UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 Fight Card Odds and Picks

Last Updated on October 19, 2023 12:38 pm by Erwin Noguera

The UFC takes a trip to Abu Dhabi, as the Etihad Arena gets ready to host an exciting numbered event, which had to be saved after some last-minute changes to the main and co-main events of the card.

For the Event Headliner, after the first challenger to Islam Makhachev, Charles Oliveira, had to be pulled out due to a cut nearing the end of his camp, the UFC salvaged the fight by calling Alexander Volkanovski on short notice to give him a second shot at Double Gold Status after an exciting back and forth back in February, and after successfully defending his belt against Yair Rodriguez.

The co-main event was also salvaged after Paulo Costa had to pull out, finding a replacement in the former Welterweight Champion, Kamaru Usman, who is looking to send a message as he debuts in the Middleweight Division.

With multiple exciting clashes all over the event, like the clash between Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker, and boasting talents like Said Nurmagomedov and Tim Elliot, along with plenty more, this whole card is stacked.

This event has 5 main event clashes like most numbered events do, but we are going to enjoy 8 prelims, so all fight fans should have a great morning to enjoy and start their weekend.

You can check all the UFC/MMA bets, the analysis of each fighter, and the final bet you can make in these fights.

UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 Fight Card Odds and Picks – Info

When: 

Saturday, October 21th, at 10:00 am ET

Moneyline odds:

Islam Makhachev -263 / Alexander Volkanovski +198

Kamaru Usman +230 / Khamzat Chimaev -312

Magomed Ankalaev -370 / Johnny Walker +266

Ikram Aliskerov -666 / Warlley Alves +416

Said Nurmagomedov -232 / Muin Gafurov +177

Tim Elliott +326 / Muhammad Mokaev -476

Mohammad Yahya +126 / Trevor Peek -161

Javid Basharat -588 / Victor Henry +390

Sedriques Dumas -238 / Abu Azaitar +183

Anshul Jubli -322 / Mike Breeden +235

Nathaniel Wood -344 / Muhammad Naimov +255

Jinh Yu Frey +357 / Victoria Dudakova -526

Bruno Silva +202 / Sharabutdin Magomedov -270

Where can I watch it?

UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+

UFC 294: Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski

Why Bet on Islam Makhachev?

Islam boasts an impressive record of 24 wins and only 1 loss. That’s some serious dominance. However, has been completely inactive since the February fight against Volkanovski.

Makhachev may have been preparing for Oliveira, but he’s still the more powerful striker and the superior grappler, and if he chooses to use that wrestling more than he did the first time, it’s a bit difficult to see Volkanovski stopping him.

Why Bet on Alexander Volkanovski?

Alexander Volkanovski stands at 26 wins with 2 losses, and after the first fight, he returned to 145 pounds successfully, dispatching Yair Rodriguez via TKO in the summer. Essentially, he looked as good as he’d ever done.

The big issue for him here is preparation time. The featherweight champ is renowned for his expert game plans and leaves no stone unturned in his training camps.

Here, however, he’s barely had two weeks to come up with anything. Sure, he fought Makhachev before, but he needed to make adjustments that he probably wouldn’t have planned for.

Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski Final Betting Analysis:

Volkanovski proved to be arguably the toughest test of Makhachev’s career when they battled for five rounds at UFC 284 in February, but The Great ultimately fell short by unanimous decision.

The story of that fight was essentially that Volkanovski was the better technical striker, but he couldn’t hurt Makhachev badly and ate a lot of heavy shots from the Dagestani in return.

On the ground, meanwhile, Makhachev was able to largely control the Australian, even if he didn’t come close to a finish of any kind.

Overall this should be another fantastic bout between two true greats. However, the fact that it’s coming on this kind of late notice is disappointing and isn’t likely to lead to another classic as we saw in February.

Instead, it seems more likely to end in Makhachev’s favor, if not by a finish, then by a larger margin than before.

UFC 294: Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Why Bet on Kamaru Usman?

Usman has lost his last two bouts to current welterweight champion Leon Edwards and is looking to make a short-notice return against “Borz”. 

The Nigerian Nightmare boasts a solid striking game, landing 4.46 significant strikes per minute with a 52% accuracy rate. He’s defensively responsible with a 54% strike defense, making it hard for opponents to land clean shots. Usman, a former NCAA Division II wrestler, is also a grappling powerhouse.

Why Bet on Khamzat Chimaev?

Chimaev, is an aggressive wrestler, averaging 3.98 takedowns with a remarkable 57% accuracy. His takedown defense is a perfect 100%. Chimaev’s submission average of 3.5 per 15 minutes is a clear indicator of his prowess on the ground. He is also a striking machine, landing an impressive 7.30 significant strikes per minute with a 59% accuracy.

He holds the edge in the grappling department, both in takedowns and submissions. Chimaev’s last fight was a victory against Kevin Holland.

Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev Final Betting Analysis:

In this epic UFC 294 co-main showdown, Khamzat Chimaev’s striking is a force to be reckoned with, and his wrestling game is top-notch. He can win by keeping the fight standing and utilizing his striking advantage, especially in the earlier rounds. However, he should be cautious about gassing out, as Usman’s experience could lead to a comeback in later rounds.

Kamaru Usman’s path to victory lies in his experience and his takedown defense. If he can weather Chimaev’s early storm and take the fight into deeper waters, his chances of securing a victory increase.

Our token is on Chimaev’s explosive start to put pressure on Usman until getting the win.

UFC 294: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker

Why Bet on Magomed Ankalaev?

Ankalaev is one of many Dagestani fighters on this UFC 294 card and has a professional MMA record of 17-1-1, with nine wins coming by TKO/KO. He has one of the most decorated combat sports resumes before the UFC out of anyone.

Ankalaev is a Master of Sport in amateur MMA–winning three gold medals at the WMMAA World Championships from 2013 to 2016 and seven gold medals in the Russian Championships over his amateur career. He also has a gold medal in the Combat Sambo Cup of Dagestan, achieving his Master’s in Sport for Combat Sambo.

Why Bet on Johnny Walker?

Walker is a Brazilian mixed martial artist with a professional MMA record of 21-7 at the age of 31. He has an impressive 19 total finishes in his pro career, including 16 by TKO/KO.

The No. 7 ranked light heavyweight now trains at the famous SBG Ireland gym, where Conor McGregor does most of his work with legendary coach John Kavanaugh.

Walker is a freak-of-nature athlete to see in MMA–listed at 6’6” with an 82” reach and seemingly can jump out over the octagon cage if he wanted to.

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker Final Betting Analysis:

Ankalaev’s feet are strongly rooted in the canvas, and his approach is very measured. Walker has slowed down his approach a ton and has improved a ton, but he still looks like he’s waiting to jump 40” into the air and knee someone’s head off at any moment.

They both have a lot of power and can finish the fight with one clean strike landing. Ankalaev will switch stances, and he likes to counter his opponents with a lightning-quick left hand.

Walker has been developing his style over the last few fights to use all of his athletic ability in the most efficient way. He throws wild kicking techniques and is very difficult to hit with his unorthodox style, but he leaves his chin open a lot of the time.

We are expecting Ankalaev’s approach to be smart enough to wear down and halt Walker and beat him down as the round goes forth.

UFC 294: Ikram Aliskerov vs. Warlley Alves

Why Bet on Ikram Aliskerov?

Ikram Aliskerov, a 30-year-old middleweight, began his UFC tenure with a 1st round knockout back in May. That brought his MMA record to 14-1 with ten wins inside the distance and his only loss to Khamzat Chimaev before the UFC.

Aliskerov is a well-schooled, dangerous, and athletic kickboxer with the power to stop a fight in an instant and the fluidity to effortlessly land his strikes. He excels as a forward-moving counter-striker. 

Why Bet on Warlley Alves?

Warlley Alves, 32, has been in the UFC since 2014. In that time, he has amassed an 8-6 record with six finish wins and three finish losses. Most recently, Alves has lost back-to-back fights.

Alves is exciting, powerful, and unpredictable in the cage. In some fights, like in his last win, he blitzes forward unloading windmill combinations the moment the ref says, “Fight!”.

Ikram Aliskerov vs. Warlley Alves Final Betting Analysis:

We fully expect Alves to fight similarly to how he fought in his last win against Lazzez. At the time, Alves immediately blitzed forward and fought as if the fight was only 5 minutes long. He attacked with little regard for defense and relied on surprise and raw power to overwhelm. Considering the skill gap he has in this fight, his best chance at a win is to blitz forward again.

Because of that, Aliskerov should have had ample opportunities early to finish the fight. And, if Alves shocks the betting world and clips him, a round prop covers that outcome as well.

We expect Alves to blitz forward immediately, Aliskerov to catch him with a counter, and finish the fight soon after.

UFC 294: Said Nurmagomedov vs. Muin Gafurov

Why Bet on Said Nurmagomedov?

Nurmagomedov is a professional MMA fighter from Dagestan with a record of 17-3 with nine finishes under his belt, including five submissions. One of those was a ‘submission of the month’ in January 2022 when he guillotined Cody Stamann in less than a minute and also took home a performance bonus that night.

Why Bet on Muin Gafurov?

Gafurov is a Tajik Sambo fighter with a professional MMA record of 18-5, winning ten fights via TKO/KO and seven submissions so far at the age of 27. He has fought in ONE Championship, UAE Warriors, and LFA before making his UFC debut earlier this summer. 

Said Nurmagomedov vs. Muin Gafurov Final Betting Analysis:

Gafurov still has strength, cardio, and a big right hand that he lands quite often. And it alters the fight when it connects. He got clipped with a left high kick and a few slick counterpunches in his UFC debut against Castaneda.

Nurmagomedov is just simply really good. He switches stances with ease, and he just seems to go with the flow in every fight. He might have a game plan going into it. But it looks like he is prepared for anything that happens and turns it into a positive for himself.

Catching kicks, countering a takedown with one of his own, or landing super creative and well-timed spinning techniques. He also knows this next UFC fight is arguably the most important one yet in front of an Abu Dhabi crowd on this massive PPV card.

We are siding with Nurmagomedov.

UFC 294: Tim Elliott vs. Muhammad Mokaev

Why Bet on Tim Elliott?

The post-The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) UFC return for Tim Elliott (20-12-1) wasn’t quite the triumph he wanted, dropping five of his next seven bouts inside the Octagon. He’s since righted the ship with a 4-1 run, the sole loss a narrow one to Matheus Nicolau.

Why Bet on Muhammad Mokaev?

After making his name in BRAVE CF, The Punisher burst out of the UFC gate with a 58-second club-and-sub of Cody Durden in his Octagon debut. He had to settle for a decision against Charles Johnson his next time out but returned to his finishing ways via back-to-back submissions over Malcolm Gordon and Jafel Filho.

Five of his six professional finishes have come via submission.

Tim Elliott vs. Muhammad Mokaev Final Betting Analysis:

Mokaev’s passivity is the biggest knock on him, but it may be his saving grace here. Elliott thrives in chaos, relying on intense scrambles to steadily wear down his opponents and eliminate any technical disadvantages through attrition. Mokaev has the cardio to shoot takedowns more than two dozen times in 15 minutes and is more than happy to avoid the sorts of risks that Elliott loves to capitalize on.

Mokaev shouldn’t be a 5:1 favorite, but we just can’t sell ourselves on an Elliott victory against a much younger and more athletically gifted wrestler, especially since Elliott has landed one submission in the last eight years. In the end, Mokaev survives a few hairy scrambles to grind out a decision.

UFC 294: Mohammad Yahya vs. Trevor Peek

Why Bet on Mohammad Yahya?

Mohammad Yahya (12-3) battled out of a 4-3 slump to enter the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion on a five-fight win streak. Said streak saw him knockout Yazid Chouchane for UAE Warriors gold and subsequently make two successful defenses.

Why Bet on Trevor Peek?

Peek clubbed his way to an upset knockout of Malik Lewis on Contender Series, then celebrated his UFC contract by similarly stopping Erick Gonzalez. Then came late replacement Chepe Mariscal, who out-struck and out-grappled Peek en route to a unanimous decision win.

All of his wins have come via knockout, six of them in the first round.

Mohammad Yahya vs. Trevor Peek Final Betting Analysis:

We like the matchmaking here, honestly. Yahya is by far the more technical boxer and has a solid grappling base, but can be overly passive. Peek, by contrast, has no technical base whatsoever but makes up for it with gusto.

They’ve each struggled with the others’ key weapons as well; Yahya got dropped hard by an ugly overhand not long ago and Peek couldn’t handle Mariscal’s more focused approach.

Maybe this is just us wanting the more entertaining outcome, but we favor Peek. Yahya stands very upright and doesn’t have great footwork, so Peek shouldn’t have too much trouble bullying him to the fence and unloading.

Yahya also gassed badly against Souhil Tahiri last time, suggesting he can’t handle Peek’s pace. This could turn into a repeat of the Mariscal fight, but we like Peek to sprawl and brawl his way to a finish late in the first or early in the second.

UFC 294: Javid Basharat vs. Victor Henry

Why Bet on Javid Basharat?

After a perfect run (10-0) on the European scene, Javid Basharat (14-0) dominated Oron Kahlon on Contender Series to claim a UFC contract. He’s now won three straight in the Octagon, most recently out-classing fellow Contender Series alum, Mateus Mendonca, in January.

His 11 professional finishes are split 6:5 between submissions and knockouts.

Why Bet on Victor Henry?

An 8-1 run — marred only by a loss to standout Denis Lavrentyev — earned Victor Henry (23-6) a long-overdue Octagon debut in 2022. ‘La Mangosta’ sits at 2-1 inside the Octagon, a loss to Raphael Assuncao sandwiched between decisions over Raoni Barcelos and Tony Gravely.

Javid Basharat vs. Victor Henry Final Betting Analysis:

If there’s one thing Basharat’s proven in the Octagon, he can handle pressure. His footwork held up against the aggression of Gravely and Mendonca, and though Henry is a much more technically adept striker than either of those two, he’s not particularly fast or agile. Unlike Gravely or Barcelos, Basharat’s not going to mix it up with him any more than he has to, especially as the taller and rangier man.

We just don’t think Henry can make Basharat hold still long enough to get any real attrition going, especially since the latter also has some wrestling in his back pocket to further blunt Henry’s momentum.

In short, hit-and-run tactics should carry Basharat to his fourth UFC victory.

UFC 294: Sedriques Dumas vs. Abu Azaitar

Why Bet on Sedriques Dumas?

Sedriques Dumas (8-1) earned some hype with a 47-second submission on Contender Series, only to get dominated by Josh Fremd in his UFC debut. His sophomore bout pitted him against late replacement Cody Brundage, whose endless pursuit of fruitless guillotines allowed Dumas to grind out a decision win.

Why Bet on Abu Azaitar?

Abu Azaitar (14-3) kicked off his UFC tenure with a decision over TUF: Brazil veteran, Vitor Miranda. Then came a 2.5-year layoff, followed by a technical knockout loss to Marc-Andre Barriault upon his return.

This marks his first fight in more than 30 months.

Sedriques Dumas vs. Abu Azaitar Final Betting Analysis:

It’s fair to call Dumas’ UFC tenure deeply underwhelming. He had nothing for Fremd’s rudimentary offense and likely would have lost to Brundage’s wrestling had the latter not sold out on guillotines and then given up as soon as he lost them. Still, between Azaitar’s massive layoffs and the way he fell apart against Barriault, it’s hard to have faith in ‘Captain Morocco,’ either.

Dumas just seems to have a few more pros to go with his laundry list of cons, namely height, reach, and power. All Azaitar has going for him is pressure, which he doesn’t seem equipped to maintain for 15 minutes. That might not even matter, though, as we like Dumas to catch him cold before Azaitar can shake off the rust.

UFC 294: Anshul Jubli vs. Mike Breeden

Why Bet on Anshul Jubli?

Anshul Jubli (7-0) edged out Kyung Pyo Kim to claim a spot in the Road to UFC finals. There, he took on Indonesian knockout artist Jeka Saragih, ultimately finishing him with ground-and-pound midway through the second.

Why Bet on Mike Breeden?

Though he managed to last the distance on a severely compromised leg, Mike Breeden (10-6) ultimately fell short in his Contender Series clash with Anthony Romero.

He picked up a pair of wins on the local circuit before making a short-notice UFC debut in 2021, resulting in the first of what’s now three consecutive losses in the Octagon.

Eight of his professional wins have come via knockout.

Anshul Jubli vs. Mike Breeden Final Betting Analysis:

Breeden’s lost three straight and been obliterated in two of them, but Alex Hernandez, Natan Levy, and Terrence McKinney are all levels above Jubli. Jubli barely got past Kim in Road to UFC and was having issues with Saragih on the feet before taking over with his wrestling, and though Breeden did give up nine takedowns to Levy, he also took over that fight in the third round.

We think that’s where we’re at: Breeden snowballs late in fights unless you can blow him out in the opening minutes, which Jubli lacks the means to do. Jubli will control things for a while with his jab and takedowns, but once he starts to slow down, our gut says Breeden can hunt him down and batter his way to an upset.

UFC 294: Nathaniel Wood vs. Muhammad Naimov

Why Bet on Nathaniel Wood?

A 1-2 skid prompted Nathaniel Wood (20-5) to move from Bantamweight — where The Prospect had spent virtually his entire career — to Featherweight. The move paid dividends, as he’s won three straight to up his UFC record to 7-2.

He’s knocked out seven professional opponents and submitted another six.

Why Bet on Muhammad Naimov?

Things went from bad to worse for Muhammad Naimov (9-2) when he followed his unsuccessful Contender Series bid with a decision loss to Olivier Murad.

‘Hillman’ bounced back with three straight wins, then scored a massive upset in his short-notice UFC debut by smashing Jamie Mullarkey to earn the Performance of the Night.

Nathaniel Wood vs. Muhammad Naimov Final Betting Analysis:

As with most of Wood’s fights, he’ll win as long as he avoids any lapses. Naimov is a heavy hitter, but he generally either starts so aggressively that he’s gassed after a round or paces himself to the point where he barely punches. Wood’s usual blend of technically sound kickboxing and sneaky takedowns should work as a treat.

Wood is, however, still very easy to hurt. It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see a repeat of Naimov’s fight with Mullarkey, where ‘Hillman’ dropped the first round and was on his way to losing the second before smoking Mullarkey with a perfect counterright. Wood minds his P’s and Q’s better than Mullarkey, though, so I trust his slickness and wrestling to win the day.

UFC 294: Jinh Yu Frey vs. Victoria Dudakova

Why Bet on Jinh Yu Frey?

A winless (0-2) UFC start gave way to two straight wins for Jinh Yu Frey (11-9), tying her longest win streak since 2016. It wasn’t to last, as she subsequently dropped three straight to Vanessa Demopoulos, Polyana Viana, and Elise Reed.

Why Bet on Victoria Dudakova?

Viktoriia Dudakova (7-0) grappled her way to an upset decision victory over Maria Silva in the Contender Series. She ultimately made her UFC debut 11 months later, defeating Istela Nunes via stoppage after Nunes injured her arm defending a takedown.

She’s ended six of seven fights inside the distance, four of them via submission.

Jinh Yu Frey vs. Victoria Dudakova Final Betting Analysis:

With all due respect to Frey, this shouldn’t be particularly difficult for Dudakova; she’s bigger, younger, and a sufficiently strong grappler to exploit Frey’s weak bottom game. Frey does have the better hands, but between Dudakova’s wrestling and Frey’s tendency to throw fights away through passivity, odds are Dudakova won’t be in too much danger between takedown attempts.

Even if you treat the Demopoulos fight as a win, Frey’s only UFC victories came against deeply flawed fighters with weak wrestling.

Dudakova, though a bit one-note herself, has the right tools to punish Frey’s longstanding weaknesses. She grinds her way to a comfortable decision win.

UFC 294: Bruno Silva vs. Sharabutdin Magomedov

Why Bet on Bruno Silva?

Bruno Silva (23-9) bounced back from back-to-back losses with a first-round wipeout of Brad Tavares to earn his third Performance of the Night bonus. The hits kept coming, though, as ‘Blindado’ succumbed to Brendan Allen’s rear-naked choke just two months later.

He sports 20 knockout wins of his own.

Why Bet on Sharabutdin Magomedov?

Shara Magomedov (11-0) racked up four wins on the Chinese circuit before returning to Russia, where he thrived in organizations like AMC Fight Nights and RCC. His four-fight 2022 saw Bullet score three knockouts and, at one point, win two bouts in eight days.

Seven of his 10 knockouts have come in the first round.

Bruno Silva vs. Sharabutdin Magomedov Final Betting Analysis:

Silva’s durability is the lynchpin of his success. When he can’t just club opponents into submission right off the bat, he relies on outlasting them until his ugly haymakers start finding the mark. The two knockdowns he’s suffered in his last three fights suggest that his eponymous ‘Armor’ is starting to crack, and considering he’d have a nightmare of a time with Bullet even at his best, that’s more than a little worrying.

Magomedov is far too fast and fluid for Silva to handle when both men are fresh and Silva no longer has the chin to drag him into deep waters. Even if he did, the hard three-rounder Magomedov fought in Dec. 2022 suggests that he can hold his own in the later rounds. He won’t have to, though, because he will flatten Silva in the opening minutes.

Makhachev vs. Volkanovski Betting Pick: Islam Makhachev

Usman vs. Chimaev Betting Pick: Khamzat Chimaev

Ankalaev vs. Walker Betting Pick: Magomed Ankalaev

Aliskerov vs. Alves Betting Pick: Ikram Aliskerov

Nurmagomedov vs. Gafurov Betting Pick: Said Nurmagomedov

Elliott vs. Mokaev Betting Pick: Muhammad Mokaev

Yahya vs. Peek Betting Pick: Trevor Peek

Basharat vs. Henry Betting Pick: Javid Basharat

Dumas vs. Azaitar Betting Pick: Sedriques Dumas

Jubli vs. Breeden Betting Pick: Mike Breeden

Wood vs. Naimov Betting Pick: Nathaniel Wood

Yu Frey vs. Dudakova Betting Pick: Victoria Dudakova

Silva vs. Magomedov Betting Pick: Sharabutdin Magomedov