UFC 280 Predictions: Oliveira and Makhachev Vie For the Vacant Lightweight Title

• Oliveira and Makhachev vie for the vacant lightweight title
• T.J. Dillashaw looks to become a 3-time bantamweight champ
• Sean O’Malley takes on the number-1 contender

UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev

The odds for this match are provided by the DraftKings sportsbook. Click on the odds below to head to DraftKings to place a bet.

UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev - Picks & Predictions

Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev - Lightweight Championship

Charles Oliveira (+155)

(C) Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw - Bantamweight Championship

Aljamain Sterling (-170)

Petr Yan vs. Sean O’Malley - Bantamweight Division

Petr Yan (-280)

Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot - Lightweight Division

Mateusz Gamrot (-190)

Katlyn Chookagian vs. Manon Fiorot - Women’s Flyweight Division

Katlyn Chookagian (+180)

Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev - Lightweight Championship

Two of the best grapplers in the UFC today, Charles Oliveira’s third-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu will be tested against Islam Makhachev’s International Master of Sport in combat sambo.

Oliveira won the vacant lightweight title once before, defeating Michael Chandler via TKO at UFC 262. He defended it once against Dustin Poirier but was stripped of the title when he failed to make weight in his fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 last May.

He still defeated Gaethje via first-round submission.

Islam Makhachev has now won ten-straight fights, most recently defeating Bobby Green by first-round TKO this past February.

With records for most finishes and most submissions in UFC history, Oliveira will be Makhachev’s biggest test to date. However, Makhachev is listed as the -180 favorite despite his inexperience.

Oliveira will have a 3.5-inch reach advantage.

To find out how to place your bets for this lightweight title main event, check out our ultimate UFC betting guide to get started.

Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw - Bantamweight Championship

After being suspended for two years and being stripped of his bantamweight title, T.J. Dillashaw will try to reclaim his status as the best in the world.

Dillashaw won his return fight against Cory Sandhagen in July 2021 but suffered a knee injury that has kept him out of action since.

After winning the bantamweight title from Petr Yan via disqualification, Aljamain Sterling defended his belt in their April rematch at UFC 273 - solidifying him as the undisputed champion.

Listed as a -170 favorite, Sterling will stand one inch taller than Dillashaw and will have a four-inch reach advantage.

Sterling holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu but Dillashaw boasts a black belt in Bang muay thai as well as NCAA division-one wrestling credentials.

Petr Yan vs. Sean O’Malley - Bantamweight Division

Number-one bantamweight contender Petr Yan takes a huge risk Saturday as he has agreed to take on number-12 ranked Sean O’Malley.

For the first time in a long time, O’Malley is listed as the underdog (+235) - the largest betting underdog on the main card.

O’Malley has won three straight but is coming off of a no-contest against Pedro Munhoz, which was stopped due to an accidental eye poke last July.

Petr Yan is coming off of a split-decision loss to Aljamain Sterling, a fight that had the undisputed bantamweight championship on the line.

Although listed as the underdog, O’Malley will have a significant four-inch height and five-inch reach advantage in the fight.

Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot - Lightweight Division

After his win over Tony Ferguson in 2021 at UFC 262, Beneil Dariush was scheduled to take on main event fighter Islam Makhachev in what was sure to be considered a number-one contender fight.

However, Dariush pulled out of the bout after suffering an ankle injury. With black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu as well as muay thai, this will be Dariush’s first fight in over a year.

He takes on Mateusz Gamrot - a fighter who has not lost since his UFC debut. Gamrot is currently on a four-fight winning streak, having most recently defeated Arman Tsarukyan by unanimous decision this past June.

Gamrot is listed as the favorite despite having a one-inch reach disadvantage.

Katlyn Chookagian vs. Manon Fiorot - Women’s Flyweight Division

Since losing her MMA debut, karate black belt Manon Fiorot has gone undefeated, amassing nine wins in a row - including four straight in the UFC.

Her opponent, Katlyn Chookagian, is a former flyweight title contender. She has won her last four fights in a row - most recently defeating Amanda Ribas by split decision in what was awarded ‘fight of the night’ honors.

Chookagian will stand two inches taller and will have a three-inch reach advantage in the fight. However, it is the French-born Fiorot who is listed as a -210 favorite to win.

How to Watch UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev