The UFC is back in Vegas! T-Mobile Arena on the Vegas Strip will host the UFC 266 event, headlined by the title bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega.

The two are going toe-to-toe in a battle for the UFC Featherweight Championship belt, currently in possession of Volkanovski. Can the challenger take it away from him? Keep reading our UFC 266 preview to find out!

Odds to Win Volkanovski vs. Ortega

Where and When to Watch

• Date: Saturday, September 25, 2021
• Location: T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada
• Watch: UFC Fight Pass

Alexander the Great Determined to Defend His Title

On December 19, 2019, Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski became the UFC Featherweight Champion after defeating Max Holloway by decision. Eight months later, Holloway tried to get the title back, but he lost again.

Not only did Volkanovski manage to keep the championship belt in his possession, but he also managed to extend his unbeaten run to 19 straight fights.

Actually, the Australian fighter has an almost impeccable professional record of 22-1, with his only loss happening back in 2013.

However, if there’s a lightweight fighter who could defeat Volkanovski, it’s Brian Ortega. The two have never met in the Octagon before, but they do have a fierce rivalry going on between them.

The thing is that Volkanovski and Ortega featured in the latest edition of the reality TV series The Ultimate Fighter. They both acted as head coaches of their respective teams, with Team Volkanovski eventually coming out on top.

Ortega Going for His First UFC Title

Brian Ortega’s professional MMA record is 15-1, with his only defeat happening in the title fight against Max Holloway in 2018. Since then, he’s fought one more fight – in October 2020, he defeated the Korean Zombie by decision.

An interesting fact is that Ortega hasn’t faced a fighter who has more knockout wins than those won by decision in almost five years.

That will end this weekend when he fights Volkanovski who’s finished exactly half of all his fights by knockout.

What’s got to worry Ortega is that his only loss happened against a fighter similar to Volkanovski. Holloway too is a hard-hitter with a background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Unlike Volkanovski, who tends to finish his fights by a knockout, Ortega is more of a submission artist. In fact, 7 of his 15 wins happened this way. Can he do it again?

Volkanovski vs. Ortega Prediction

Alexander Volkanovski is the best Lightweight fighter in the UFC. However, even the best fighters sometimes slip. This goes especially when fighting opponents who focus on a different fighting style.

That said, Ortega will surely try to put Volkanovski into submission, which is why it’s essential for the Australian fighter not to let him take him down. The best way to stop Ortega from doing that is for Volkanovski to knock him out.

Either scenario seems possible, suggesting that the fight will probably end before the final belt. The big question is who will have their hand raised triumphantly in the air when it happens?

Oddsmakers think it’s going to be Alexander Volkanovski and everyone who’s ever watched him fight needs to agree.

Pick: Alexander Volkanovski to win by knockout