Bookies Favor Oliveira To Beat Volkanovski

Former featherweight champion Max Holloway called current 145-pound titleholder Alexander Volkanovski the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, a claim that may not hold up against ex-lightweight kingpin Charles Oliveira if matchmakers manage to get that fight booked for the vacant 155-pound strap later this year.

That’s according to the number crunchers over at BetOnline.ag, who pegged Volkanovski as the +110 underdog. Oliveira, the current betting favorite, clocks in at -130. As with most opening lines, you can expect those figures to shift — in both directions — as we creep closer to fight night (assuming the bout ever comes to fruition).

Volkanovski (23-1) is fresh off his UFC 276 victory over Holloway and has been teasing a jump to lightweight in an effort to join the ever-growing “champ champ” club. As for Oliveira (33-8, 1 NC), he was last seen disposing of perennial contender Justin Gaethje at UFC 274, a victory that came without the division title (because of this).

It will be interesting to see if the promotion opts to book Volkanovski against No. 4-ranked Josh Emmett and Oliveira opposite No. 4-ranked Islam Makhachev, since both rising contenders have a fairly strong argument for next crack at the division crown. Expect the UFC brass to make a decision either way at some point over the next few weeks.