For all of your UFC 290 betting needs, SBS has you covered with our stellar preview and prediction article right here. In the main event of the night, UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski locks horns with interim title holder Yair Rodríguez to see who will come out as the undisputed champion. Meanwhile, the UFC Flyweight Championship will be on the line as two-time title holder Brandon Moreno looks to avenge prior losses to Alexandre Pantoja in what should be a blistering battle. The former has never beaten the latter in a fight (official or exhibition) so this could perhaps be the night he slays the dragon.
In this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from each fighter, a predicted winner in the two main event bouts, and also more notes about UFC 290 betting.
| UFC 290 Main Event Bouts | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Vokanovski (c) vs. Yair Rodriguez (ic) | Volkanovski | -400 | -400 | -400 |
| Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Moreno (c) | Moreno | -200 | -200 | -200 |
Fighter Spotlight: Alexander Volkanovski
A fighter that has dominated the UFC Featherweight division, he is coming off a hard-fought battle against Islam Makhachev at UFC 284. While he fell to the UFC Lightweight Champion, Volkanovski is still the title holder in the featherweight division and has not lost in that weight class in his career. His only other loss came as a welterweight during the beginning stages of his career in 2013. With 12 career knockout wins along with 10 decision victories, Volkanovski overwhelms fighters with his fantastic wrestling technique and blistering power.
Fighter Spotlight: Yair Rodríguez
On the opposite side of the ring from Volkanovski will be Rodríguez who just recently won the interim UFC Featherweight Championship over Josh Emmett. In a Performance of the Night showing, Rodríguez was able to upend Emmett with a triangle choke submission in the second round. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America tournament, the 30-year-old has won numerous fights in spectacular fashion (he has notched a grand total of nine Fight of the Night/Performance of the Night outings). This will be his second fight in 2023 and perhaps the biggest bout in his career to date.
Prediction: A battle that should go the distance, take Volkanovski to win here as his featherweight division dominance should continue.
Fighter Spotlight: Brandon Moreno
The current UFC Flyweight Champion, Moreno is also one of the top fighters in the UFC pound-for-pound as well, being recognized with a top ten ranking earlier this year. Moreno is coming off back-to-back resounding wins over the likes of long-time rival Deiveson Figueiredo (TKO, doctor stoppage) and also Kai Kara-France (TKO, body kick and punches) when he won the interim UFC Flyweight Championship last July. With 11 career submission wins, the Mexican fighter can surely win in a variety of ways if given the opportunity.
Fighter Spotlight: Alexandre Pantoja
Currently recognized as the No. 2 fighter in the UFC flyweight rankings, Pantoja is an established UFC veteran with a career record of 25-5. He is coming off back-to-back Performance of the Night outings where he won via submission over Alex Perez (neck crank) and Brandon Royval (rear-naked choke). Pantoja also has defeated Moreno twice before, first in an exhibition on The Ultimate Fighter in 2016 which Pantoja won by second-round submission. They also squared off later in 2018 in a bout that the Brazilian fighter won via unanimous decision.
Prediction: While Pantoja certainly seems to have Moreno’s number with two prior victories, this will be the fight in which Moreno gets things right and knocks off his rival.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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