At the onset, there are two important items to remember for UFC 294. First, Islam Makhachev will defend his UFC Betting lightweight title belt against challenger Alexander Volkanovski. Specifically, UFC 294 Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 starts at 2 p.m. ET with coverage on ESPN+. Cause by the event being held in Abu Dhabi. The main card is one worthy of the venue. It is high-end from top to bottom. Four of the five bouts have ranked combatants. Two champions and six fighters ranked 7th or better in three of the bouts.
UFC 294 Makhachev vs. Oliveira 2 Main Card
| Date and Time: | Saturday, October 21, 2023, 2 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN+ |
Lightweight Title Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Islam Makhachev | -340 |
| Alexander Volkanovski | +270 |
Islam Makhachev has a career sports betting record of 24-1. In comparison, Alexander Volkanovski stands at 26-2 in his career.
Concurrently, Alexander Volkanovski is the defending UFC featherweight champion. Of course, he tangled with Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title on February 12, 2023. Makhachev won a unanimous decision. Following that loss, Volkanovski won a 3rd-round TKO against Yair Rodriguez on July 8, 2023.
Volkanovski won the UFC featherweight title in a unanimous decision against Max Holloway on December 14, 2019. Subsequently, he has defended his title belt five times. Now, he moves to the lightweight class, seeking a second title belt.
On October 22, 2022, Islam Makhachev defeated Charles Oliveira in a 2nd-round submission to win the UFC lightweight championship. As mentioned earlier, he defeated Volkanovski in his first and only title defense. That was the last time Makhachev stepped into the octagon. Last time that Makhachev lost a fight was on October 3, 2015, in a 1st-round knockout against Adriano Martins. Makhachev is riding a 12-bout winning streak.
Middleweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kamaru Usman | +285 |
| Khamzat Chimaev | -360 |
Overall, Kamaru Usman has a career record of 20-3. Khamzat Chimaev stands at 12-0 for his career.
Of great concern is that Kamaru Usman is on a 2-bout losing streak. Usman is coming off a majority decision loss to Leon Edwards on March 18, 2023. That bout was for the UFC welterweight championship. Previously, on August 20, 2022, Usman lost a 5th round knockout against Leon Edwards to lose his UFC welterweight title belt.
On March 2, 2019, Usman won the UFC welterweight championship in a unanimous decision against Tyron Woodley. Subsequently, he won five title defense bouts of his championship.
Last time out for Khamzat Chimaev was a 1st-round submission win over Kevin Holland on September 10, 2022. The undefeated record of Chimaev and Usman’s recent woes has created public sentiment against the former champion.
Light Heavyweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Magomed Ankalaev | -340 |
| Johnny Walker | +270 |
Magomed Ankalaev brings a career record of 18-1-1 with the UFC Betting odds. Johnny Walker is 21-7 in his career.
Middleweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ikram Aliskerov | +100 |
| Warlley Alves | -120 |
In sum, Ikram Aliskerov stands at 14-1 in his career. Warley Alves will bring a record of 14-6 to the octagon.
Bantamweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Said Nurmagomedov | -185 |
| Muin Gafurov | +154 |
Overall, Said Nurmagomedov is 17-3 in his career. Muin Gafurov has a career mark of 18-5 for his career.
UFC 294 SBG Free Picks
In this situation, Alexander Volkanovski is a dangerous and capable underdog who offers potentially strong value.
UFC 294 SBG Best Bets: Alexander Volkanovski.