestling roots when facing striking threats in the past.
Against Brad Tavares, Romero used takedowns to disrupt the Hawaiian’s striking rhythm, eventually taking rounds en route to a decision win. And as we saw in his first encounter with Robert Whittaker, Romero hit well-timed takedowns early on in the fight that helped him score rounds in the process.
That said, whether Romero pursues well-timed shots in the open or opts for clinch pressure against the fence, Adesanya will be far from a willing dance partner.
Parlaying his kickboxing experience into mixed martial arts, Adesanya has shown a surprising amount of clinch savvy in regards to his counter grappling, all while maintaining the proper head space to keep strikes at the ready to deliver off the breaks. From slick elbows to intercepting knees, Adesanya will possess plenty of threats that could stifle the approaches of Romero (who is very familiar with those tools himself).
But as far as defending takedowns go, I would argue that Adesanya has over-performed, proving his critics wrong as of late. Even when revisiting his first professional MMA bout back in 2012, Adesanya was already demonstrating a surprising amount of clinch awareness, hitting hip tosses and displaying a basic understanding of over and underhook leverage.
Since that time, Adesanya has made steady improvements to his defensive grappling, smartly fighting grips and protecting his hips, typically while using the cage for assistance. Coupled with his natural base and balance, the eight-year pro seems to be harder and harder to control, demonstrating an active and attacking guard whenever he is taken down.
Still, if Adesanya does end up finding himself on his back in this fight, he will need to be fully aware that he’ll be in Romero’s proverbial danger zone. As we saw in his fight with Lyoto Machida, Romero needs all but one dominant position to punctuate his presence emphatic, conscious-altering punches and elbows.
Next point of interest: Odds, opinion and prediction