Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and top-ranked contender Brian Ortega will settle their differences in the Octagon on Saturday when they meet in the main event of UFC 266. The loaded UFC 266 fight card is slated for a 10 p.m. ET start from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Volkanovski and Ortega have a history of competing against each other, just not inside the Octagon. Earlier this year, they squared off as opposing coaches on the popular UFC recruiting program “The Ultimate Fighter.” Their banter was mostly respectful, but they grew weary of each other and, as “TUF” tradition calls for, the coaches will write the final chapter by squaring off in a prize fight.
Volkanovski is a -155 favorite (risk $155 to win $100), while Ortega is a +135 underdog in the latest UFC 266 odds from Caesars Sportsbook. In the co-main event, women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko (-1,600) meets challenger Lauren Murphy (+900). Before settling any picks of your own for Volkanovski vs. Ortega and the rest of the UFC 266 card, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine MMA expert Andrew Gombas.
Gombas is a former NCAA wrestler who taps into his experience on the mat to dissect the X’s and O’s of MMA matchups in a manner that sets him apart from other MMA analysts. He started the MMA handicapping service MMA Knockout Bets in 2018 and has shown a profit every year since.
With more than 1,200 selections tracked by the third-party monitoring service Bet MMA, he has shown a 10 percent return on investment for his followers. In 2020, $100 bettors who tailed his picks were up $9,200. Among his recent memorable selections was calling the upset by Brandon Moreno (+200) against Deiveson Figueiredo (-240) for the flyweight title at UFC 263 in June. Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC 266 fast approaching, Gombas has studied the card from top to bottom and released his UFC 266 best bets. A successful parlay of those picks would pay 9-1 and they can only be seen at SportsLine.
UFC 266 preview
The main event could serve as a flashpoint in the careers of both fighters. Volkanovski is a mild-mannered and affable Australian who was once a professional rugby player before discovering mixed martial arts. He reportedly lost more than 100 pounds while training for fighting and has quietly emerged as one of top fighters in the sport.
However, Volkanovski (22-1) is among the UFC’s least popular champions in large part because the man he beat to earn the title, Max Holloway, is among the most revered figures in the game. He beat Holloway by unanimous decision in December 2019 and squeaked out a split decision in their rematch last July.
The featherweight champion has insisted the only way to win over his critics will be to dominate opponents in a long reign as champion. He faces a daunting challenge from Ortega (15-1-1), whom many MMA observers have long pegged as a future champion.
Ortega is a slick submission specialist who gained acclaim for running through his first six UFC opponents without much resistance. His momentum was halted amid a lopsided loss to Holloway in November 2018 and subsequent injury issues that shelved him for nearly two years.
His return performance resulted in a dominant decision win over Chan Sung Jung last October, setting the stage for a second title shot against Volkanovski. See who to pick here.
UFC 266 expert predictions
We’ll share one of Gombas’ UFC 266 selections here: He is going with Dan Hooker (-160) to earn a victory against Nasrat Haqparast (+140) in a matchup of lightweight prospects.
The No. 8-ranked Hooker (20-10) was climbing the UFC rankings before suffering back-to-back defeats against top-ranked competition. He lost a five-round war against top-rated Dustin Poirier in June of last year before he was memorably knocked out in January by the first punch thrown from UFC newcomer Michael Chandler, who is now ranked fourth.
The unranked Haqparast (13-3) has won five of his seven UFC matches but also has faltered against top-tier competition. He will likely crack the rankings should he get his hand raised Saturday for his third consecutive victory. He is coming off a unanimous decision against Rafa Garcia in March.
“Hooker excels at range, mixing punches and kicks to keep opponents at bay. Haqparast is primarily a boxer and will need to crash the pocket and land combinations on the inside to win. I don’t see it happening,” Gombas told SportsLine.
How to make UFC 266 picks
Gombas also has strong picks for Volkanovski vs. Ortega and other fights on the UFC 266 card. He’s also backing one fighter to prevail “in a complete mismatch.” Those selections are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins Volkanovski vs. Ortega? And what other picks do you need to make for a parlay with a payout of 9-1? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed top picks on UFC 266, all from the ultimate insider who’s up nearly $9,200 on MMA picks in the past year, and find out.
UFC 266 odds, fight card
Alexander Volkanovski (-155) vs. Brian Ortega (+135)
Valentina Shevchenko (-1,600) vs. Lauren Murphy (+900)
Nick Diaz (-110) vs. Robbie Lawler (-110)
Curtis Blaydes (-300) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (+250)
Jessica Andrade (-270) vs. Cynthia Calvillo (+230)
Talia Santos (-370) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (+310)
Marlon Moraes (+220) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (-260)
Dan Hooker (-160) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (+140)
Shamil Abdurakhimov (+165) vs. Chris Daukaus (-185)
Manon Fiorot (-260) vs. Mayra Beuno Silva (+220)
Karl Roberson (-115) vs. Nick Maximov (-105)
Matthew Semelsberger (-475) vs. Martin Sano (+380)
Uros Medic (-125) vs. Jalin Turner (+105)
Omar Morales (-150) vs. Jonathan Pearce (+130)
