Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski Picks and Prediction – 10/21/2023
On Saturday evening October 21st, Islam Makhachev squares off against Alexander Volkanovski in this Lightweight Main Event Title Fight. Find all the best picks for the UFC with our UFC picks. The bout will take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Makhachev is 4 inches taller than Volkanovski, but will be at a 1.5-inch reach disadvantage. This bout will be a rematch from February 11th of this year when Makhachev beat Volkanovski via a unanimous decision.
Alexander Volkanovski comes into this bout with a fight record of 26-2 with 13 knockouts and 3 submissions. Volkanovski is 13-1 since joining the UFC back in 2016. His only loss came to his opponent this Saturday night via a unanimous decision. He didn't sulk, but instead went right back to his training, and was able to knockout of Yair Rodriguez in the beginning of July. It was a dominant performance by the Aussie, as he led 66-40 in significant strikes and 7-0 in takedowns before knocking Rodriguez out. Volkanovski is poised for a rematch as he still has a bitter taste in his mouth from his performance back in February. Alexander "The Great" Volkanovski fights out of the City Kickboxing camp.
Islam Makhachev has a fight record of 24-1 with 4 knockouts and 11 submissions. Like Volkanovski, Makhachev has an identical 13-1 record since joining the UFC. His only blemish came back in his second appearance in the UFC when he was knocked out by Adriano Martins in the first round. Since then, he's gone a perfect 12-0. After beating Oliveira for the belt back in late October of last year, Makhachev has successfully defended his title once against his opponent on Saturday and will be looking for a repeat performance. Islam Makhachev fight out of the Eagles MMA camp.
Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski Prediction
Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski Pick Analysis
Our Free Boxing Pick for vs
Islam Makhachev -260
Get expert picks from the hottest cappersIt's no secret that Volkanovski will have a huge advantage on the feet again, just like their last contest. He's averaging a ridiculous 6.25 significant strikes per minute. On the flip side, Makhachev is averaging just 2.35 significant strikes per minute. In their last fight, Volkanovski out-struck Makhachev 70-57 and even added a knockdown. All that being said, Volkanovski lost the fight unanimously. Makhachev has proven that although he may be at a slight disadvantage on his feet, he is a much better grappler. He's getting his opponent to the mat on 62% of his attempts, and is blocking 90% of takedowns. Look for much of the same as last fight, however, Makhachev finishes it within distance. Final Score Prediction, Islam Makhachev wins via a 3rd round submission.
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