Football 
Horse Racing 
Mixed martial arts UFC 280 Charles Oliveira vs Islam Makhachev Best Bet: Da Bronx Back in the Throne
UFC 280 Charles Oliviera vs Islam Makhachev Best Bet: Saturday, October 22nd
It’s time! The former UFC Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira takes on Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 280 for the division crown this weekend. There has been a lot of hype surrounding this fight, dividing fight fans as to who will take the title, but we finally get to find out this Saturday night!
In this article:
Charles Oliviera vs Islam Makhachev Preview
Sat, Oct 22 TBD
Oliveira has a hefty UFC record under his belt, and he is currently riding a 10-fight winning streak. He is coming off a submission win against Justin Gaethje in May, where he, unfortunately, missed weight and was stripped of the title. Oliviera has been with the organisation since 2010 and has taken down some of the biggest names in the sport like Max Holloway, Anthony Pettis, Clay Guida, Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler.
Charles is a Jiu-Jitsu expert, but his striking has gotten much better over the years, and he is now a lethal opponent, holding the UFC records for most finishes (19) and submissions (16). Although his chin has been troublesome in the past, he has been able to use his grappling and experience to avoid getting finished. His takedown defence is at 57%, but he averages 2.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Islam Makhachev is a student of the Nurmagomedov school of elite wrestling, a smothering top game and dangerous ground-and-pound. He is also on a 10-fight winning streak in the UFC and coming off a dominant performance against Bobby Green, where he won by TKO. Makhachev hasn’t really struggled in any of his fights so far, but he did suffer a TKO loss against Adriano Martins in his second UFC bout back in 2015.
Makhachev averages 3.41 takedowns per 15 minutes and holds 10 career submission victories. He mostly relies on his grappling to avoid absorbing strikes and set up submissions & ground-and-pound. But as dominant as Islam has been since joining the UFC, he still hasn’t faced the top tier of fighters in the Lightweight division. His striking isn’t terrible, but his opponent tonight is just on a whole other level.
Charles Oliviera vs Islam Makhachev Best Bet
Makhachev is favoured to win this Saturday at 1.62 odds, whilst Da Bronx is available at 2.78. Although I agree that Makhachev is a very dangerous opponent with his grappling and durability, I disagree entirely with the bookies’ assessment.
This won’t be another walk in the park for the Dagestani. In fact, I predict quite the opposite. Oliveira is a much better striker, and I expect him to have some success here early in the fight. Unless of course, Makhachev decides to go for a takedown. This won’t be the best idea either, as he would open himself to the submissions off the back from Charles.
Yes, Islam does have a chance of winning if he can keep most of the fight on the mat without getting subbed, but the value is obviously with Oliviera. He is adamant, has incredible Jiu-Jitsu, and his striking is crisp. He has been facing the best fighters in the division for years, and his experience is something we can’t overlook. Most importantly, Oliviera is the underdog! I’m backing the (former) champ to get the job done at 2.78 odds.
- Selection: Oliviera to Win
- Best Odds: 2.78 (1xBet)
- Stakes: 3/10
Odds as of 12:00 pm October 20th, 2022. Odds may now differ.
More Charles Oliviera vs Islam Makhachev Tips
