So that’s it?! Summer is over already?! Time flies when you’re having fun covering and betting on UFC events every weekend. Which brings us to this weekend – a rare weekend off for the UFC (as well as pretty much every major MMA company worldwide). After this weekend the UFC octagon will have action in it for 10 weekends straight, taking us deep into November. So now is a perfect time to look ahead to what the world’s biggest mixed martial arts company has in store for us over those 10 weeks.
Alexander Volkanovski vs Brian Ortega – UFC 266 – Sept 25th
The long-awaited Alexander Volkanovski vs Brian Ortega fight for Volkanovski’s UFC Featherweight Championship finally goes down in a few weeks’ time. It was originally scheduled for this past March before the champ Volkanovski contracted COVID-19. The two then went on to be rival coaches on the UFC’s latest season of The Ultimate Fighter. The champ is currently at 5/9 to retain his title and I’m backing him to do so.
Valentina Shevchenko vs Lauren Murphy
UFC 266, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will have a second title fight on the card (along with the much-anticipated return of Nick Diaz), as UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko defends her title for the sixth time against veteran Lauren Murphy. This will be Murphy’s first shot at UFC gold after seven years and 11 fights with the organization. She comes into this fight on the strength of a five-fight winning streak. While this is all a nice story, Shevchenko is going to steamroll her like she does all her opponents not named Amanda Nunes. Hence Shevchenko being on the board currently at 1/25.
Jan Blachowicz vs Glover Teixeira – UFC 267 – Oct 30th
UFC 267 sees the octagon return to the magical UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. It also features two title fights on the menu, headlined by Jan Blachowicz defending his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against one-time title challenger Glover Teixeira. Teixeira will have turned 42 years old two days before this fight takes place, while the champ is a spry(?) 38 years old. Regardless of age, Texeira has way more mileage on him and Blachowicz is too big and strong. Blachowicz at 2/5 is the pick.
Aljamain Sterling vs Petr Yan – UFC 267 – Oct 30th
The second title fight of the night is a rematch for the UFC Bantamweight Championship between champ Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan. After dominating the first meeting, Yan hit Sterling with an illegal knee in Round 4, ending the fight and crowning Sterling the champ via disqualification. Yan looked way too good for the champ in the first meeting, so as long as he keeps it clean this time, I like him at 1/3.
Kamaru Usman vs Colby Covington – UFC 268 – Nov 6th
The octagon makes its annual November pilgrimage to the mecca of combat sports, New York City’s Madison Square Garden, for UFC 268 on November 8th. Headlining the night’s action will be a rematch for the UFC Welterweight Championship between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington. Usman TKO’d Covington late in their original meeting back in December of 2019. Covington has fought just once since that time, preferring to sit on the sidelines and have verbal fights with people. The champ retains – 10/27.
Rose Namajunas vs Weili Zhang – UFC 268 – Nov 6th
This seems like it’s going to be the fall of reruns, as the second title fight at UFC 268 is also one we’ve seen before. Former champ Rose Namajunas knocked out Weili Zhang at UFC 261 in April to recapture her UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship. Now the two will dance again in November. It should be a close matchup, but I’ll side with Rose at 10/11.