Here are Guy Giles' best UFC picks for Israel Adesanya vs Jared Cannonier at UFC 276 in Las Vegas. Visit the Betway Insider for picks on all the biggest fights.

Adesanya vs Cannonier odds

The middleweight belt is on the line in the main event of UFC 276, as champion Israel Adesanya launches the fifth defence of his title against Jared Cannonier.

Since entering the UFC in February 2018, Adesanya has developed into one of the promotion’s biggest stars, and even has a case as its most prominent active fighter.

‘The Last Stylebender’ is unbeaten at middleweight in his career, with the only blemish on his record coming when he stepped up to challenge Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title in March 2021.

Since that loss, Adesanya has defended his 185lb belt against Marvin Vettori and Robert Whittaker, both of whom he has now beaten twice.

He now faces No. 3-ranked Jared Cannonier, who has revitalised his UFC career since dropping down to middleweight.

The 38-year-old has won five of six in the division, and earned his first UFC title shot with a second-round KO win over Derek Brunson at UFC 271 in February.

The odds are stacked against ‘Tha Killa Gorilla’ on Saturday – he is priced at to dethrone the champ.

Adesanya, meanwhile, is to defend his belt for the fifth time.

Adesanya vs Cannonier prediction

Adesanya is one of the most skilled fighters in the UFC, and his ability to negate the strengths of his opponent while picking them apart from distance has made him one of the most dominant champions in the sport.

He has faced the best of the best in the middleweight division, and has overcome almost every manner of fighter during his time in the UFC.

Cannonier offers nothing that Adesanya has not seen, and beaten, before. That is not to say he has no chance of winning, but there is a reason Adesanya is such a heavy favourite.

If he is to upset the odds, and Dana White, he will need to hit Adesanya hard and early.

Cannonier’s power is his biggest weapon, with 10 of his 15 wins coming by knockout, and a stoppage on the feet looks to be his only path to victory.

Unfortunately for him, Adesanya has never been knocked out as a mixed martial artist. His reach, elite range control, and slick defence make him extremely tough to hit, and Cannonier will have put work in to set up his power punches if he is to land that fight-ending strike.

The longer the fight goes on, the more dangerous Adesanya will become, with his wide variety of strikes from range allowing him to break down his opponents round by round.

He has shown an ability to convert this dominance into a stoppage – as seen against Paulo Costa and in his first fight against Whittaker – and also to grind out the win on the scorecards.

Seven of his 11 UFC wins have come via decision, and he has gone five rounds on six occasions, while Cannonier has done so just twice.

So, there are two ways this one is likely to finish – Adesanya by KO, or by decision. Considering four of his last five fights have gone the distance, backing him to win by decision looks the best bet.

Adesanya to win on points