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UFC 284: Best Main Event Prop Bets

UFC 284: Best Main Event Prop Bets

UFC 284: BEST MAIN EVENT PROP BETS – The main event at UFC 284 could be the biggest fight of the year between lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, and featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski.

Volkanovski is the number one pound for pound fighter, and Makhachev is ranked second. It does not get more exciting in MMA and this should be a competitive fight.

Click Here to Read Tommy Takedown’s Main Event Prediction. 

The Fight

Volkanovski will be attempting to become a champion in two divisions and is a sizeable underdog near +300.

The fight will be at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, and Volkanovski will have the crowd behind him. He may even be under less pressure than Makhachev, because he’s moving up 10 pounds to challenge for the belt. 

If he loses, he still has the belt in the 145-pound division. He will be the shorter man in the cage on Saturday night, but he has a one-inch advantage in reach.

Islam Makhachev is four inches taller than Volkanovski and holds an advantage in grappling.

He grew up alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov and learned under the guidance of Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap. He’s nearly identical to Khabib in terms of wrestling.

He averages 3.42 takedowns landed per 15 minutes and can easily transition to full mount. Volkanovski is decent at defending takedowns (73%), but once Makhachev lands one, it could be the beginning of the end.

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Makhachev to Win By Submission (+165)

At UFC 266, Volkanovski defeated Brian Ortega by unanimous decision, but he found himself in a sticky position in round three when Ortega caught one of his kicks and jumped a mounted guillotine.

Volkanovski managed to escape it, but visibly struggled until Ortega’s grip broke. Ortega has some of the best jiu-jitsu in the UFC, but he does not have the wrestling ability of Makhachev.

Makhachev does not need to be the slickest guy on the ground, because he can get to fundamental positions where it is far easier to get a submission.

When he’s on top, he applies a downward pressure that rivals that of Khabib. It’s a different feeling than Volkanovski has felt before, and world-class fighters tend to wilt on the bottom as their energy drains.

Volkanovski is as tough as it gets, but when he becomes exhausted from trying to stand up, it’s only a matter of time before Islam finds the back for a rear naked choke or isolates an arm for an armbar or triangle choke.

Under 3.5 Total Rounds (-110)

Volkanovski is always in remarkable condition, as is Makhachev.

It will undoubtedly be a war of attrition, especially in the earlier rounds. Volkanovski will likely stay moving side-to-side to make it harder for Islam to shoot a takedown. Volkanovski may even be the more efficient fighter while standing, but he will be constantly worried about the takedown.

That is an advantage for Makhachev, as it keeps Volkanovski second-guessing himself, so he doesn’t end up on his back. Even a split second of indecisiveness and Makhachev will find himself on top.

Makhachev’s average fight time is nine minutes and six seconds, which is well below this number. Volkanovski will surely be more competitive than most, but the style of fighting presented by Makhachev will wear on him by the second or third round.

Makhachev to Win by Submission in Round Three (+1200)

Makhachev has 11 submissions in his MMA career, with six coming in the UFC.

He has only made it to the fourth round once against Thiago Moises, whom he submitted via rear naked choke. All title bouts are five rounds, so Makhachev may take his time in the first round to make reads and get better timing.

In the second round, he should start looking for takedowns to begin gaining control time and drain Volkanovski.

In the fight with Moises, Makhachev had over eight minutes of control time before finding the choke.

Moises is a great wrestler in his own right, as he took Islam down once in that fight, but he still succumbed to the pressure.

Volkanovski does have some knockouts on his record, but he is a great all-around fighter who tries to outpoint his opponents. His grappling is not on the same level as Makhachev’s, and it will take a toll on him as it has everyone else.  

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