There’s just something about Dagestani grapplers in the lightweight division that seems to curry favor with oddsmarkers.
According to online oddsmaker BetOnline, Islam Makhachev opened as a -255 favorite against Charles Oliveira (+215) in their fight for the vacant 155-pound title at UFC 280. As of this writing, those odds had shifted slightly, with Makhachev listed as a -220 favorite and Oliveira as a +185 underdog.
The promotion announced Makhachev vs. Oliveira during the UFC on ABC 3 broadcast on Saturday. UFC 280 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 22 and is also expected to include a welterweight showdown pitting Belal Muhammad against Sean Brady.
Makhachev has established himself as championship contender with a 10-fight winning streak in UFC competition. The Khabib Nurmagomedov training partner owns notable wins over the likes of Arman Tsarukyan, Drew Dober, Thiago Moises, Dan Hooker and Bobby Green, among others. The 30-year-old American Kickboxing Academy export owns a 22-1 career mark overall.
Oliveira lost the lightweight crown due to a controversial weight miss ahead of his UFC 274 matchup with Justin Gaethje in May. “Do Bronx” assured himself of a chance to regain the belt when he submitted Gaethje in the opening stanza for his 11th consecutive triumph in the Octagon. The Chute Boxe Diego Lima representative has bested the likes of Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, Jim Miller and Clay Guida during his promotional tenure.
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