UFC 298 predictions: Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria betting tips, odds & free bets

UFC 298 predictions

• Alexander Volkanovski to win – 10/11 with William Hill
• Alexander Volkanovski to win by decision – 14/5 with William Hill
• Ian Machado Garry to win by decision – 31/20 with BetMGM

UFC 298 comes from the Honda Center in California this weekend and those taking in the event can look forward to some extremely exciting fights (from 1am Sunday, TNT Sports 2).

At the top of the card, Alexander Volkanovski returns to the featherweight division to defend his title against an undefeated opponent who is hungry to take the belt home. 

The Australian has had two recent outings as a lightweight in an attempt to become a dual weight champion. He failed on both occasions and must now hope that the effect of those losses won’t do too much damage, when he steps inside the Octagon against Ilia Topuria. 

UFC betting sites are finding it tough to split the two competitors, with the majority giving the edge to the champ.

The rest of the card is littered with highly ranked fighters looking to position themselves for a future title fight in their division.

Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria predictions

In the featherweight division, Volkanovski has been unbeatable in his 11 fights at the 145 lbs weight limit. No one has really come close to ending that streak either. 

He won the title from Max Holloway, considered an all-time great, in December 2019 and has beaten him twice more as part of five title defences. 

However, the Australian has lost two of his three most recent fights, after going up to lightweight to try and dethrone Islam Makhachev. He ran the Russian close in their first fight but was knocked out in the first round of their October rematch after taking the fight on less than two weeks’ notice. 

Volkanovski’s ability to not be affected by that KO could be the difference between him walking away from UFC 298 with the belt or not.

Opposite him is the confident Topuria. If you want to know quite how self-assured the Spanish MMA fighter is, he’s changed his social media bio to ‘15-0’, despite being 14-0, and added ‘UFC World Champion’ to it too.

As if that wasn’t enough, he’s also got a documentary called ‘Road to the Belt’ coming out in the near future. 

Volkanovski does have to make history to retain as no man in the UFC has ever won or defended any of the titles between 125 lbs and 155 lbs after hitting the age of 35, which he reached back in September.

Bookmakers have this pretty close but may be proven right in giving the edge to Volkanovski and we’re backing him to make a little slice of UFC history in California.

UFC 298 Tip 1: Alexander Volkanovski to win – 10/11 with William Hill

Where Volkanovski’s greatness can make the difference

The champion is known as ‘The Great,’ and it’s not just because there aren’t many worlds for him left to conquer in the featherweight division. 

Volkanovski has defeated all comers at the weight and, as well as his three fights with Holloway, that includes defeating UFC legend Jose Aldo.

Those four fights all went the distance, with the trilogy all lasting the full five rounds. He has been taken to 25 minutes on five different occasions, including the loss to Makhachev. 

That ability to really dig deep and take his opponent into the trenches with him is certainly something that can separate him from this weekend’s challenger.

Topuria has only once fought for as long in a single bout, and that was in his most recent fight with Josh Emmett. 

He certainly has the ability to win the fight early and end Volkanovski’s reign, but if he doesn’t, then there will be some questions to answer. 

Taking the fight the distance could be Volkanovski’s best chance at victory and it’s worth considering his odds on betting apps to win via a decision.

UFC 298 Tip 2: Alexander Volkanovski to win by decision – 14/5 with William Hill

Ian Machado Garry vs Geoff Neal predictions

Ian Machado Garry’s nickname is ‘The Future’ and he will be hoping to show exactly why when he comes up against the far more experienced Geoff Neal this weekend. 

The Irishman is undefeated in 13 MMA fights, with the six most recent of those coming in the UFC.

It’s no surprise that gambling sites have him as the favourite going into his latest bout. It’s closer than some would have you believe however, as Neal is the eighth ranked welterweight in the promotion. 

Neal has only lost five times but three of them have come in his previous five fights. Last time out he faced another future title contender in Shavkat Rakhmonov and was made to submit in the third round.

We don’t expect it to go that way this time and Garry may have to work a bit harder to get the latest win on his record.

UFC 298 Tip 3: Ian Machado Garry to win by decision – 31/20 with BetMGM

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