Barry Recks
As the main event of UFC 290, Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez are both expected to provide the fireworks this coming Saturday in Las Vegas. This is a battle for the undisputed UFC featherweight championship, so this is definitely a fight you don’t want to miss.
Read on for more about this Alexander Volkanovski vs Yair Rodriguez bout, including our predictions, picks, and the latest odds to win the fight, as brought to you by JefeBet. Also, don’t forget to check out the other MMA content here to help you make the best betting decisions.
Betting Preview for UFC 290 Featuring Alexander Volkanovski vs Yair Rodriguez on Saturday, July 8, 2023
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
- When: Saturday, July 8, 2023, 10 PM E.T.
- Odds: Alexander Volkanovski (-410) vs Yair Rodriguez (+310)
All odds are provided by DraftKings.
Betting on Alexander Volkanovski (-410 on DraftKings)
- Odds: -410
- Record: 25-2-0
- Age: 34
- Height: 5′ 6″
- Weight: 154.50 LB
- Reach: 71.5 in
After checking out the air up there in the lightweight division and losing to Islam Makhachev, Volkanovski is back to where he’s most comfortable, as he looks to teach Rodríguez a lesson. That is going to be easier said than done, but prior to his loss to Makhachev, Volkanovski had looked every bit the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC — at least.
His most recent win came in the third fight of his trilogy against Max Holloway via unanimous decision in July 2022. Volkanovski is a complete fighter with elite striking ability and a strong ground game. He is averaging a high 6.35 strikes landed per minute in the UFC with a 56 percent accuracy rate. Moreover, Volkanovski has a higher takedown average (1.52) in the UFC than Rodríguez (0.79).
Betting on Yair Rodriguez (+310 on DraftKings)
- Odds: +310
- Record: 16-3-0, 1NC
- Age: 30
- Height: 5′ 11″
- Weight: 145.00 LB
- Reach: 71 in
Rodríguez actually won the interim featherweight title on the same day Volkanovski lost to Makhachev, as he defeated Josh Emmett via triangle choke. He now has four submission wins in his career and zero submission losses. He also has six knockout wins against two KO losses. Rodríguez is more known as a knockout artist, so it was great for him to throw a bit of a curveball in his last fight with a beautiful submission victory.
Before submitting Emmett, Rodriguez peppered him with 62 strikes while absorbing just 22. Rodriguez has a great equalizer in the form of his power. While Volkanovski has serious striking skills, Volkanovski can’t be counted out at any point in a fight. When he scored a highlight knockout win against Chan Sung Jung in 2019, Rodriguez was being outhit and outlanded before pulling off a stunning KO that earned him a Performance of the Night honor.
El Jefe’s Prediction on Alexander Volkanovski vs Yair Rodriguez
Volkanovski is still in a class of his own in the featherweight. He will step it up defensively and use great use of the space in the Octagon to escape the power of Rodriguez.
Prediction:
Volkanovski wins via unanimous decision.
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