When Israel Adesanya fights this Saturday, the drama will center less on the fight itself than its place in a wider narrative.
A heavy favorite against aging legend Anderson Silva—a -650 favorite to be exact (bet $650 to win $100), per OddsShark—Adesanya routinely names Silva as the inspiration for his decision to pursue MMA. If Adesanya fulfills expectations and takes his idol down, the rising star will be well-positioned to challenge for the UFC middleweight title. As coincidence would have it, Adesanya-Silva serves as the co-main event of UFC 234, one slot below champion Robert Whittaker's defense against Kelvin Gastelum.