The UFC returns to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, for an absolutely stacked International Fight Week event. UFC 276 will be headlined by two title fights, including this one between two of the best featherweights to ever step in a cage.
Alexander Volkanovski (24-1) will face off against Max Holloway (23-6) for a third time on July 2. The first two fights have gone in Volkanovski’s favor, according to the judges, but they obviously have unfinished business and something to prove to the world, which is why the third fight has been made.
Last Fight Record
Volkanovski has had two impressive title defenses against Brian Ortega and The Korean Zombie. Both performances were as dominant as we have ever seen in a champion.
Max Holloway has had two impressive showings himself to earn that title shot. He had a historic performance against Calvin Kattar and a dominant win against Yair Rodriguez.
Volkanovski vs. Holloway Betting Analysis
Alex Volkanovski
Volkanovski has proven that he is the best featherweight in the world. He has been slept on by many fans for some reason, but now I believe that he has earned that belt and to be in the conversation of GOAT of the UFC featherweight division.
The Australian seems to be the best he’s ever been. You can see the confidence radiating out of him now when he is around UFC events and holding that belt.
He has really captured the way of life of a champion. He carries himself as a champion, and he fights like an all-time great. Hard to see how this guy can lose right now.
What he lacks in size, he makes up for in speed, power, and fight IQ. This makes him a tough person to ever bet against.
MMA betting is hard for a lot of people because bias creeps into the decision-making. Holloway is a fan favorite, but Volkanovski is the best in the world right now.
Max Holloway
“Blessed” is a fan-favorite fighter out of Hawaii, and he has one of the most impressive resumes in UFC history. He has always fought the best, and the guy just loves to scrap.
He has arguably the best boxing in the UFC, and he has a gas tank that goes for days. If he wins this trilogy bout, it will be due to his heart and the pressure he puts on his opponents.
Holloway is riding momentum after coming off two impressive 25-minute performances. He seems to be loose and having fun in the cage again. He has talked about how he doesn’t spar anymore, and that helps him to come into fights at 100%, which is a big advantage because most fighters are battling injuries from camp going into the fight.
The big question is: what can Holloway do differently in this third fight? And I believe that he is planning on making sure this fight doesn’t go to the judges. I think the pressure will be at a massive rate in the beginning rounds, and Holloway will try to finish Volkanovski, which seems pretty much impossible.
Updates
- Holloway says he is approaching this fight like it could be his last and that “the fans are in for a treat.”
- Dana White says that Volkanovski “can do whatever he wants” if he beats Holloway on Saturday, including going up to lightweight to challenge for a second belt.
Volkanovski vs. Holloway Betting Preview
According to MMA odds, Volkanovski is a slight favorite at -190 in this matchup. This is a great line for this fight, and Volkanovski has earned to be the favorite after the first two fights.
Holloway still feels like he’s the best to ever do it in the featherweight division, and he has a lot of pressure on himself for this one. He has mentioned that he can’t wait to feed off the crowd’s energy and to leave it all in there this weekend. It really seems like he is a man on a mission, and we will see the best Holloway in that cage.
This matchup is a dream for true MMA fans. MMA betting trends have shown that all three fights were very close in odds, and they both turned out to be some of the closest title fight decisions ever, with lots of debate in the media about who should have won.
Volkanovski vs. Holloway Betting Prediction
This one is going to be exciting from the start. Holloway clearly wants to take the fight out of the judges’ hands and finish this one himself. He feels like the judges were wrong in both of the first two fights and wants to prove that he is the best in the world.
I see Max trying to pressure Volkanovski for the whole 25 minutes, but he will need to watch out for the power counter shots, leg kicks, and takedowns from Volkanovski to do so. Volkanovski is so sharp on his feet, and he is a great wrestler. He will most likely land a few takedowns in this one.
Look for this fight to be a fight of the year candidate, with both fighters getting hurt throughout the 25 minutes. I believe Volkanovski will just be too good and will outpoint Holloway again with the judges for another close decision victory.
UFC odds can be so close, and literally, anything can happen inside the cage. I just think the durability and the will to win from both men will make it tough to have a finish in this one.
Prediction: Volkanovski to win -190
How To Bet On Volkanovski vs. Holloway
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