Saturday’s UFC 290 card will characteristic a championship doubleheader with each the featherweight and flyweight titles on the road. In the primary occasion of the night time, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will tackle interim champion Yair Rodriguez in a bout to unify their titles.
Within the co-main occasion, Brandon Moreno defends his flyweight title towards Alexandre Pantoja. The Brazilian earned an earlier victory over Moreno, including intrigue to what must be an thrilling battle between two proficient, versatile fighters.
The cardboard caps off the UFC’s annual “Worldwide Battle Week,” which hosts different occasions such because the Corridor of Fame induction. The IFW playing cards are all the time stuffed with massive names and this yr isn’t any completely different with different massive names resembling Robert Whittaker, Dan Hooker, Robbie Lawler and blue chip prospect Bo Nickal.
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With a lot taking place on Saturday night time, let’s take a more in-depth take a look at Caesar’s Sportsbook’s full final odds combat card earlier than we get to our employees’s predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities.
UFC 290 combat card, odds
Odds by way of Caesars Sportsbook
- Alexander Volkanovski (c) -370 vs. Yair Rodriguez (ic) +290, featherweight title
- Brandon Moreno (c) -205 vs. Alexandre Pantoja +170, Flyweight Championship
- Robert Whittaker -360 vs. Dricus du Plessis +280, middleweights
- Jalin Turner -280 vs. Dan Hooker +230, lightweights
- Bo Nickal -2500 vs. Valentine Woodburn +1100, Middleweights
- Niko Value -225 vs. Robbie Lawler +185, welterweights
- Yazmin Jauregui -380 vs. Denise Gomes +300, Girls’s Straw Weights
- Jimmy Crute -140 vs. Alonzo Menifield +120, mild heavyweights
- Tatsuro Taira -1000 vs. Edgar Chairez +650, Flyweights
- Vitor Petrino -240 vs. Marcin Prachino +200, mild heavyweights
- Cameron Boringman -600 vs. Christian Rodriguez +430, Bantamweights
- Jesus Aguilar -140 vs. Shannon Ross +120, Flyweights
- Esteban Ribovics -150 vs, Kamuela Kirk +125, lightweights
With such an enormous principal occasion on faucet, the CBS Sports activities crew pushed forward with predictions and picks for the primary card. Listed here are your picks: Brent Brookhouse (martial arts author), Brian Campbell (martial arts author, “Morning Kombat” co-host), Shakiel Mahjouri (author), Michael Mormile (producer), and Brandon Clever (senior editor).
UFC 290 picks, predictions
| Volkanovski (c) v Rodriguez | Volkanovsky | Volkanovsky | Volkanovsky | Volkanovsky | Volkanovsky |
| Moreno (c) v Pantoja | Pantoya | Moreno | Moreno | Pantoya | Moreno |
| Whittaker to du Plessis | Whittaker | du Plessis | Whittaker | Whittaker | Whittaker |
| Turner vs. Hooker | Turner | Turner | Turner | Turner | Turner |
| Nickal vs. Woodburn | Nickel | Nickel | Nickel | Nickel | Nickel |
| Information So Far (2023) |
21-14 | 22-13 | 22-13 | 25-10 | 20-15 |
Volkanovski vs Rodriguez
Campbell: The very best fighter on the planet faces arguably essentially the most harmful check of his featherweight title reign. However even with the unorthodox assault that makes Rodriguez so distinctive, Volkanovski merely operates on a distinct degree in relation to technique and deciphering his opponent’s rhythms. Volkanovski confirmed in February that he can actually adapt to any opponent and any fashion by shifting all the way down to light-weight in February and neutralizing Makhachev’s vaunted wrestling capacity of their contested choice. See if Rodriguez is most harmful early on till Volkanovski settles right into a groove of touchdown massive pictures on the within as he makes use of sharp strikes to dodge the heavy artillery. Nobody is healthier at minimizing their opponent’s strengths than the defending champion.
Brook home: Rodriguez is a dynamic fighter with a fan-friendly fashion. He is additionally been engaged on enhancing his cardio, which has been a giant deal previously. That mentioned, Volkanovski is a extra dynamic fighter throughout, capable of management the place the combat takes place and consistently beat opponents. Whereas Rodriguez’s cardio has improved, it is laborious to anticipate the fuel tank to carry up as Volkanovski places fixed strain on him in a five-round combat. Rodriguez shall be harmful for the primary few rounds, however Volkanovski ought to take over and be in full management within the second half of the combat.
Mahjouri: Volkanovski is the whole package deal. The featherweight champion has tremendously well-rounded abilities, an elite recreation plan, five-round cardio, and an indomitable will. Even his aggressive failure towards light-weight champion Islam Makhachev is taken into account an ethical victory by most. Volkanovski is nearly as good because it will get at 145 kilos and would not appear to be budging. Rodriguez has developed right into a respectable title-level menace, however he isn’t pound-for-pound materials simply but.
Moreno towards Pantoja
Campbell: Reaching a three-fight win streak towards high quality names is not sufficient to make Pantoja a really a lot alive canine going into his first UFC title shot, his earlier historical past as Moreno’s proprietor should be taken into consideration. The Brazilian grappler dispatched Moreno of their 2016 follow bout on “The Final Fighter” earlier than beating him for 3 rounds of their 2018 rematch. Sure, Moreno has improved considerably since then, however so has Pantoja. Given the parity inside this division within the wake of the exits of former champions Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo, it is laborious to belief anybody to carry the belt for any prolonged time frame. Add in Pantoja’s capacity to take down opponents and his historical past towards Moreno and you have got a title within the works.
Brook Home: The 2023 model of Moreno is only a completely different beast than the one Pantoja defeated in 2018. Moreno has improved immensely and his 4 wars with Deiveson Figueiredo have clearly proven that. Neither fighter was ever completed, which means this might very nicely be the entire distance, regardless of the hazard posed by each males on their ft and on the bottom. Pretty much as good as Pantoja is – and he is superb – a five-round combat appears in favor of Moreno, who has quite a lot of expertise and has to combat laborious for 25 minutes. With Moreno on the peak of his skills, it’s a must to like him to win.
Mahjouri: Moreno has emerged on the opposite aspect of a four-fight, four-year saga with Deiveson Figueiredo as champion. The quadrilogy – the one one among its sort in UFC historical past – left the remainder of the flyweight contenders in limbo. Maybe the Moreno-Figueiredo vortex blinds me to the expertise that Pantoja and the remainder of the division possess. However iron sharpens iron and Moreno spent 4 years testing his mettle towards flyweight’s ‘God of Struggle’. Count on Moreno to lastly conquer Pantoja.
Whittaker to du Plessis
Campbell: For in addition to “DDP” has seen 5 UFC appearances (together with 4 wins by way of stoppage), there’s not a lot motive to consider he’ll be an issue for somebody as versatile and dominant as former champion Whittaker. Du Plessis is aggressive and highly effective, however his defensive holes are too excessive for somebody of Whittaker’s caliber. The concept of an all-African title showdown towards Israel Adesanya sounds intriguing to UFC, which is why the South African native was fast to leap on the chance. Nonetheless, it’s not a practical outcome. An excessive amount of too early.
Brook Home: Does selecting du Plessis make sense? No. Whittaker is clearly the higher fighter, whereas du Plessis is usually sloppy and appears exhausted after about three minutes into every combat. So why put his identify within the desk? Generally you simply get a sense and that is the case right here. This is a vital combat for du Plessis and he’ll put quite a lot of warmth on Whittaker to try to earn a title shot. Whittaker ought to successful, sure, however du Plessis has the form of aura that makes you suppose he can pull off a large upset and punch his ticket to a title combat with Israel Adesanya.
Mahjouri: Whittaker is a grasp class fighter who is extremely revered by followers and fighters alike. His capacity to neutralize any middleweight not named Israel Adesanya has slowed the rise of many contenders. Du Plessis has unimaginable grit and unparalleled output. Du Plessis has the very best stroke price and strike differential of any middleweight in UFC historical past. Few fighters benefit from openings the way in which Whittaker does. Du Plessis, for all his bodily benefits, leaves himself open with working pictures and relentless ahead strain. Whittaker’s probabilities ought to enhance the longer the combat goes on.
Who will win UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez, and the way precisely does every combat finish? Visit SportsLine now for detailed information on every fight at UFC 290all from the MMA skilled who earned over $6,200 in 2022, and discover out.
