UFC Fight Night: Expert picks and best bets for Adesanya vs. Imavov - ESPN

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya looks to end a two-fight losing streak as he takes on Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of a matinee UFC Fight Night on Saturday (noon ET on ESPN+, with prelims at 9 a.m. on ESPN+).

Adesanya's past two fights were challenges to regain the title against Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis, respectively. He is No. 4 in ESPN's divisional rankings. Imavov, a rising contender, enters the fight riding a three-fight winning streak. He is ESPN's No. 7-ranked middleweight.

Brett Okamoto spoke to former UFC women's featherweight and ESPN analyst Megan Anderson to get her perspective on the main event. ESPN betting expert Ian Parker adds insight and analysis on the main event and other intriguing bets he likes on the card.

Editor's note: Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

How Adesanya wins: It all comes down to controlling the range and striking exchanges. I am hard-pressed to find anyone in the world who can stand and trade with Adesanya. His striking is exceptional and it looked as good as ever in his last fight against Dricus Du Plessis, which was coming off a layoff. So, I expect him to look even better in this main event. He is entering a different chapter in his career, but this matchup is comfortable for him. He has a five-inch reach advantage, which is huge. He can't lose control of the range. And at various points, if he can put his foot on the gas and back Imavov up, I'd love to see him do that.

How Imavov wins: Shut down Adesanya's lateral movement. That is one of his best assets. Generally speaking, leg kicks have led to some success against Adesanya. Alex Pereira and Du Plessis utilized them. If Imavov can invest in kicks early in the