Gambling 254 Predictions

 
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UFC 254 Predictions Here’s a quick look at our UFC 254 predictions: Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) vs Justin Gaethje (22-2) The undefeated lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov puts his unblemished record and the UFC lightweight title on the line against the ferocious, hard-hitting interim lightweight champ Justin Gaethje. Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Other Bets To Make. Los Angeles is 5-4 ATS in nine games played this season. The Rams are 2-3 ATS in their last five games played on the road but are 4-1 ATS in their last five games played against the NFC South division. Tampa Bay is 5-5 ATS this season and 2-2 ATS in four home games played this year. On December 10th, Bellator will be back in action with Bellator 254 featuring Macfarlane vs Velasquez. Get the latest Bellator 254 odds. UFC 254 Picks & Predictions. The event is about a month away, which means the odds are likely to change in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep checking back with this page. Moreover, things may change, fighters may become injured or infected with COVID-19, meaning Dana White will be forced to reschedule some fights. UFC betting sites have released their full slate of odds and props for the UFC 254 preliminary card. Let’s step inside the octagon to examine these odds, identify potential value or upsets, and liver kick these predictions. Here's a look at the #UFC254 card and the very early fight times.

On Saturday, October 24th, the UFC will be back on PPV with an explosive show from the Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Fight Island will be rocking as UFC 254: Nurmagomedov vs. Gaethje is stacked with roughly a dozen action-packed fights.

This PPV event features a highly anticipated lightweight title fight as the undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov takes on the interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

Also on the main card are four additional Top 12 ranked bouts and plenty of notable names spread throughout a handful of different divisions.

This UFC 254 page will act as your one-stop shop to find all of the latest news, betting information, predictions, and more. It will be consistently updated with the latest information as we get closer to fight night.

If you are looking to bet on UFC 254: Nurmagomedov vs Gaethje then step inside the betting octagon with us and check out our complete UFC 254 betting guide.

Where to Bet on UFC 254 – Best UFC Betting Sites

Just like the UFC is with the sport of MMA, our list of the best UFC 254 betting sites features the cream of the crop in the world of online betting sites.

All of these UFC 254 betting sites are thoroughly examined and put through a rigorous “training camp” of tests to ensure that they are the best of the best.

Each one of these MMA betting sites features a wide range of betting options so that you can truly capitalize on this exciting event.

2019

Don’t be stuck with antiquated sites that limit you to just the standard wagers of moneylines and totals.

Instead, take advantage of the variety of options found at betting sites with the best UFC 254 odds that includes prop bets like method of decision, round betting, and more.

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Furthermore, our list of the best UFC 254 betting sites offers industry-leading bonuses for first-time users, reloads, special event promotions, and more.

Last, but not least, our handpicked list of UFC 254 betting websites offer the best odds for this PPV spectacle. Not only will you find the latest betting lines for UFC 254, but you can also sign up for more than one of these sites in order to take advantage of bonuses and shop around for betting value.

Once you sign up for one of these UFC online sportsbooks, go ahead and take advantage of the rest of our UFC 254 betting guide.

UFC 254 Fight Card

The UFC 254 PPV is loaded with a stacked card from the prelims to the main event. The following is a tentatively scheduled lineup. As always, card is subject to change:

UFC 254 Main Card

  • Lightweight: Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) vs Justin Gaethje (22-2)
  • Middleweight: Robert Whittaker (21-5) vs Jared Cannonier (13-4)
  • Heavyweight: Alexander Volkov (31-8) vs Walt Harris (13-8)
  • Women’s Flyweight: Lilya Shakirova (8-1-0) vs Lauren Taylor (13-4)
  • Light Heavyweight: Magomed Ankalayev (13-1) vs Ion Cutelaba (15-5)

UFC 254 Preliminary Card

  • Heavyweight: Stefan Struve (29-12) vs Tai Tuivasa (9-3)
  • Light Heavyweight: Da Un Jung (13-2) vs Sam Alvey (33-14)
  • Middleweight: Phil Hawes (8-2) vs Jacob Malkoun (3-0)
  • Women’s Flyweight: Liana Jojua (8-3) vs Miranda Maverick (7-2)
  • Welterweight: Alex Oliveira (22-8-1) vs Shavkat Rakmonov (12-0-0)
  • Bantamweight: Casey Kenney (15-2-1) vs Nathaniel Wood (17-4-0)

UFC 254 Betting Odds

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov (-335) vs Justin Gaethje (+275)
  • Robert Whittaker (-101) vs Jared Cannonier (-119)
  • Alexander Volkov (-151) vs Walt Harris (+131)
  • Magomed Ankalayev (-270) vs Ion Cutelaba (+230)
  • Stefan Struve (-110) vs Tai Tuivasa (-110)
  • Da Un Jung (-330) vs Sam Alvey (+255)
  • Phil Hawes (-255) vs Jacob Malkoun (+215)
  • Liana Jojua (+310) vs Miranda Maverick (-375)
  • Casey Kenney (-185) vs Nathaniel Wood (+160)
  • Alex Oliveira (-153) vs Shavkat Rakmonov (+133)
  • Lilya Shakirova (+210) vs Lauren Taylor (-250)
  • Umar Nurmagomedov vs Sergey Morozov – CANCELLED

These betting odds for UFC 254 are courtesy of BetOnline.

UFC 254 Predictions

Here’s a quick look at our UFC 254 predictions:

Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) vs Justin Gaethje (22-2)

The undefeated lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov puts his unblemished record and the UFC lightweight title on the line against the ferocious, hard-hitting interim lightweight champ Justin Gaethje.

Nurmagomedov will get the win in this highly contested matchup due to his smothering style, unique takedown attempts, and brutal ground and pound.

Robert Whittaker (21-5) vs Jared Cannonier (13-4)

Former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker will face Jared Cannonier in the UFC 254 co-main event to determine the #1 contender for the UFC middleweight belt currently around the waist of Israel Adesanya.

The #1 ranked Whittaker will get the win in this bout over the #3 ranked Cannonier due to his crisp striking, powerful punches, speed, and experience.

Alexander Volkov (31-8) vs Walt Harris (13-8)

In a battle of Top 8 heavyweights, the #6 Alexander Volkov takes on the #8 Walt Harris. This is going to be a hard-hitting fight that Harris should be able to come away with the win.

Harris has the power advantage in this explosive bout, which should end with someone tasting the mat.

Rafael dos Anjos (29-13) vs Islam Makhachev (18-1)

In the second lightweight bout of the main card, the 12th ranked Islam Makhachev battles the 9th ranked Rafael dos Anjos.

Makhachev is rising up the ranks in the lightweight division with six straight wins. Rafael dos Anjos has dropped four of his last five contests and is sliding out of the Top 10.

Makhachev is six years younger, more athletic, taller, and has the reach advantage. Consider taking him in a moneyline wager as he will grind out a victory in what will be the toughest fight of his UFC career to date.

This is fight has been cancelled due to Rafael dos Anjos testing positive, we’ll keep you updated to let you know if the UFC names a replacement.

Cynthia Calvillo (9-1-1) vs Lauren Taylor (13-4)

The only women’s bout on the main card is a Top 4 flyweight showdown between the 2nd ranked Cynthia Calvillo and the 4th ranked Lauren Murphy.

Both competitors enter this weekend’s contest on a multi-fight winning streak, but it’s Calvillo who has the more impressive octagon resume so far.

Murphy is the bigger of the two, but the grittiness of Calvillo should be the difference in a contest that has a great shot at going the full three rounds.

Magomed Ankalayev (13-1) vs Ion Cutelaba (15-5)

This is the one bout for the entire UFC 254 card where both combatants strongly dislike each other. Furthermore, there’s plenty of drama and backstory to this matchup that will make this PPV opener a must-see fight.

These two light heavyweight fighters saw their first contest end in controversy. A rematch was booked right away only to get postponed twice before finally making it to the UFC 254 card. Since the first bout, the bad blood and trash-talking has increased between the two.

Ankalaev is the more polished fighter with the advantage in striking and overall skills. Cutelaba is a powerhouse brawler looking for the one-punch knockout. Ankalaev’s striking will be the difference in this bout as the Russian should pick up a TKO/KO victory.

Stefan Struve (29-12) vs Tai Tuivasa (9-3)

Tai Tuivasa returns to the UFC after being released earlier this year due to losing three fights in a row. The heavyweight started off 9-0 but went on a losing streak once the competition got harder. He will take on Stefan Struve who is the tallest fighter in the UFC.

Struve has dropped four of his last five contests and hasn’t been a contender for many years now.

This heavyweight battle is wide open for either man to win.

Tuivasa’s desperation will hopefully showcase the skills that got him to the UFC in the first place. After one year off, the Australian should be fresh and refocused to take down the struggling Struve.

Da Un Jung (13-2) vs Sam Alvey (33-14)

Da Un Jung has won 11 straight fights as he enters this weekend’s light heavyweight bout against Sam Alvey. Jung is 2-0 inside the octagon and has only gone the distance in two of his 15 pro bouts with 10 TKO/KO wins on his resume.

Sam Alvey is fighting for his UFC life as he’s dropped four straight bouts and is in desperate need of a win or at least a draw.

Jung has a slight height and reach advantages, which many believe will help the South Korean striker to edge out Alvey in this prelim fight.

Phil Hawes (8-2) vs Jacob Malkoun (3-0)

Hawes earned his UFC contract after a 1st round KO performance on DWCS. He’s finished off four straight opponents and is riding into this contest with a lot of momentum.

The 24-year-old prospect Jacob Malkoun will be making his octagon debut in this middleweight bout. Malkoun is a training partner of Robert Whittaker and has shown some striking prowess of his own.

Whoever can establish their preferred striking distance will enjoy their first UFC victory. Let’s give the edge to Malkoun in this bout as he has the higher ceiling. Either way, someone is going to get knocked out in this contest.

Umar Nurmagomedov (12-0) vs Sergey Morozov (16-4)

Umar Nurmagomedov is an undefeated 24-year-old prospect and the cousin of Khabib. He will make his octagon debut this weekend in a bantamweight fight against Sergey Morozov.

Morozov will also make his octagon debut this Saturday after spending the majority of his career in M-1. He’s won five straight fights and has scored stoppages in 11 of his 16 pro wins.

Both men have a lot to prove inside the octagon, but you have to like Nurmagomedov in this one. He trains with his famous fighting family and should be just as disciplined and skilled as the rest of them. Take Nurmagomedov to pick up the win in his UFC debut.

This is fight has been cancelled due to Umar Nurmagomedov being hospitalized for Staph infenction, we’ll keep you updated to let you know if the UFC names a replacement.

Liana Jojua (8-3) vs Miranda Maverick (7-2)

Liana Jojua returns to Fight Island where she picked up a win in July. Both of her UFC bouts have taken place in the United Arab Emirates. She’s 1-1 inside the octagon and will welcome the former Invicta FC fighter Miranda Maverick to the UFC.

Maverick’s most notable accomplishment was winning an eight-woman flyweight grand prix last year known as the Invicta FC Phoenix Series 2.

This will be a grappling matchup between two combatants who can win on the mat. I like Maverick to pull off the win by getting the better of Jojua on the mat.

Casey Kenney (15-2-1) vs Nathaniel Wood (17-4)

Both men are about the same height and weight, so neither fighter will have a size advantage. Furthermore, they’re both pretty close in striking and grappling. So, this is going to be a very competitive matchup.

I think we have a fight 😏🤝👊🏻

— Nathaniel wood (@TheProspectMMA) October 6, 2020

Typically, when fighters are close on paper, fights end up going the distance since neither man has a clear cut advantage or path to victory.

With that said, I expect this bout to go the full three rounds and be a contender for a fight night bonus.

Kenney has gone the distance in 10 of his last 12 bouts including four of his five UFC contests. Wood went to a decision in his last fight, but has only gone the distance in three of his 20 pro bouts.

Kenney has never been stopped in a pro fight and I don’t see it happening here. I expect the American to outgun the Brit and come away with the unanimous decision victory.

Alex Oliveira (21-8-1) vs Shavkat Rakhmonov (12-0)

Oliveira might not be great in any discipline, but he’s good enough. In fact, he’s been good enough since joining the UFC in early 2015. Additionally, he’s been good enough to take on ranked fighters in two different weight classes.

Oliveira is the perfect example of a rugged, grizzled veteran. He doesn’t shy away from a firefight and he’s extremely tough to finish. He’s only been knocked out once in 33 pro fights.

He’s also been outclassed on the mat three different times, but Cowboy won’t have to worry about that at UFC 254 as his opponent isn’t a submission specialist. Instead, he’s more of a mauler who takes advantage of opportunities to choke someone out.

With that said, I do see Rakhmonov coming away with a decision win in this contest. It’s going to be the toughest fight of his career to date and Oliveira is just too hard to put away.

I expect the undefeated welterweight prospect to outstrike and outwork Oliveira while also scoring a few takedowns along the way.

Nurmagomedov vs Gaethje – UFC 254 Main Event Analysis

Without a doubt, Justin Gaethje is the toughest challenge that the unbeaten Khabib Nurmagomedov has faced inside the octagon. Not only is Gaethje a dangerous striker with 19 TKO/KO wins on his resume, but he also has a strong wrestling background:

“I’ve wrestled my whole life. I wrestle a lot in there. A huge part of wrestling is not being able to let someone take you down and hold you down. That was my main focus my whole life when I wrestled. I never had a great offense but you could not take me down, you could not hold me down. I’m going to use that.”

Gaethje has the power to knockout Nurmagomedov and the striking skills to pick Khabib apart, which we saw in a masterful performance against Tony Ferguson in May.

Despite Gaethje’s wrestling background, Nurmagomedov isn’t going to shy away from trying to take down his opponent. In fact, the confident champion shared his game plan with the media on how he will beat Gaethje:

“I’m going to try wrestling with him. If he’s going to defend my takedown one time, I’m going to try second, third, 100 times. Of course, I’m going to box with him and kick with him. It’s going to be kickboxing and wrestling – like, mixed. My goal is to make him tired. I’m going to make him tired. This is my goal. Maybe in Round No. 3 or Round No. 4, my plan is (to) finish him.”

For his part, Gaethje predicts that he will beat Nurmagomedov so badly that the champ will be forced to submit.

Gambling 254 Predictions Against

How Will This Fight End?

Nurmagomedov easily defeated his McGregor and Poirier in his last two fights as they lacked the grappling chops to match up with Khabib. However, Gaethje is on par with the unbeaten champ in this department.

The last time Nurmagomedov faced tough, well-rounded competition like Gaethje was Al Iaquinta and Edson Barboza who both took Khabib the full distance. The Iaquinta fight was a five-round contest just like this UFC 254 main event bout.

Gaethje has what it takes to push Nurmagomedov to the limits and the full five rounds. With that said, expect the champ to edge out the challenger via decision in a fantastic battle on Fight Island.

Best UFC 254 Bets

Check out our picks for the best UFC 254 bets:

Nurmagomedov vs Gaethje Over 4.5 Round (+130)

Whatever this bout’s Over/Under is listed at, take the Over. These two champs are evenly matched and you can expect them to go the full five rounds.

Whittaker to Win Via Decision

Cannonier’s drop-down to middleweight has been a huge success as he’s gone 3-0. However, Whittaker is fully healthy now and looked great against Darren Till in July. Whittaker will pick apart Cannonier in this bout, but he will need the scorecards for the win.
Volkov vs Harris Ends Inside the Distance

In a combined 60 total fights, these men have gone the distance in just 15 of them. Furthermore, Harris has only ever gone the distance in three of his 21 pro contests. With 41 stoppage wins between the two, expect this heavyweight showdown to end inside the distance.

Makhachev Beats dos Anjos via Decision

24 of Rafael dos Anjos’ 42 professional fights have gone the distance. He’s 14-10 in those contests. Four of Makhachev’s last six bouts have gone the distance. For his career, Makhachev is 8-0 when going to a decision.

These two fighters are heading in opposite directions in their careers as dos Anjos has dropped four of his last five bouts, while Makhachev has won six straight. Rafael dos Anjos lost all four of those bouts via decision and he will drop another fight via decision this weekend.

Ankalaev Beats Cutelaba Inside the Distance

Combined, these two men have gone the distance in seven of 34 total fights. In fact, Cutelaba has gone the distance just twice. Both men have combined to score 20 TKO/KO wins as well.

In their first fight, Ankalaev won via 1st round TKO. Don’t expect it to be that quick in the rematch, but also keep an eye on the Over/Under as it could be offer better value in addition to this prop bet. Take Ankalaev to win inside the distance.

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My UFC 254 predictions are in for what should be another Fight Island extravaganza on Saturday, October 24.

The big one is almost here — Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje. Khabib, arguably the most dominant fighter in MMA today, defends his UFC lightweight title against the powerful knockout artist, Gaethje. This is a fight we have waited a long time to see and it’s within touching distance.

You’ll be glad to know that I have made my prediction for Khabib vs. Gaethje as well as every other fight on the card. That includes a potential middleweight title eliminator between Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier, a heavyweight scrap between Alexander Volkov and Walt Harris, and much more.

If you’re betting on Khabib vs. Gaethje or any of the other fights on the card, you should check out my UFC 254 betting guide once you have finished with this piece. There you will find odds, best bets, and much more to get you wagering on the fights like a pro.

Before you do that, let’s remember what we are here for — predictions.

Gambling 254 Predictions 2019

We’ll start with the main event, but make sure to carry on all the way down. There are some really good scraps on this card that you do not want to miss.

From wrestling a bear as a small child in Dagestan to the summit of the UFC’s lightweight division, nothing has been straightforward in the world of Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Against Justin Gaethje on October 24, Khabib will enter a fight without the blessings of his beloved father, Abdulmanap, for the first time in his career. Nurmagomedov Sr. passed away in the summer following complications with pneumonia.

Will the passing of the Russian’s legendary father affect Khabib’s performance at UFC 254? Is this something that could potentially give Gaethje an advantage?

The real answer is that no one knows. Other than a few problems with weight cutting, Khabib has always been a model professional. He is one of the hardest trainers in the sport, and I expect him to approach this fight with an even greater desire to make his father proud.

There’s no getting away from the question surrounding the champ’s emotional state, but backing against him because he lost his father would be unwise. There has to be something more than that.

And there is. Gaethje is an extremely dangerous fighter for Khabib, as he possesses the power to cause him big trouble. Not only does he have ridiculous stoppage power, but his leg kicks will also cause problems for the Russian.

A lot has been made of Gaethje’s NCAA Division I wrestling caliber, but it is seldom to see the American using offensive wrestling. His takedown defense is excellent, however, but it won’t be enough to prevent Nurmagomedov from eventually having his way with him.

The champion is just another level, and I don’t see Gaethje being able to deal with the relentless takedowns without gassing out and succumbing to Khabib’s ridiculous strength on the ground.

The first of my UFC 254 predictions is a fourth-round submission win for Khabib.

    Khabib's gameplan is devastating ?
    [ #UFC254 Oct 24 Main Card at 2pmET ] pic.twitter.com/mnadDzjiaR

    — UFC (@ufc) October 12, 2020

Whittaker to Beat Cannonier by Decision

Jared Cannonier is a dangerous man. With three stoppage wins from his last three fights, the “Killa Gorilla” has enjoyed a perfect start to his middleweight career.

But is Cannonier that good? Before moving down from light heavyweight to take on David Branch in November 2018, Whittaker had a record of 1-3 from four fights. Stoppage wins over Branch and an ancient Anderson Silva aren’t that impressive, but admittedly, his TKO of Jack Hermansson was.

Simply put, Cannonier is dangerous. But I don’t really get the vibe that the 36-year-old is the next big thing at middleweight. I also don’t understand why he is the favorite to beat Robert Whittaker, a guy seven years younger than him who has just one loss (against Izzy Adesanya) in 11 fights. A guy that ruled the middleweight division up until two fights back.

Cannonier cannot be slept on, but I believe Whittaker has the style to deconstruct him from range. “Bobby Knuckles” is well-rounded enough to deal with everything the Texan throws at him and should be able to outfox him to a unanimous decision victory.

A win here for either guy could earn them a shot at Israel Adesanya, but I don’t expect that bout to be among the fights that could headline UFC 257 in January. Around March or April would be more realistic.

Things were going very well for Alexander Volkov until recently.

The Russian puncher was on a run of four straight wins in the promotion. He was on his way to a fifth until Derrick Lewis stopped him in the dying seconds of their fight at UFC 229. But he got back on the horse with a win over Greg Hardy, but followed that up by a decision loss to Curtis Blaydes in June.

Harris is coming off a loss to Alistair Overeem in May. That was the bruiser’s first appearance in the promotion since the horrific death of his stepdaughter in late 2019. Before that fight, Harris was 2-0 with stoppage wins over Sergey Spivak and Aleksei Oleinik.

This is a really good matchup between two guys that are very close to cracking the top five. If Harris can work his way inside the Russian’s jab, he could pull off a stoppage. But I think Volkov is smart enough to keep the fight where he needs it towards a decision win on the cards.

I’ll take Volkov by unanimous decision.

Calvillo to Beat Murphy by Decision

Cynthia Calvillo got top marks in her flyweight debut with a sound decision victory over Jessica Eye back in June.

The former strawweight takes a record of 9-1-1 into her fight with the tough Lauren Murphy, who she will see as a beatable opponent. If Calvillo can win in style, she could elevate herself to the status of number one contender to Valentina Shevchenko’s crown.

Murphy is coming off a decision win over Roxanne Modafferi in June, which has taken her to 3-0 in the UFC. A controversial decision over Andrea Lee in February followed a more impressive stoppage win against Mara Romero Borella in November 2019.

These two are real grinders that will certainly put on a show for fans. I believe Calvillo is the better mixed martial artist of the two, but she will have to work very hard to keep Murphy at bay.

I’ll take Calvillo to make it another unanimous decision in my UFC 254 predictions.

Magomed Ankalaev was expected to have all kinds of trouble when he met Ion Cutelaba at their now infamous bout at UFC Fight Night 169.

Both men were going at it before Bruce Buffer had the opportunity to introduce them. When things did eventually calm down, both men clashed in a flurry of chaotic exchanges that culminated with Ankalaev winning the fight by stoppage. Was it early? Did the ref jump the gun? I think so. Cutelaba was pretending to be stunned to draw Ankalaev in, and it was so convincing that even the ref bought it.

Dana White clearly saw a problem with the stoppage, so he has put this one together for UFC 254. It had initially been penciled in for UFC 252, only for health concerns to see it scrapped.

There is not a great deal to take from their first fight, but what I would argue is that Ankalaev’s striking is much better than some have given him credit for. He should be able to withstand the pressure from Cutelaba, before imposing his wrestling game on him when the Moldovan gets tired.

I’ll take Ankalev to win by decision in a fight that is nowhere near as crazy as the first.

    Eleven days until the Hulk – @ICutelaba – hits the scales again ?
    [ #UFC254 #InAbuDhabi @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/G12oQ1MRhj

    — UFC (@ufc) October 12, 2020

Tuivasa to Beat Struve by KO/TKO

Another heavyweight fight on the bill sees Stefan Struve looking to improve on his 1-4 record against big puncher Tai Tuivasa.

Struve, 13-10 in MMA, fights for the first time since being stopped by Ben Rothwell in December. The Dutchman was expected to leave the sport in 2019 but signed a six-fight deal with the UFC, the first of which was the loss to “Big Ben.”

Tuivasa is looking to get back in the win column following a three-fight skid. The Australian won the first three fights of his UFC career but has lost the last three against Junior dos Santos, Blagoy Ivanov, and Sergey Spivak.

Struve is a tall, long striker that doesn’t always deal well with pressure. I see Tuivasa applying the heat and taking him out within the first round.

Robert Whittaker will be cheering on teammate Jacob Malkoun against Phil Hawes on October 24.

Malkoun makes his first appearance in the UFC, having amassed just a 4-0 record in professional MMA. The middleweight looks a great talent but will have to work hard to keep Dana White’s Contender Series graduate, Phil Hawes, quiet on the night

Hawes is coming off an impressive finish over Khadzhimurad Bestaev in September. That marked his fourth straight finish, and I think he’ll make it five from five on Fight Island.

Umar Nurmagomedov to Beat Morozov by Submission

Cousin of Khabib, Umar Nurmagomedov is looking to follow his world-famous relative onto the path of UFC glory.

The bantamweight will have a tough test in the form of Kazakhstan’s Sergey Morozov, but one that the best UFC betting sites consider him to pass with flying colors.

I like Nurmagomedov in this fight, too. While Mozorov should not be underestimated, the unbeaten Russian should get his first win under the UFC banner on the night. He is a strong and athletic fighter that should nullify Mozorov’s striking game, and submit him somewhere between the closing stages of Round 1 and the opening minute of Round 2.

More UFC 254 Predictions

At the time of writing, the order of bouts has not been finalized for this event on October 24. The following fights are expected to be contested on this card, so I will add these to my existing predictions for UFC 254.

Da Un Jung vs. Sam Alvey is certainly a fight I won’t miss.

Jung is on a 12-fight streak with stoppage wins over Khadis Ibragimov and Mike Rodriguez in his two UFC bouts to date. An accomplished striker with a dangerous submission game, I believe the South Korean star will knock Alvey out early in their fight.

Liana Jojua vs. Miranda Maverick should be a great contest.

Jojua has experience of the Fight Island setup having submitted Diana Belbita in the first round here back in July. The Georgian lost her UFC debut to Sarah Moras on the undercard of Khabib vs. Poirier, which also went down in the UAE.

Maverick, an Invicta FC Flyweight Grand Prix winner in 2019, makes her UFC debut on the night. She is a super athletic fighter with a great arsenal of weapons, and I believe she will frustrate Jojua to a unanimous decision win.

Another of my UFC 254 predictions comes in the Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Alex Oliveira bout at welterweight.

Rakhmonov is unbeaten in 12 fights. He has earned stoppages in every single one and makes his UFC debut with a solid M-1 record. Rakhmonov is the UFC 254 betting underdog, but I believe he has what it takes to surprise Oliveira and win by KO/TKO.

Another great example of UFC matchmaking is Casey Kenney vs. Nathaniel Wood.

These two bantamweights measure up very well. Wood is the more exciting fighter, with Kenny the more measured of the pair.

Wood will undoubtedly be looking for the finish, which will not come easy. If he enters the fight looking for the stoppage, I think this could put him in a position where he runs out of steam in the 2nd round. From here, I expect Kenney to do enough to take the win on the cards.

Finally, we have Joel Alvarez vs. Alexander Yakovlev.

Spain’s Alvarez makes his return to the cage following an impressive first-round submission of Joe Duffy in July. That was his second win in a row in the UFC following a ground and pound finish of Danilo Belluardo the previous month.

Alvarez lost his UFC debut against the streaking Kazakh Damir Ismagulov and will be looking to put that even further back in the rearview mirror with a win over Yakovlev.

The Russian veteran is coming off a decision loss to Roosevelt Roberts in November 2019, and I don’t think he will last as long against Alvarez.

I predict a submission win for Alvarez.

I’m going for a submission win for Khabib Nurmagomedov over Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 254, and a decision win for Robert Whittaker over Jared Cannonier in the co-main.

I am not expecting many upsets on the night, but I do think that Shavkat Rakhmonov beating Alex Oliveira could be one of them. What do you think?

Once you’re ready to place your wagers, be sure to check out the following sites for the best odds.

We have some excellent fights to look forward to on the night, but there is no need to fret when UFC 254 is done. You can find links to some of the other big UFC events set to go down soon, below.