The main event of UFC 274 was supposed to be Charles Oliveira defending his lightweight title against Justin Gaethje. The champion missed weight and was subsequently stripped of the title. It's a little bit confusing but here's what you need to know, both men need to weigh in at 155, anything above means they are ineligible to win the belt if the fight goes through. Oliveira came in at half a pound over and the UFC stripped him instantly. If Gaethje wins, he officially becomes the champion, if Oliveira wins, he becomes the new number one contender and will fight for the belt again in his next fight. It dampens the fight on paper but make no mistake, the prediction is the matchup is bound to produce fireworks as the main event of UFC 274. In turn, we're going to be making our Charles Oliveira-Justin Gaethje prediction using currently available UFC 247 odds.
Charles Oliveira has been a very fun champion during his short reign and he's shown lots of improvement from his time at featherweight. His jiu-jitsu is as dangerous as ever and his muay Thai has become a real problem. He fights at a furious pace and is not afraid to take a punch in order to land one. He has an eye for the finish and he's finished some of the best at lightweight. His notable past wins include Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson, and Michael Chandler. His fights have all been very exciting and he's proven to be very well rounded now that his standup matches the finishing ability of his ground game. He'll be looking to prove that he truly is the best lightweight in the world against Justin Gaethje.
Justin Gaethje is without a doubt one of the most exciting fighters in the history of the sport. He fights with a furious pace and lands plenty of damage. Even the fights he considers ‘boring' are called ‘fight of the year' by everyone else. He came into the sport as a wrestler but has now turned into a powerful kickboxer with seemingly unlimited cardio. His defensive philosophy is similar to that of James Harden, more offense. His fighting style forces opponents to decide if they're really a fighter and usually ended with a lot of blood. He is well-rounded but can fall prey to getting finished if he gets tired. He loves his leg kicks and prefers to force his opponents to wilt. Even if he were fighting a plastic chair, Gaethje would find a way to make it exciting. UFC 274 has a damn good main event.
Here are the UFC odds, featuring our Oliveira-Gaethje prediction, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 274 Odds: Charles Oliveira-JustinGaethje Odds
Charles Oliveira (-132)
Justin Gaethje (+112)
Over 2.5 rounds (+130)
Under 2.5 rounds (-166)
How Charles Oliveira Wins The Fight At UFC 274
Charles Oliveira has plenty of tools to win the fight and he is going to have to survive some scary moments to get it done. His biggest thing will be to check the leg kicks and look to sink in slick submissions during scrambles. The Brazilian lands plenty of volume and is willing to meet Justin Gaethje for a firefight. The game plan will be similar to his fight with Dustin Poirier where he'll be willing to lose the first round in order to take over in the next few rounds. Gaethje is tough to knockout but a submission could be very likely, especially the longer the fight goes. The Brazilian should be able to land big shots on the feet which will lead to openings for him to get the fight to the ground. If he can survive the first round, it is very likely he finds a submission to earn a shot to get his title back.
How Justin Gaethje Wins The Fight At UFC 274
Charles Oliveira has a tendency to get hurt in the first round and usually loses as he keeps things on the feet. That fits right into Justin Gaethje's game. He has big power and is not afraid to get after things. He'll want nothing to do with Oliveira on the ground and will want to get things going early in order to take advantage of his opponent's weaknesses. It's very possible he hurt the Brazilian early and jumps on him to find the stoppage. His most likely path to victory is by first-round knockout to become the new lightweight champion.
Final Charles Oliveira-JustinGaethje Prediction & Pick
Justin Gaethje can absolutely get things done in the first round if he presses forward and lands big shots. Charles Oliveira has plenty of things to like about his game and his tendency to land body kicks should play a big factor in this one. He has a clear advantage on the ground and he's not afraid to land big shots on the feet. The first two rounds are expected to be fought at a furious pace and moments of chaos will lead to openings for finishes. The fight favors the Brazilian the longer the fight goes. Gaethje's leg kicks are going to be a problem but Oliveira will have openings to get things on the ground. The first round is going to be scary but the prediction is the Brazilian finds the submission in the third round after starting to take over in the second round.
Final Charles Oliveira- Justin Gaethje Pick: Charles Oliveira wins by submission in the third round.
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