The UFC 280 has everything set up for one hell of a numbered event as they once again hit the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
This is going to be a stacked event with 13 fights and a ton of talented fighters and known names for the fight fans.
The focus, however, remains on the 3 fights that helm the main event, as we get two titles on the line and a fight that could either crash or overcharge a fighter’s hype train.
The main event has the Lightweight title of the World on the line, as it lies vacant after the former champion Charles Oliveira missed weight on his previous defense, but now comes to get his strap again as he faces Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege, Islam Makhachev, in what many believe could be the biggest challenge of his long career.
On the co-main event, we get the return of TJ Dillashaw into the title picture, as he tries to regain the bantamweight title for a third time, as he faces the current champion, Aljamain Sterling, who comes from shutting down those who doubted him being a legitimate champ after the second fight with Petr Yan.
Petr Yan himself comes to the cage right after that title fight, as he comes to derail Sean O’Malley’s Hype train in an odd match-up that has all fight fans excited nonetheless.
With 8 prelims and 5 fights in the main card, we expect an event that should keep most fans on the edge of their seat.
You can check all the UFC/MMA bets, the analysis of each fighter, and the final bet you can make in this fight.
UFC 280 – Oliveira vs. Makhachev – Betting Odds and Free Picks – Info
When: Saturday, October 22th, at 10:00 am ET
Moneyline odds:
Charles Oliveira +134 / Islam Makhachev -172
Aljamain Sterling -181 / T.J. Dillashaw +140
Petr Yan -285 / Sean O’Malley +213
Beneil Dariush +146 / Mateusz Gamrot -188
Katlyn Chookagian +170 / Manon Fiorot -222
Belal Muhammad +115 / Sean Brady -147
Makhmud Muradov +163 / Caio Borralho -212
Volkan Oezdemir +142 / Nikita Krylov -181
Zubaira Tukhugov -178 / Lucas Almeida +139
Abubakar Nurmagomedov -175 / Gadzhi Omargadzhiev +136
Armen Petrosyan -217 / AJ Dobson +168
Muhammad Mokaev -1428 / Malcolm Gordon +671
Lina Länsberg +256 / Karol Rosa -357
Draw-Offs: –
Where Can I Watch it? ESPN +
Where Can I Stream? ESPN Go
UFC 280: Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev
Why Bet on Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira was stripped of his lightweight championship in May for missing weight in his second title defense.
But after submitting Justin Gaethje in the first round, he earned an immediate shot at the vacant title against the surging Makhachev.
Do the Bronx is on an 11-fight winning streak and before beating Gaethje, he finished Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler in back-to-back title fights.
With an extensive background in BJJ, Oliveira is one of the best grapplers in the world and holds the UFC record for most submission wins (16) and finishes (19).
He has also vastly improved as a striker and his crisp Muay Thai ability makes him dangerous up close and in the clinch.
Why Bet on Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev is the No. 4-ranked lightweight contender and has won 10 fights in a row.
He’s coming off back-to-back dominant first-round finishes after beating Bobby Green via ground-and-pound in February and submitting Dan Hooker last October.
A sambo specialist hailing from Dagestan, Makhachev trained for years with his close friend — and former UFC lightweight champ — Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The 31-year-old is a terrific wrestler with relentless takedowns, ferocious ground-and-pound, and strong submission skills.
Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev Final Betting Analysis:
As effective as Oliveira’s Muay Thai has been, part of the reason it has succeeded is that his elite grappling has been a bit of a cheat code.
An elbows-high, tall Muay Thai stance makes fighters susceptible to takedowns but Oliveira doesn’t care because of how dangerous he is off his back.
Likewise, when his poor head movement off the center line and aggression can lead to him getting dropped, he just falls to guard and recovers because nobody wants to follow him to the mat.
Makhachev chains many of his single and double-leg takedowns and trips out of the clinch position.
He’s incredibly confident in his grappling ability so I don’t expect him to shy away from engaging on the ground.
However, we have seen him match up against adept grapplers like Davi Ramos and Arman Tsarukyan before and he wasn’t able to impose his usual physical dominance on the mat in either bout.
Sure, he still cruised by both fighters but Tsarukyan was able to flow through transitions and make submission attempts off his back while the BJJ specialist Ramos was able to keep things standing up but was owned in the striking exchanges.
Oliveira has far more dangerous submissions (especially with his length) than a 22-year-old Tsarukyan and he’s a much more precise striker than Ramos.
Oliveira’s pressure and striking up the middle could pose problems for Makhachev and his grappling should be enough to neutralize the Dagestani fighter’s wrestling and wrist control.
UFC 280: Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Why Bet on Aljamain Sterling
UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is set to defend his title this weekend at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
After an impressive performance in his rematch against Petr Yan, oddsmakers have booked him as the favorite in the co-main event.
Why Bet on T.J. Dillashaw
Former two-time champion TJ Dillashaw is the challenger at UFC 280 and will enter after beating Cory Sandhagen by a split decision last year following a two-year layoff after a USADA suspension.
Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw Final Betting Analysis:
Stylistically, though, TJ poses a lot of problems for Aljo.
The way he can switch stances, how good his wrestling is, how good his takedown defense is.
A lot of people underestimate how good TJ is as a grappler.
But Sterling’s in a pretty good place in his career.
He’s solidified how he can beat people and the way he needs to do it.
He’s proven he can do it against some of the best guys, he has managed to get high-profile victories by grabbing the opponent and taking his back.
We believe that if he was able to do that against some of the best guys in the division, he will manage to do the same thing against TJ.
TJ will also have all the crowd and fans against him, as he had popped for PEDs in the past.
UFC 280: Petr Yan vs. Sean O’Malley
Why Bet on Petr Yan
Yan steps back into the cage following his split decision defeat to Aljamain Sterling in April and remains the #1 contender in the division.
Despite his recognition as one of the very best in the 135-pound division, he’ll essentially be defending his #1 ranking against the #11 contender
Why Bet on Sean O’Malley
O’Malley is undefeated in his last four fights, with wins against Raulian Paiva, Kris Moutinho, and Thomas Almeida.
His most recent fight with Pedro Munmhoz ended in a no-contest following an eye poke in the second round.
His hype train kicked into gear once more, but this fight will be the definitive test.
Petr Yan vs. Sean O’Malley Final Betting Analysis:
O’Malley has bitten a lot more than he can chew in this fight, he may have had good results against other fighters who are not in the top 5, but we all saw what happen when he faced an actual contender in Chito Vera.
He may have the offense to hang with Yan, but sometimes his defense isn’t there.
He is very fast, but relying on speed is a dangerous game when you’re going against Petr.
Yan is technically sound in every position, and he is one tough fighter who won’t slow down, so we expect him to fulfill his promise of crushing O’Malley’s Hype train for good.
UFC 280: Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot
Why Bet on Beneil Dariush
Dariush feels almost like the forgotten contender at 155 pounds.
Sure, his biggest win being over Tony Ferguson isn’t aging well, but Dariush has still smashed seven straight foes.
That’s no easy task, but between Alexander Volkanovski and Michael Chandler’s attempts to leapfrog him, it feels safe to say Dariush needs an impressive finish here.
Why Bet on Mateusz Gamrot
Gamrot is climbing the Lightweight ladder quickly.
He brought a strong resume into his UFC debut in 2020, and after a mild hiccup there, he’s strung together four strong wins to prove himself a Top 10 talent.
Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot Final Betting Analysis:
Dariush is the better kickboxer here. He certainly hits harder! Gamrot has a slicker movement, but the answer to that problem is found in Dariush’s brutal left kick.
Gamrot switches stances and feints actively, but a few well-timed low kicks could discourage that portion of his game.
Or, Dariush could look to time Gamrot’s Orthodox switch with a liver kick.
Either way, Dariush is more consistently able to hurt opponents on the feet with his bevy of left-side offense.
If he’s the one winning the kickboxing exchanges, that puts additional pressure on Gamrot to shoot.
Both men can scramble with anyone in the division, but if Gamrot is forced to take some bad shots, that’s probably Dariush’s easiest path to the top position.
Perhaps the biggest advantage Gamrot has in this matchup is conditioning and pace.
Dariush does not come to fight out of shape, but he’s never been one to utilize pace as a weapon.
Conversely, Gamrot weaponized his cardio to great effect against Tsarukyan, finding more success in the latter half of the fight than the first.
He likely will have to do the same here, forcing constant output from Dariush until the tide turns in his favor.
We expect a hungry Dariush to pull the upset in this fight and make a statement.
UFC 280: Katlyn Chookagian vs. Manon Fiorot
Why Bet on Katlyn Chookagian
At this point in her career, Chookagian’s fight style and skillset are well documented and widely recognized.
“Blonde Fighter” is a highly technical and highly skilled Muay Thai/kickboxing hybrid striker who lands with incredible volume and pinpoint precision.
Chookagian uses her size, perpetual motion, skilled footwork, constant jab, and seemingly endless cardio to keep opponents at range while she picks them apart for the entire fight.
Why Bet on Manon Fiorot
The simplest way to describe Fiorot is Chookagian 2.0.
The handicap for this matchup and the reason for the odds are that Fiorot, on paper, does everything Chookagian does plus a few upgrades.
Just like her opponent, Fiorot is a vivacious and technical Muay Thai/kickboxer hybrid who lands with volume and precision from range.
Fiorot’s range striking upgrade, compared to Chookagian, is her power.
Fiorot has a full arsenal of kickboxing strikes, all of which she uses for precision and power.
The next upgrade is Fiorot’s clinch game, as she has proven an ability to initiate the clinch herself and land devastating knees and elbows from this position.
The final upgrade in Fiorot’s game, compared to Chookagian, is her offensive wrestling.
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Manon Fiorot Final Betting Analysis:
Fiorot is not flawless nor is she an exact carbon copy of Chookagian.
Chookagian’s biggest strengths are her cardio and her experience.
While Fiorot has reliable cardio, keeping up with Chookagian’s pace is a bigger challenge than Fiorot has faced thus far.
Further, despite Fiorot’s lengthy skillset, she only has ten professional fights and many of them have come against the lower level competition.
Fiorot has the tools to win this fight; but, if she tries to fight Chookagian’s fight, rather than her own, she risks losing due to a lack of experience.
It will be close, it will be high-level, and it will be a fight you don’t want to miss.
We go with Fiorot to get it done.
UFC 280: Belal Muhammad vs. Sean Brady
Why Bet on Belal Muhammad
Belal Muhammad (21-3) bounced back from a 1-2 UFC start to win four straight, only to run afoul of Geoff Neal at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
He now finds himself amid an eight-fight unbeaten streak, most recently avenging the sole knockout loss of his career with a decision over Vicente Luque.
Why Bet on Sean Brady
Eight months after knocking out Taj Abdul-Hakim in the second defense of his Cage Fury title, Brady got called up to the Octagon, where he defeated Court McGee in his debut.
He’s been similarly successful in four subsequent fights, among them an arm-triangle choke finish of Jake Matthews.
His seven finishes include four by submission.
Belal Muhammad vs. Sean Brady Final Betting Analysis:
The big question mark here is Brady’s gas tank. While Muhammad has the better overall resume, Brady’s more proven against high-level wrestlers, having out-dueled Matthews and Michael Chiesa in their wheelhouses.
When both men are fresh, I trust Brady to hold his own in the sorts of grinding, close-quarters slog that is Muhammad’s bread and butter.
Brady faded late against Chiesa, however, and Muhammad’s gas tank is his best weapon.
If Brady enters the cage in a similar condition, Muhammad has the pace to wear him out and take over before Brady can bank two rounds.
Brady has done well in high-pace wars of attrition before, and in the end, he will likely rack up enough top control to sway the judges on this one.
UFC 280: Makhmud Muradov vs. Caio Borralho
Why Bet on Makhmud Muradov
Makhmud Muradov (25-7) ended a year-long layoff by knocking out Andrew Sanchez with a flying knee to secure his second consecutive post-fight bonus.
He looked poised to make it 4-0 in the Octagon against Gerald Meerschaert but succumbed to one of “GM3’s” signature comeback submissions.
“Mach” fights for the first time in nearly 14 months.
Why Bet on Caio Borralho
After earning his second Contender Series victory in three weeks, Caio Borralho (12-1) kicked off his UFC career with a dominant technical decision over Gadzhi Omargadzhiev.
His subsequent bout with Armen Petrosyan wasn’t quite as thrilling, but he still emerged victorious thanks to a persistent wrestling attack.
He’s ended seven professional fights inside the distance, four by knockout.
Makhmud Muradov vs. Caio Borralho Final Betting Analysis:
Muradov’s constant movement and four-inch height advantage could be a real problem for Borralho, who does his best work in close.
“Mach’s” power and takedown defense are nothing, either, and we saw Borralho struggle to impress against another mobile kicker in Petrosyan.
That said, Meerschaert’s ability to force Muradov to the fence through sheer damn-the-torpedoes relentlessness was a bad look for the Uzbek, especially since Borralho’s a better takedown artist than “GM3.”
Even if Muradov does manage to play keep-away in the early going, it’ll only get harder as the fight progresses and Borralho starts racking up damage on the ground.
In short, “The Natural” finds his neck or pounds him out in the latter half of the fight.
UFC 280: Volkan Oezdemir vs. Nikita Krylov
Why Bet on Volkan Oezdemir
The perfect (3-0) UFC start for Volkan Oezdemir (18-6) gave way to a 2-5 skid that saw him suffer stoppage losses to Daniel Cormier, Anthony Smith, and Jiri Prochazka along the way.
He last saw action in July 2022, when he snapped a two-fight skid by out-working Paul Craig in a stinker.
Why Bet on Nikita Krylov
Two years after his sudden exit from the Octagon, Nikita Krylov (28-9) made his return in Sept. 2018, only to lose four of his next six bouts.
With his back against the wall, “The Miner” scored arguably the biggest win of his career by smashing Alexander Gustafsson in just 67 seconds.
His 27 stoppage wins include 15 by submission.
Volkan Oezdemir vs. Nikita Krylov Final Betting Analysis:
Even in defeat, you can always trust Krylov to give it everything he’s got.
The fights he loses are never because of lack of effort. The same can’t be said of Oezdemir, who hasn’t turned in a truly eye-catching performance in years.
On top of that, Krylov is the more durable of the two, and Oezdemir doesn’t have the wrestling prowess to shut down “The Miner” like Glover Teixeira or Magomed Ankalaev.
Oezdemir has given good strikers plenty of trouble before, but Krylov’s sheer horsepower seems like more than he can handle at this point in his career.
When the dust settles, Krylov overwhelms him for a quick finish.
UFC 280: Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Lucas Almeida
Why Bet on Zubaira Tukhugov
Zubaira Tukhugov (20-5-1) kicked off his UFC career by winning three straight, including a wide decision over then-unbeaten Douglas Silva de Andrade.
He’s since gone 2-2-1, fighting just five times in more than five years.
Why Bet on Lucas Almeida
Though he beat the stuffing out of Daniel Zellhuber in the first round of their Contender Series clash, Almeida’s inability to maintain his pace led to his first career defeat.
After returning to Brazil to defend his Jungle Fight title, Almeida got his shot in the Octagon, knocking out Mike Trizano to take home “Fight of the Night” honors.
All of his wins have come inside the distance, nine of them by knockout.
Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Lucas Almeida Final Betting Analysis:
Tukhugov’s inconsistency and history of late-round collapses loom large but after rewatching parts of his most recent win over Ricardo Ramos, some things stood out clearly.
His counterpunching looked razor-sharp, and Almeida showed a vulnerability to getting caught coming in when he warred with Trizano.
That’s not even mentioning his wrestling attack, which should further open up his striking and give him a means to slow things down if Almeida starts building momentum.
Not saying Almeida doesn’t have a reasonable chance of weathering Tukhugov’s early explosion to take over down the stretch, but he’ll have to wade through a whole hell of a lot of fire to do so.
Long story short, Tukhugov clips him with an early counter and pours it on for a decisive finish.
UFC 280: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev
Why Bet on Abubakar Nurmagomedov
The Octagon debut of Abubakar Nurmagomedov (16-3-1) didn’t quite pan out for him, suffering a submission loss to heavy underdog David Zawada.
He finally got into the UFC win column 16 months later by out-classing Jared Gooden at UFC 260.
Saturday’s bout ends a nearly 19-month layoff.
Why Bet on Gadzhi Omargadzhiev
Gadzhi Omargadzhiev (13-1) earned his UFC contract with a vicious kneebar finish to Jansey Silva on Contender Series.
This set up a UFC debut against Caio Borralho, which saw Omargadzhiev fall apart after suffering early damage and drop a technical decision.
His professional finishes are split 8/3 between knockouts and submissions.
Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev Final Betting Analysis:
There are valid reasons to believe that the Omargadzhiev who enters the cage this Saturday will be superior to and more successful than the one who faced Borralho.
He seemed significantly out-muscled by the Brazilian, so the drop in weight should work out, and he has the edge in stopping power.
Between Nurmagomedov’s wrestling prowess and the sharp counter-striking he showed against Gooden, he’s got the tools to recreate those efforts, and it is hard to trust Omargadzhiev to respond properly this time.
Nurmagomedov picks him off with jabs and counters, mixing in the occasional takedown to seal the deal on a comfortable decision win.
UFC 280: Armen Petrosyan vs. AJ Dobson
Why Bet on Armen Petrosyan
Armen Petrosyan (7-2) followed his Contender Series knockout of Kaloyan Kolev with a narrow split decision over Gregory Rodrigues in his UFC debut.
He faced another Contender Series veteran in his sophomore effort, a unanimous decision loss to Caio Borralho.
All but one of his pro wins have come by knockout.
Why Bet on AJ Dobson
A.J. Dobson (6-1) saved a Contender Series episode devoid of finishes by choking out Hashem Arkhagha.
This set up a UFC debut against Jacob Malkoun, who utilized relentless wrestling to hand Dobson his first professional defeat.
Armen Petrosyan vs. AJ Dobson Final Betting Analysis:
Even though he couldn’t keep up with Malkoun’s exhausting takedown onslaught, Dobson’s improvement between his Contender Series bout and that UFC debut was eye-catching.
If we see a similar level of advancement here, Petrosyan is in trouble.
Dobson is at least sharp and physical enough to recreate the success Rodrigues had in forcing Petrosyan to the cage and landing combinations, and his wrestling pedigree suggests that he can neutralize Petrosyan on the ground the way Borralho did.
In short, pressure and takedowns shut down Petrosyan’s kicking attack and earn Dobson his first UFC win.
UFC 280: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Malcolm Gordon
Why Bet on Muhammad Mokaev
Muhammad Mokaev (8-0) entered UFC with tons of hype behind him, which he lived up to by clubbing-and-subbing Cody Durden in 58 seconds.
Though he failed to find the finish or generate much excitement in his second effort, he nonetheless walked away with a decision win over Charles Johnson.
Why Bet on Malcolm Gordon
Malcolm Gordon (14-5) — a former TKO champion — struggled his way to a winless (0-2) UFC start, both losses coming inside the distance.
He’s since bounced back with a decision over Francisco Figueiredo and an arm-breaking submission of Denys Bondar.
The win over Bondar marked his sixth by tapout.
Muhammad Mokaev vs. Malcolm Gordon Final Betting Analysis:
Outside of a freak one-hitter quitter, the only way Gordon wins this is by catching Mokaev in a submission either mid-transition or from his back.
To his credit, he has plenty of experience doing so, from his pre-UFC finishes to that violent armbar against Bondar.
Indeed, if Mokaev doesn’t mind his P’s and Q’s, Gordon has the skill and wherewithal to capitalize.
That said, Mokaev proved plenty willing to play the slow game against Johnson, and Gordon got overwhelmed on the mat by Amir Albazi a few fights back.
Mokaev is seasoned enough to abuse his wrestling skills, avoid opportunistic submissions, and neutralize Gordon for a wide decision win.
UFC 280: Lina Länsberg vs. Karol Rosa
Why Bet on Lina Länsberg
Now six years away from her UFC debut against Cris Cyborg, Lansberg sits at 4-5 in the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization.
She enters the cage amid a two-fight losing streak that’s seen her drop decisions to Sara McMann and Pannie Kianzad.
She’s knocked out four opponents as a professional.
Why Bet on Karol Rosa
The high-volume striking attack of Karol Rosa (15-4) carried her to a perfect (4-0) UFC start, including a decision over Bethe Correia in “Pitbull’s” farewell fight.
Then came Sara McMann, who out-wrestled the Brazilian to snap her six-fight win streak.
Lina Länsberg vs. Karol Rosa Final Betting Analysis:
There doesn’t seem to be a lot going Lansberg’s way in this match-up.
Not only is Rosa 13 years younger, but she also lands more than twice as many significant strikes per minute and has the technical kickboxing chops to keep up with her on her feet.
Though Lansberg’s wrestling has bailed her out before, she’s nowhere near the level of Sara McMann, and Rosa’s shown off some takedown chops of her own.
Lansberg can’t keep up with Rosa’s pace and doesn’t have the means to slow things down, giving her vanishingly few ways to win this.
In the end, Rosa handily out-works her to a clear decision.
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