The time has come and UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez is finally here. The fighters are weighed-in and ready to go ahead of the International Fight Week festivities from Las Vegas, Nevada. The action begins 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT with the Early Prelims from T-Mobile Arena. Check out our UFC odds series for our best underdog picks for UFC 290.
In the Main Event, Alexander Volkanovski will make his return to Featherweight to defend his belt against the interim champion, Yair Rodriguez. After losing to Islam Makhachev, Volkanovski plans to defend his 145-pound strap once again and then make the leap back up to Lightweight. Yair Rodriguez has other plans, however, and will look to unify the belt and bring Mexico another UFC Championship.
The Co-Main features Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno defending his belt against Alexandre Pantoja. Pantoja beat Moreno in their first meeting, but the two are completely different fighters heading into this one. UFC fans will be treated to two electric title fights on the Main Card!
There's been a number of alterations done to this card, so there may not be a ton of valuable betting lines on the favorites. Many of the favored fighters on this card are above the -200 mark, so value bettors may have to look elsewhere to find profitable plays. Anything can happen in a fight, so let's take a look at our favorite underdog picks of the week for UFC 290!
UFC odds courtesy of FanDuel.com
UFC 290 Best Underdog Picks
Alonzo Menifield (+116) vs. Jimmy Crute
It's hard to judge how this second meeting between these two will play out considering they fought to a majority decision the first time around. In that fight, however, Menifield landed the more devastating blows and was controlling the striking from the opening round. Crute was able to bring Menifield down easily despite his 75% takedown defense, but expect Menifield to be conscious of the wrestling this time around. He was winning the majority of the fight, but an inadvertent penalty cost Menifield a point, ultimately playing into the Majority Draw. Crute isn't reacting well to punches anymore and if Menifield can hit him cleanly, it'll once again sit him down in a big way. Look for Alonzo Menifield to continue improving and get the win as the short underdog here.
Robbie Lawler (+188) vs. Niko Price
This list wouldn't be complete if we didn't include Robbie Lawler in his 25th and final fight with the UFC. Of course, betting on a fighter heading into retirement is never a good idea. However, Robbie Lawler's warrior spirit won't let him go down without a fight. Niko Price is clearly the more athletic fighter and will have a significant speed advantage. However, he's shown a tendency to get rocked and fight dazed in the past. Robbie Lawler will jump in for a finish the first opportunity he gets, so it'll be a matter of whether he can land one clean blow to sit Price down. All of Vegas will be cheering for Lawler, so join the fun and throw a small play on him to win as the underdog.
Val Woodburn (+1400) vs. Bo Nickal
I get it – this is one of those “Hail Mary” bets that never hits. In fact, Bo Nickal is coming into this fight as the largest betting favorite in UFC history at -3500. He was slated to fight Tresean Gore in a much more competitive bout, but a cancellation at the last minute forced Val Woodburn to step in on short notice. Nickal is one of the highest-touted prospects in MMA today and has made quick work of opponents in his MMA appearances. Val Woodburn is extremely excited for this fight and will be fighting with nothing to lose and everything to gain. While Bo Nickal will probably finish him in the first round, it's always worth betting the biggest underdog in UFC history. If Julianna Pena can dethrone Amanda Nunes the way she did, anything is possible in the UFC octagon.
Yair Rodriguez (+290) vs. Alexander Volkanovski
As a sizable underdog, Yair Rodriguez has the best chance to defy the odds on this fight card. He presents a unique challenge to Alexander Volkanovski with his length and ability to use his leg kicks. While Volkanovski has faced some of the best strikers in the world, no one fights quite as wildly as Rodriguez. On the ground, Rodriguez will be a huge submission threat from any position. We saw how Brian Ortega succeeded with his jiu-jitsu against Volkanovski, so expect the longer Rodriguez to have similar success. Yair Rodriguez will certainly have his moments in this fight and it'll take just a split-second for him to go for the finish. While Volkanovski is still levels above the rest of the competition, Rodriguez could prove to be a different type of animal.
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