UFC 280: Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev — Preview and Predictions
Islam Makhachev aims to finally capture UFC lightweight gold while Charles Oliveira stands in his way at UFC 280.
The highly anticipated UFC 280 pay-per-view event is set to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on October 22, 2022. In the main event, former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira takes on rising star Islam Makhachev for the vacant lightweight title. Oliveira is coming off a submission win over Justin Gaethje, while Makhachev has won 10 straight fights, including a submission win over Bobby Green in his last outing. Both fighters are known for their grappling skills, so this matchup is sure to be a battle on the ground.
Oliveira vs. Makhachev: A clash of styles
Charles Oliveira is a submission specialist with a dangerous ground game. He has won 31 of his 33 fights by submission, including 19 by rear-naked choke. Oliveira is also a dangerous striker, with 17 knockout wins to his credit. However, he can be reckless at times, and his striking defense is not as good as his grappling. Islam Makhachev is a dominant wrestler with a suffocating top game. He has won 22 of his 23 fights, including 11 by submission. Makhachev is also a skilled striker, with 9 knockout wins to his credit. However, he is not as dangerous a striker as Oliveira, and his cardio has been questioned in the past.
Oliveira vs. Makhachev: The betting odds
According to the latest betting odds, Islam Makhachev is a -220 favorite to defeat Charles Oliveira. Oliveira is a +180 underdog. This means that if you bet $100 on Makhachev, you would win $45.45 if he wins. If you bet $100 on Oliveira, you would win $180 if he wins.
Oliveira vs. Makhachev: The prediction
This is a tough fight to predict, as both fighters are well-rounded and have different strengths and weaknesses. However, I believe that Islam Makhachev will ultimately win this fight. He is the better wrestler, and I think he will be able to take Oliveira down and submit him. Oliveira is a dangerous striker, but I don't think he will be able to keep Makhachev at bay for five rounds. I predict that Makhachev will win this fight by submission in the third round.
What's next for Oliveira and Makhachev?
If Oliveira wins, he will likely face the winner of the Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler fight. If Makhachev wins, he will likely face the winner of the Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot fight. Both Oliveira and Makhachev are top-ranked lightweight contenders, so they will be in line for a title shot regardless of the outcome of this fight.
