The countdown is almost over, as we’re getting closer and closer for UFC 266 in September. This is an event that fans have had circled on their calendars for a while now, as there’s a loaded lineup of fights that people will be able to enjoy. In this piece, we have picks for Volkanovski vs. Ortega at UFC 266, which should be nothing short of a heart-stopping affair. Which brawler will have his hand raised by the judge?
Leading up to things, Alexander Volkanovski is the favorite against Brian Ortega at UFC 266 in their main event battle. This is a brawl that people can’t wait to see go down, as the two welterweights are both not only tremendously talented, but they’re also super tough to take down inside of the octagon. Both these fighters have only suffered one loss in their careers.
In terms of Ortega, he’s 15-1-0 and Volkanovski is an impressive 22-1-0. Both of these guys will be ready to do everything it takes to avoid suffering loss No. 2 for their fighting days. That of course won’t be easy, as both these guys have what it takes to end a fight in only a matter of seconds. That could cause both these guys to be extra careful once they put the gloves on.
| UFC 266 |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkanovski to win | -184 | -184 | -184 | -184 |
| Ortega to win | +154 | +154 | +154 | +154 |
| Shevchenko to win | -1000 | -1000 | -1000 | -1000 |
| Murphy to win | +660 | +660 | +660 | +660 |
According to the Las Vegas sportsbooks, Volkanovski has been given -184 UFC odds, while Ortega has been listed at +154. In his last fight, Volkanovski was able to record a decision victory over Max Halloway via a decision. It was quite the see-saw affair, but Volkanovski came out on top. As for Ortega, he also beat Chan Sung Jung through a judge’s decision as well.
Come UFC 266, will it be Volkanovski or Ortega to come away with a close win? This is certainly a tough decision, as we’re predicting the two to be outstanding. In the end, though, we’re going to go with Volkanovski to record the victory and improve his record. This one could end up going into either the second or third round. Do you agree with us? Check out our UFC betting sites to get a wager in.
In the women’s flyweight title bout, Valentina Shevchenko should have no issue at all at UFC 266 in her fight with Lauren Murphy. Shevchenko is no doubt one of the best female fighters in the UFC, as she holds a great 21-3-0 record. Her victories typically come in tremendous fashion. That could very well be the case at UFC 266 when she takes on Murphy.
In her last fight, Shevchenko was stellar, truly. At UFC 261, Shevchenko met up with Jessica Andrade and took her out in the second round with a great knockout. In that victory, Shevchenko got Andrade down to the ground and then proceeded to deliver countless powerful punches and elbows on her. Andrade did her best to try and withstand everything, but she simply couldn’t.
“I like to surprise people,” Shevchenko said in her post-fight interview after taking down Andrade. “They don’t expect this from me, but here I am. I can do everything. Opponents trying to figure out a weakness of mine. Don’t waste your time. There is none.”
Shevchenko has a ton of confidence and rightfully so. She’s won seven consecutive fights and she’s a massive favorite going up against Murphy, holding -1000 odds. Meanwhile, for Murphy, her +660 odds are something you won’t want to touch. Shevchenko is 100 percent our pick to leave things with a win. Betting on Murphy to pull off the upset would be a silly mistake.
Entering UFC 266, fans will want to know can Nick Diaz pull off an upset going up against Robbie Lawler? Diaz hasn’t been in a UFC fight since 2015, as he took on legendary brawler Anderson Silva in that one. Originally, Silva won via a five-round decision, but he then later tested positive for banned substances. Diaz also tested positive for marijuana, so the fight was overturned to a no contest.
Now, six years later, Diaz is all set to try and put on a show going up against Robbie Lawler. Back in his prime, Diaz was one of the most electric fighters in all of MMA. With his great power, speed and smarts, he wasn’t a guy that people wanted to meet up against. Now, though, Diaz is going to have quite the battle in trying to take down someone of Lawler’s caliber.
Entering things, Lawler is the favorite with his -126. As for Diaz, he’ll be the underdog at +108. For someone to be out of the ring for so long will sure make things difficult, especially with Lawler always ready for battle. Having said that, this is Diaz we’re talking about. You should know by now to never rule him out of anything. Call it a hunch, but we’re going to Diaz as our pick to pull off a shocking victory.
