On Sunday, the UFC serves up a truly formidable card, with three title fights and a host of other intriguing bouts taking place at UFC 259. Here are four very valid reasons to tune into the Las Vegas event.
Israel Adesanya eyes “champ champ” status
Only four fighters have done it: hold two UFC belts simultaneously. Already the middleweight champion, Adesanya looks to join Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo on a pretty lofty list.
The unbeaten Nigeria-born New Zealander, who last fought in September in Abu Dhabi when he inflicted Paulo Costa’s first professional defeat, is 20-0.
However, instead of seeking to consolidate his superiority in that division, Adesanya has jumped up immediately to try to claim another crown. The sturdy Jan Blachowicz stands in his way, another to prevail in the UAE capital last year, when he knocked out Dominick Reyes to secure the vacant light-heavyweight title. Intriguingly, Adesanya begins as heavy favourite, although can the UFC’s next transcendent superstar handle the Polish power should it land?
New mother Nunes adding to “Goat” legacy
On the surface at least, this looks a straightforward victory for Nunes. The Brazilian is comfortably the UFC’s greatest female athlete of all time, a current two-division champion who rides an 11-fight win streak. In Megan Anderson, Nunes defends her featherweight title against a fighter with two defeats in her past five outings, albeit the Australian has most recently reeled off two first-rounds wins.
More broadly, the division is in danger of fading out, with only five fighters on its roster. However, this represents Nunes’ first bout since becoming a mother in September, which adds an altogether different layer of intrigue to the contest. Has parenthood mellowed Nunes in any way? How has it impacted her preparations and, subsequently, will it her performance? Anderson will need any chinks in the armour whatsoever to pull off a hefty shock.
Aljamain Sterling making up for lost time
This was the title fight everyone expected in July. Henry Cejudo had retired two months previously, with Petr Yan and Sterling at the front of the queue for the vacant bantamweight belt. Yet the UFC instead booked Yan against Jose Aldo, that despite the Brazilian’s two defeats at bantamweight.
Yan duly obliged, triumphing in style at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi. Finally, though, Sterling gets his title shot, and the highly skilled American coming into the tussle on a five-fight win streak – including June’s stunning first-round victory against Cory Sandhagen. Sterling is a joy to watch, exciting and explosive. In Yan, he faces a guy unbeaten in 10 fights and five years. His pro record stands at 15-1. Champion against No 1-ranked contender: a thrillingly competitive clash is anticipated.
Islam Makhachev focuses on lightweight
It’s hard to believe Makachev hasn’t fought since September 2019, when he defeated Davi Ramos at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. The Russian, who trains alongside lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, was supposed to compete three times since, but each bout fell through. It seems, though, that absence has only exacerbated the clamour to see Makachev return to action. He has lost once in 19 pro bouts, winning his past six. He has been talked up - as you would expect - by his respected coach Javier Mendez, who tips Makachev to become the next lightweight champion. With Nurmagomedov expected to stay retired and vacate, there’s a lot of contenders ahead in the pecking order. Yet shine against Drew Dober on Sunday, and the climb towards gold will accelerate.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
Results
6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer)
6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m
Winner: Island Falcon, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m
Winner: Rawy, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor
8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons
9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
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Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
360Vuz PROFILE
Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology
Size: 21 employees
Funding: $7 million
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine 2.4L four-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')
Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')
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Scotland's team:
15-Sean Maitland, 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Nick Grigg, 12-Sam Johnson, 11-Byron McGuigan, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ali Price, 8-Magnus Bradbury, 7-Hamish Watson, 6-Sam Skinner, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Ben Toolis, 3-Willem Nel, 2-Stuart McInally (captain), 1-Allan Dell
Replacements: 16-Fraser Brown, 17-Gordon Reid, 18-Simon Berghan, 19-Jonny Gray, 20-Josh Strauss, 21-Greig Laidlaw, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Chris Harris
