UFC 298 full card breakdown

UFC 298 Full Card Breakdown

UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria – 2.17.2024 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

   Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria. Fights should deliver tonight here in Anaheim with Alexander Volkanovski defending his belt against the undefeated challenger Ilia Topuria. Our analysis includes a pick for every bout from Dynes Sports contributors Anthony Marro and Nicholas Marro.

   As coverage continues, we will keep our records up to date below. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick though as records will not reflect confidence. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.

Current Record

  • Anthony: 31-17-0 (Last Year 307-199-6, 61%)
  • Nick: 27-21-0 (Last Year 324-182-6, 64%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 2-16-2024 at 10pm EST

Early Prelims- Start 6:30pm EST

Miranda Maverick -180 vs Andrea Lee +150

  • Anthony: The card today begins with the women’s flyweight bout between Miranda Maverick and Andrea Lee. Maverick is favored here in this spot facing a woman nine years her senior. While Lee has faced some stiff competition as of late, entering this bout on an 0-3 skid is certainly cause for concern. Her striking is more precise than Maverick but the attacks aren’t quite as explosive. While Lee would do well here engaging Maverick at kickboxing range, any exchanges between the two in close will likely go the way of Maverick. She is the much stronger fighter and better at pushing the pace having her camp based at elevation in Denver. Maverick is also an effective grappler, scoring twelve takedowns over her previous four fights. I doubt she will struggle taking Lee to the mat. Maverick is relentless when she elects to wrestle and seems much stronger than Lee. I expect this fight to go to decision and Maverick to win convincingly. Miranda Maverick by Decision
  • Nick: Maverick is a name that’s been building some hype for a while. She’s mostly known for her extremely high-fight IQ and very well-rounded overall game. She’s big for this division, with very powerful hips and more than enough grappling ability to avoid most compromising positions. Maverick continues to show improvement in her striking, but she’s still clearly developing that aspect of her game. She’s coming off a solid win via submission over Priscila Cachoeira, but this match-up with Lee represents a considerable step up in terms of competition level. Andrea Lee is athletic with excellent cardio. She’s well-rounded offensively with dangerous kickboxing, a solid judo base and dangerous BJJ. As talented as she is, she’s coming off three straight losses for the first time in her career and she could be headed for retirement if she can’t record a win in this spot. In many ways this is a striker vs. grappler match-up. Lee will have the advantage on the feet, but she has just a 54% takedown defense in the UFC. The price isn’t great, but Maverick is the rightful favorite. I expect she will lean on her grappling here, likely ending Lee’s UFC tenure. Miranda Maverick by Round Three Submission

Oban Elliott -300 vs Valentine Woodburn +240

  • Anthony: Next is a welterweight fight between Oban Elliott and Val Woodburn. The Welsh Gangster is a solid young prospect making his promotional debut here today. Elliott fought previously on Cage Warriors and Dana White’s Contender Series most recently. I have some serious concerns regarding his chin, but otherwise Elliott seems rather skilled with a style that can melt a lot of opponents. If Elliott can get into a rhythm here, he will easily out volume Woodburn and win while accruing control time on the mat. Elliott has very good wrestling and great pressure in top position. While Woodburn is not the best grappler, he can effectively stuff takedowns and counter wrestle depending on the situation. I have a difficult time gauging how good Woodburn is but it would not surprise me to see him pull off this upset. After facing Bo Nickal at middleweight I am happy to see Val back where he belongs at 170 pounds. Woodburn likes to march forward with his right hand loaded and Elliott getting clipped here should not shock anyone. I do feel ultimately Elliott will get his hands on Woodburn, but at -300 I do not advise betting on the debutant. Oban Elliott by Decision
  • Nick: Oban Elliott will be making his UFC debut here, coming off a hard fought decision win over Kaik Brito on Contender Series. He is 9-2 professionally, having primarily fought for Cage Warriors while fighting out of Wales. Elliott is decent everywhere, but he doesn’t really have any standout skill. He has three wins via submission and two via KO, but he’s somewhat awkward in his approach. He can be hittable in exchanges, and his Fight IQ and general instincts seem inconsistent at best. Woodburn is coming off a loss in his UFC debut to super prospect Bo Nickal. He was significantly outmatched in that spot, but in taking that fight on short notice he secured a UFC contract and he’s in a more favorable match-up this time around. Woodburn has a decent wrestling base, but his greatest strength is his explosive power on the feet. He is 7-1 professionally, with five of those wins coming via KO. While his highlight reel of knockouts is fairly impressive, it is almost entirely built up against a very low level of competition. This is a low level match-up and a volatile one at that. I do see Elliott as the more well-rounded fighter and the rightful favorite, but the price has gotten completely out of hand. There could be some value on Woodburn as the underdog here, but I do expect Elliott will edge this on the scorecards. Oban Elliott by Decision

Danny Barlow -210 vs Josh Quinlan +170

  • Anthony: This is a bout at welterweight between Danny Barlow and Josh Quinlan. I consider this a rather favorable draw for Barlow coming off of Dana White’s Contender Series. The 7-0 Barlow has not been tested against great grapplers and that won’t change here facing Quinlan. Both are going to settle into a fight on the feet and trade with one another. Barlow is a thunderous puncher with very good boxing and a quick left hand. He has great size for this division and benefits from an eight-inch edge in reach over Quinlan. It seems hard to trust Barlow here at -210 but I’ll bet him despite the thin resume. From the tape I have seen he has the striking skills to touch up a guy like Quinlan who has porous defense. By all accounts he is also extremely well prepared for this fight, having a much longer training camp than usual. Danny Barlow by Round Two KO
  • Nick: Danny Barlow will be making his UFC debut in this match-up, coming off an impressive KO win over Raheam Forest on Contender Series. Barlow is 7-0 professionally, with four of those wins coming via KO and one via submission. Five of Barlow’s last six wins have come via first round KO. The 28-year old striker generally does a good job using his length to frustrate opponents. He does a good job setting up his power shots and the power in his left hand is heavy. At his best, Josh Quinlan is an explosive striker who does an excellent job closing distance. He’s a competent grappler, but there’s really no denying he prefers to stand and exchange on the feet. He’s coming off the first loss of his career, falling via decision to Trey Waters. He is 7-1 professionally with four wins coming via KO and two coming via submission. Both of these fighters have KO power, but Barlow is the quicker and more explosive of the two. Quinlan will be live for the upset if he chooses to lean on his grappling, but that isn’t something we’ve seen him do at the UFC level. I expect this fight mostly takes place at range, where Barlow should show a considerable advantage. Danny Barlow by Round Two KO

Preliminary Card- Starts 8:00pm EST

Mingyang Zhang -125 vs Brendson Ribeiro +105

  • Anthony: The preliminary card begins with a light heavyweight bout between Mingyang Zhang and Brendson Ribeiro. The promotion is smart booking this to start the prelims as fireworks are almost certainly guaranteed. Both these men are extremely heavy hitters. Zhang has won nine fights in a row by first round knockout. Ribeiro has gone 3-2 in his previous five matches but those also all ended inside of round one. These two are going to stand and trade inside the center of the octagon and only one will remain before the first horn sounds. Not only do both throw with high volume and power, but each has huge holes in their striking defense. Zhang has fought far worse competition than Ribeiro but his style is efficient and aggressive. Ribeiro may be a touch more technical than Zhang but this fight feels like a true coin flip. My money will be invested in some time props rather than betting either side. Mingyang Zhang by Round One KO
  • Nick: Mingyang Zhang makes his UFC debut here, coming off a KO victory of George Tokkos in the Road to UFC final. Zhang is 16-6 professionally, on a nine-fight win streak, with all nine of those wins coming via first round finish. He’s dangerous offensively, but his open stance leaves him there to be countered in exchanges. Brendson Ribeiro will also be making his promotional debut in this fight, coming off a Contender Series win via KO of Bruno Lopes as a +350 underdog. Ribeiro is primarily a striker with a kill-or-be-killed level of aggression. He is extremely dangerous on the feet offensively, but similarly to his opponent here, he leaves himself open to be countered in exchanges. All fifteen of his professional wins have come via finish, but he’s also been finished in four of his five professional losses. Given the styles here, this is certainly a volatile match-up. I’ll back Ribeiro as the underdog in what feels like a coin flip. This fight is unlikely to last long. Brendson Ribeiro by Round One KO

Rinya Nakamura -1400 vs Carlos Vera +775

  • Anthony: This is a match at bantamweight between Rinya Nakamura and Carlos Vera. These odds are lopsided for good reason as Vera steps into a short notice bout with one of my favorite prospects. The undefeated Nakamura has had problems finding opponents after dominating his early career. He is currently 8-0 having only started fighting professionally three years ago. The young man grew up in the shadow of the Saitama Super Arena and now looks to carry on the fighting spirit of Japan at the highest level. He was a junior wrestling champion and has an incredibly effective grappling inside of the octagon. Nakamura should dictate the style of the fight against Vera who will struggle no matter where it goes. If Nakamura elects to grapple, I expect him to maintain advantageous positions and remain disciplined working on top. A ground and pound finish seems likely to materialize. He should however also hold the edge striking against Vera who is less technically sound on the feet. Nakamura has good attacks from range, closing the distance fast with kicks and unorthodox combinations. I think he has serious potential to rise the ranks of this division and beat some of the bigger names. I am picking him with confidence to get the win today, not a surprise at -1400. Rinya Nakamura by Round One KO
  • Nick: Rinya Nakamura has a compact and muscular frame. He is dangerous everywhere as an aggressive striker with power in all of his limbs. His pressure forward style can occasionally leave him there to be countered in exchanges, but his athleticism and speed have kept him safe on the feet up to this point in his career. As impressive as his striking is, he’s also a high level wrestler. He looks excellent in scrambles and he seems to know how to find takedowns from a wide range of positions. The line is getting wide on this one, but Nakamura should certainly dominate. He should be the superior fighter no matter where this fight takes place. Carlos Vera makes his UFC debut here, with an 11-3 record at 36-years old. He lost to Brad Katona on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter, and prior to that he had strung together four-straight wins for Fury FC. Vera is decent everywhere, but he really hasn’t been tested extensively against high-level competition. It’s surprising to see he’s getting a shot in the UFC here, but it’s likely just so the UFC can build Nakamura up and add to his highlight reel. The price is entirely out of hand, but Nakamura is a legitimate prospect. I expect he’ll dominate this fight no matter where it goes. Rinya Nakamura by Round One KO

Marcos Rogerio de Lima -200 vs Junior Tafa +160

  • Anthony: This is a newly announced heavyweight bout between Junior Tafa and Marcos Rogerio de Lima. Shocking news of an injury came to Justin Tafa during weigh-ins and so with one day notice, 5-1 Junior Tafa will fight in place of his brother. It is a very tough task for anyone to face the veteran Pezzao with such little time to prepare. There is no telling how much Junior has been training but nonetheless his style is largely KO dependent. He has very quick hands and cracking power with his big hooks. Perhaps he can land the shot that sleeps Pezzao but I won’t bet on it at +160. Rogerio de Lima is the much more complete martial artist with a ground game that will completely smother Junior. On the feet Pezzao will throw effective kicks and limit the opportunities for Tafa to throw offense. Thankfully for Rogerio de Lima the change of opponent does not require him to alter any gameplan. The brothers are similar with Junior notably quicker than Justin but much less heavy. Marcos Rogerio de Lima by Round One Submission
  • Nick: We have a fun heavyweight match-up here that is very likely to end inside the distance. Marcos Rogerio de Lima throws powerful strikes with fourteen of his twenty-one professional wins coming via KO. He always seems to come out strong, but as his fights wear on it’s very rare that his cardio holds up for the better part of fifteen minutes. He’s a decent grappler as well in terms of his BJJ, but his gas tank usually prevents him from leaning on that part of his game consistently. Junior Tafa had a lot of hype coming into the promotion, but he has been mostly a disappointment so far. He has knockout power, but his cardio is suspect and he hasn’t really shown technical boxing ability on the level of other up-and-comers in this division. He is taking this fight on just one day’s notice as a replacement for his injured brother, Justin Tafa. He’ll be live for an early KO here, but without a full camp I have trouble expecting he’ll secure a win as an underdog. Marcos Rogerio de Lima by Round Two Submission

Amanda Lemos -140 vs Mackenzie Dern +115

  • Anthony: The featured prelim is a matchup at women’s strawweight between Amanda Lemos and Mackenzie Dern. This is a difficult fight to pick with both women coming off a loss. Lemos came up short in her title opportunity, losing a one-sided fight to the champion Zhang Weili. A fight with Dern will be telling for the 36-year-old in terms of what her career future holds. She is a strong strawweight who can certainly touch up Dern on the feet. I worry about Lemos getting up if Mackenzie can get this fight to the ground. Dern’s takedown accuracy is not very high but when she is able to secure position on the mat she is one of the most dangerous fighters in the world. She is a 3rd degree black belt in jiu jitsu and a former ADCC champion. Lemos can normally stuff a few shots but we just saw her cede 6 of 7 attempts when facing off with Weili. Dern can certainly cash as the underdog in this spot if she falls into just one or two successful attempts. Her striking has also vastly improved, certainly helping her cause in a fight likely to go to decision. Mackenzie Dern by Decision
  • Nick: Amanda Lemos is an effective striker at range with underrated power for the division. She’s 13-3-1 professionally with eight wins coming via KO and three coming via submission. She most recently fell via decision in a title fight against Weili Zhang, a fight in which she was completely dominated but showed serious heart, durability, and cardio as she managed to survive five rounds until the scorecards. She’s a technically sound striker and competent on the mat, but she’s risen through the ranks off her brute strength and power on the feet. Dern is one of the more decorated BJJ black belts in all of MMA. She has a nearly flawless ground game as a former world No. 1 ranked IBJJF competitor. She is an ADCC and no-gi BJJ World Champion, and a brutal match-up for any opponent when her fights hit the mat. Dern has shown dramatic improvements in her striking over her last few fights. She’s no longer the one-dimensional fighter she was when entering the UFC. Still, she’s definitely going to try to take this fight to the ground if she can. This is a volatile match-up, but I do see Lemos as the rightful favorite. Dern has struggled to secure takedowns against the class of the division, and she’s taking this fight on relatively short notice. Amanda Lemos by Decision

Main Card- Starts 10:00pm EST

Anthony Hernandez -250 vs Roman Kopylov +190

  • Anthony: Opening the main card is a great fight at middleweight between Roman Kopylov and Anthony Hernandez. This is a classic bout between striker and grappler, also putting two great win streaks head to head. Kopylov enters this bout having won four straight appearances all by knockout. His background in combat sambo and kickboxing make him a lethal opponent to deal with at range. Kopylov has adapted well to competing in the octagon but he will certainly lose if Hernandez can take him down. Four straight wins for Hernandez have come thanks to his relentless pace and cardio. Fights have been going to script with Hernandez controlling opponents for long periods and scoring takedowns over and over. There’s value on Kopylov as the underdog if he can disrupt that gameplan. With such an edge in terms of striking skill, I think Kopylov will get the jump on Hernandez and take an early lead here. Takedowns will become easier to defend in this fight with every shot Kopylov can first connect. Through six UFC appearances, Kopylov has defended 23 of 25 attempted takedowns. Roman Kopylov by Round Two KO
  • Nick: Anthony Hernandez’s submission ability is certainly his greatest strength, but he’s also competent on the feet with two professional wins via KO. Hernandez should be able to hang on the feet here, but his clearest path to victory will be to take this fight to the mat as seven of his eleven professional wins have come via submission. He is coming off four consecutive wins under the UFC banner, and he’s on the verge of breaking into the rankings at middleweight if he can secure another win in this match-up. Roman Kopylov is a dangerous offensive kickboxer at range. He does a good job mixing heavy kicks into his combinations, but he is somewhat predictable as he seems to telegraph many of his bigger shots. He carries a lot of momentum into this fight coming off four straight wins via KO. His defensive grappling has been elite as he has a 92% takedown defense in the UFC. An impressive statistic, very likely to play a key part in how this fight plays out. Kopylov has an excellent takedown defense, but there is no denying Hernandez is probably the best grappler he’s seen in the UFC. His last loss came to a wrestler in Albert Duraev who has since been cut from the promotion. The line is wide here and Kopylov will be dangerous early, but Hernandez is the pick. He should be able to score a submission if he can drag Kopylov to the mat here. Anthony Hernandez by Round Two Submission

Merab Dvalishvili -230 vs Henry Cejudo +180

  • Anthony: Next is a title eliminator at bantamweight with Merab Dvalishvili facing Henry Cejudo. Merab is without a doubt the division’s best contender, looking to extend his winning streak to ten with a victory today. He is a relentless fighter with unyielding pressure and cardio that seems to be infinite. Against Petr Yan, Merab landed 11 takedowns on 49 attempted shots. That bout also saw Dvalishvili connect on more than 200 total strikes. While Cejudo can perhaps keep pace with Dvalishvili for fifteen minutes, he will struggle to earn a decision if all he does is defend takedowns. Cejudo is an Olympic gold medalist that can certainly stuff a lot of these attempts, it is just imperative he connect with something meaningful to make this bout competitive. Cejudo has improved in the clinch where perhaps he can hurt Merab but these wide odds still aren’t tempting me. Although Cejudo fared well in his fight against Sterling I do not think he is quite the fighter he had previously been. Dvalishvili is still hungry and constantly improving. Cejudo is already discussing retirement if he is to come up short here. Merab Dvalishvili by Decision 
  • Nick: Merab might be the best pure wrestler on the roster at Bantamweight. He has shown an ability to score takedowns from a wide range of positions, as he’s set multiple UFC records for most takedowns in a fight. Dvalishvili averages more than 6.5 takedowns per 15 minutes. He almost always leans on his grappling to control position so most of his wins come via decision. He has strung together nine consecutive victories under the UFC banner, and he’ll likely be aligned for a title shot if he can score one more here against a former champion in Henry Cejudo. Henry Cejudo is primarily a wrestler, known for capturing UFC titles at both flyweight and bantamweight and also for winning a Gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Across his lengthy UFC tenure, Cejudo has evolved into a technical boxer with underrated ability on the feet. He does a good job closing distance and stringing together combinations. As talented and accomplished as he is, there is no denying he’s in the twilight of his career. He’s stated in interviews that he will be retiring if he can’t secure a win in this match-up. While I don’t love the price, Dvalishvili is the rightful favorite. Cejudo certainly has enough skill to pull off the upset, but I question his health and his mindset after tuning into all of his media appearances over the past few days. Merab Dvalishvili by Decision

Ian Garry -230 vs Geoff Neal +180

  • Anthony: The featured bout should be a fun fight at welterweight between Ian Garry and Geoff Neal. Garry benefits from great card placement here again, becoming quite polarizing while still a perfect 13-0. He certainly has the makings of a star in this industry and I think that Garry’s skill does in fact back up all the talk. Garry is incredibly fast with great timing and a very high rate of success while striking. He lands on average 6.67 significant strikes per minute, usually placing these shots exactly where he wants them. His counters are excellent and the aggression from Garry comes in measured, explosive bursts. We should see some even more dynamic attacks from Garry having spent this training camp at Chute Boxe Diego Lima. Neal is a great boxer with very heavy hands for a welterweight. He will challenge Garry in this fight, forcing him into phone booth exchanges at any opportunity he can. I think Garry has proven to be a very smart fighter and trust he will work to keep distance with Neal. Garry will use his length to chop away at Neal and land the more consistent damage over the course of this bout. Neal will probably press the issue here, making me eager to see a finish does materialize one way or another. Ian Garry by Round Three KO
  • Nick: Ian Garry enters this fight as a heavily hyped prospect and a former Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion. He’s still developing his skills as he’s only 13-0. However, he already seems to be very well rounded. His striking continues to improve dramatically, he has a solid wrestling base, and enough power standing and ability on the mat to find finishes against a wide range of opponents. Neal fights out of an excellent camp in Fortis MMA. He’s a powerful striker who is extremely advanced in terms of his technical ability. The one major knock on him is that he’s tentative at times. He doesn’t always put out consistent volume so he sometimes ends up falling behind in his fights if he can’t find an early finish. Garry is the rightful favorite here, but the line feels somewhat inflated. His ability to strike at range should give him a clear advantage, but Neal’s power is an equalizer that could be a bit undervalued against a young and developing prospect. This is a low confidence play, but I’ll take a chance on the underdog here. Neal seems healthy and locked in right now and Garry’s durability is still a question that needs to be answered. Geoff Neal by Round Two KO

Robert Whittaker -230 vs Paulo Costa +180

  • Anthony: The co-main event is a great tilt at middleweight between Paulo Costa and Robert Whittaker. I am very excited for these two men to clash after having been teased with this matchup for the past few years. Whittaker should be very prompt to engage Costa here with only three rounds to work. Costa’s appearances have been sparse but in the cage he is performing at a high level lately. His striking is becoming much more fluid, with more varied combinations starting and ending with kicks. It will be difficult for Costa to find Whtitaker with his boxing but certainly I could see some power shots getting through. Whittaker is rarely there to be hit with 60 percent striking defense and a differential far better than that of Costa. He can bounce back from a loss here with a more technical showing than his last. Whittaker will need to keep Costa honest, matching his volume and forcing him to move backwards. He has executed this game plan before against similar fighters like Yoel Romero. Whittaker is the rightful favorite but I may not end up betting him at -230 for fear of lightning striking twice. It seems unlikely he gets bullied in consecutive showings. Robert Whittaker by Decision
  • Nick: Paulo Costa is a volume striker with plenty of power for a middleweight. He’s extremely aggressive and can eat shots to throw them, as we see in most of his wins. He’s been out of action since August of 2022, following a decision win over Luke Rockhold. Dating back to 2015, Whittaker has only lost to champions of the division in Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. Whittaker is very cerebral defensively and generally does an excellent job circling away from the power of his opponents. Additionally, he does a good job staying on the offensive even when he’s backing up. He was caught by du Plessis and finished in his last fight, but his durability has been mostly solid and his cardio is likely still a weapon for him when he can extend fights into the later rounds. I like that Whittaker has been leaning on his leg kicks a lot lately. This will be a valuable weapon for him here as a means to keep Costa from closing the distance. Costa is a potent finisher, but Whittaker’s defensive strengths should present a brutal match-up for him stylistically. I expect Whittaker can mostly pick Costa apart at range here. There is some risk in backing him at this number, but he is the rightful favorite here. Robert Whittaker by Decision

Alexander Volkanovski -130 vs Ilia Topuria +110

  • Anthony: Alexander Volkanovski will face off tonight with Ilia Topuria for the world featherweight championship. Topuria is the division’s best prospect, entering this title opportunity a perfect 14-0. Through six UFC fights, he has impressed with tremendous boxing and a potent offensive attack. He is not necessarily the most accurate but punches and combinations tend to overwhelm when they are being thrown with repetition. Topuria also has above average power when compared to other 145ers. This is going to be a very fun matchup given the volume and pace these two fight. Volkanovski is a cardio machine, constantly moving forward and putting pressure on his opponents when striking with them on the feet. His kickboxing is world class with heavy leg kicks and counters that should work to great effect against Topuria. The main combos that Topuria likes to utilize leave him very susceptible to return fire on the right side. I expect a sniper like Volkanovski to find the better shots here. The champion is very durable and I expect to see him take control of these exchanges even if he is a step slower than Topuria. Volkanovski would also likely win a large portion of this fight if he elects to implement some offensive grappling. Topuria is highly skilled and certainly a threat to his reign, but I expect to see the champ get the job done. Once again off a loss, Volkanovski will return to featherweight here and defend a division that has alway been his. Of course I am betting him near even money here in a weight class that he has never once been beaten. And Still. Alexander Volkanovski by Decision
  • Nick: Alexander Volkanovski has an extremely high fight-IQ. He’s a gifted striker who does an excellent job mixing kicks into his combinations. He does a good job closing distance against taller opponents and his low and powerful base makes him difficult to grapple with. He’s capable of finding entries for takedowns, but he’s most comfortable fighting on the feet. Volkanovski does an excellent job baiting his opponents with feints. He’s very difficult for his opponents to read and he makes them pay whenever they try to put him on the defensive. He’s coming off an ugly loss via KO to Islam Makhachev, but that fight was on short notice and up a weight class. Illia Topuria comes into this fight with a lot of momentum, undefeated at 14-0. He is an aggressive striker who packs a lot of power in his punches. He throws extremely fast combinations and his overall explosiveness has catapulted him into this title fight as the most dangerous prospect in the division. Topuria has also shown a solid understanding of both wrestling and BJJ. Topuria is a black belt with eight of his fourteen wins coming via submission. Topuria certainly has a chance to capture the title here, but I feel Volkanovski is being disrespected on this moneyline. He is still undefeated in the UFC at 145 lbs and Topuria hasn’t faced anywhere near the same level of competition that he has. At the current price. Volkanovski is the play here. I expect he can survive the dangerous early rounds and then mix in his wrestling on his way to another decision win. And Still. Alexander Volkanovski by Decision

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com