- Oddsmakers are picking Islam Makhachev to be the UFC lightweight champion at the end of 2023.
- SportsBetting.ag has Makhachev at -185 odds with current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski next at +525.
- Makhachev will defend his belt against Volkanovski at UFC 284 on February 11 in Australia.
Islam Makhachev will end 2023 as the UFC lightweight champion.
That’s according to the oddsmakers at SportsBetting.ag who have listed the reigning lightweight king as the -185 favorite to keep his belt through the end of this year.
Makhachev is scheduled to defend his title against reigning UFC featherweight champion and UFC no. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 on February 11th in Perth, Australia. Volkanovski has the second-best odds to be the champion at the end of 2023 at +525.
The Dagestani won the belt with an impressive 2nd round victory over former champion Charles Oliveira at the main event of UFC 280 last October 22. Makhachev is 12-1 inside the UFC Octagon and he has won his last 11 bouts since he was knocked out by Adriano Martins at UFC 192.
Panic or Not Panic?
Makhachev promises to make Volkanovski panic 👀 pic.twitter.com/c4CaG5kQxm
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) December 23, 2022
Makhachev has guaranteed that he will make Volkanovski panic after “15 helpless seconds” on the ground. The champion has a 66% takedown accuracy and is known for his suffocating wrestling game that no opponent has yet to solve.
Volkanovski meanwhile, said that he expects to be taken down by the champion but vowed that he will not panic. The challenger has a 73% takedown defense but it remains to be seen if that will hold against Makhachev’s dominant ground game.
The champion opened as the -400 favorite to beat Volkanovski last October. But those odds are now down to -330 according to SportsBetting.ag with Volkanovski improving from +300 to +270. Since 2017, only Charles Oliveira at +185 has closed at better odds against Makhachev so Volk’s definitely not going to be easy picking. Whether he beats Makhachev however, is another story.
While Volkanovski’s current price is his longest odds over, it won’t be the first time that he will enter the UFC octagon as the betting underdog. The Australian mixed martial artist was the +130 underdog against Chad Mendes, the +125 bottom dog versus Jose Aldo, and was listed at +170 during his first bout with Max Holloway. He won all three bouts.
Beneil Dariush vs Dustin Poirier Next?
Dustin Poirier open to a fight with Beneil Dariush next: “That’s one that makes a lot of sense” #MMA #MixedMartialArts #Fighter #Octagon https://t.co/k5Gm97TAZ7
— MMA Courier (@MMACourier) December 22, 2022
After Makhachev and Volkanovski, the next fighter on the BetOnline odds board is no. 4 ranked lightweight Beneil Dariush at +800, who has extended his winning streak to 8 after defeating Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280 last October as the +220 betting underdog. The 33-year-old is currently linked to a Dustin Poirier fight and if that happens and he beats the Diamond, he might finally get the title shot that has eluded him.
Next at +900 odds is Rafael Fiziev who is currently ranked 6th in the latest UFC lightweight rankings. Fiziev has won six straight bouts, including knockout wins in three out of his last four bouts. The 29-year-old is coming off a 5th-round knockout win over former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos at the main event of UFC Vegas 58 last July.
Immediate former champion Charles Oliveira and Mateusz Gamrot are next at +1200 odds apiece but both fighters are coming off a loss – Oliveira to Makhachev and Gamrot to Dariush. Neither Oliveira nor Gamrot has fights on deck. At +1800 odds is no.9 ranked Arma Tsarukyan who has won six out of his last seven bouts and who is coming off a win over no. 12 Damir Ismagulov at UFC Vegas 66 last December 12th.
Former interim champions Poirier and Justin Gaethje are next on the list at +2000 and +2500 odds, respectively. Another former champ in Conor McGregor, even makes the list at +2800 despite not in the current UFC rankings. Meanwhile, former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler is listed at 3300 odds along with British fighter Paddy Pimblett.
