Islam Makhachev v Alexander Volkanovski betting tips – UFC 294

The eyes of the MMA world will be fixed on Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates for UFC 294, featuring a lightweight title blockbuster between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski – two of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet.

This bout is a rematch after the pair fought out a razor-thin contest in February in Perth, Australia. While Makhachev emerged with the narrow decision victory, Volkanovski showed he had the strength and skills to compete across multiple weight classes and must be respected here.

Makhachev vs Volkanovski UFC 294 fight preview

Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski

Islam Makhachev (24-1-0) was fortunate to earn the nod of the judges when these two last met. On paper, the Russian appeared to have a sizeable grappling advantage over his opponent, but he struggled to keep the action on the mat. He was dropped in the fifth round and may have been saved by the final bell.

Despite the late scare, Makhachev remains the dominant force at 155 pounds and has not been defeated since suffering a first-round knockout way back in 2015. The 32-year-old was initially booked to face Charles Oliveira until the Brazilian was forced out due to injury, and he may be disadvantaged by the late change of opponent from a submission expert to a fighter with a vastly different skillset.

Alexander Volkanovski (26-2-0) dropped back to featherweight following his loss to Makhachev and easily dispatched challenger Yair Rodriguez in another impressive display. Given his dominance over the 145-pound division, it makes sense that the Australian moves back up to lightweight to chase the elusive double-champ status.

It could be argued that the 35-year-old will be better prepared for his second lightweight title fight and should have gained considerable confidence in the narrow loss to this opponent. Volkanovski was able to handle the power of Makhachev’s best shots and used his muscular frame to avoid the heavy ground game that was expected to determine the outcome.

Makhachev vs Volkanovski betting predictions

This is a fascinating rematch that presents strong arguments in both directions. Makhachev must adapt to a late change of opponent, while Volkanovski has not enjoyed a full training camp due to his late call-up. The challenger will be buoyed by the final moments of the first fight, when he stood above the champ and dropped heavy blows from above until the bell rang.

The generous odds being offered for Volkanovski are surprising. Makhachev has appeared drawn and gaunt in his last few weight cuts, and Volkanovski may have planted some seeds of doubt with his bold showing in Perth.

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