Islam Makhachev is set to defend his UFC Lightweight Championship against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284, but what are the early odds for the contest?

The reigning Featherweight king Volkanovski will be moving up in weight to 155lbs to try and reach the fabled status of champ-champ, something that has only been accomplished in the company previously by Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo

Many fans have been hoping for another huge champion-versus-champion bout in the company for some time, and this is arguably one of the biggest that the UFC can pull off!

Here is everything you need to know about the early odds for the UFC 284 main event between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski.

Read More: UFC 284: Everything we know right now


Makhachev vs Volkanovski Odds

Official poster for UFC 284

Image Copyright: UFC

A number of different oddsmakers have odds on the huge main event bout, and the aggregate of them seems to work out to the following:

Fighter

Odds

Chance

Islam Makhachev

-355

78%

Alexander Volkanovski

+280

26.30%

Having Volkanovski as a +280 underdog is actually quite the shock, as the 145lb reigning UFC Champion is currently considered the pound-for-pound best in the company right now.

Interestingly, Makhachev is now ranked #2 in the P4P rankings, so this is arguably the biggest matchup that the company can put together in 2023.

With ‘War Volk’ sitting at the top of the mountain when it comes to fighters, how on earth is he being pegged as an underdog to this level? 


Alexander Volkanovski Weight Class

Alexander Volkanovski isn’t happy with UFC featherweights

Alexander Volkanovski isn’t happy with UFC featherweights

Volkanovski is the current reigning champion of the 145-pound Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Makhachev defeated Charles Oliveira to claim the 155-pound gold back at UFC 280, and it was easily the biggest fight of his career, proving that he can not only hang at the top level of the sport, but he can also win gold.

Having said that, Volkanovski has not lost a contest since 2013, and whilst he is moving up in weight, it could arguably be an ADVANTAGE for the Featherweight king.

Volkanovski issued a warning to Paddy Pimblett back in August 2022 (via Bloody Elbow), saying the Brit needs to watch his weight between contests. It was also revealed in that article that Volk actually has a walking around weight of 190 pounds between fights, meaning that he would actually have to cut less to challenge for the Lightweight belt.

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