Oliveira vs. Makhachev UFC 280 Betting: Who Will Win the Vacant Lightweight Championship?

The stars of UFC are taking over the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates this weekend for UFC 280. The upcoming pay-per-view card is littered with exciting matchups, including the main event showdown between Charles Oliveira (33-8, 1NC) and Islam Makhachev (22-1) for the vacant lightweight championship.

IT'S FIGHT WEEK ?

? #UFC280: Oliveira v Makhachev
? Saturday, 7PM (BST)
? BT Sport Box Office

? UFC 280 Prelims
? BT Sport YouTube (UK & Ireland), 5PM (BST) pic.twitter.com/IHrT6udd91

— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) October 17, 2022

Both men are among the promotion’s top lightweight fighters, so this should be a memorable belt. Oliveira actually held the championship before but was stripped earlier this year when he failed to make weight at UFC 274. Only time will tell if he can overcome Makhachev to win it back.

As usual, the UFC 280 main event produces several opportunities to get in on some betting action. Here is a look at the latest Oliveira vs Makhachev odds from various sportsbooks before the duo clash this weekend.

UFC 280: Oliveira vs Makhachev Fight Odds (as of Thursday, October 20)

Odds are via our top reviewed and recommended sportsbooks.

BetOnline Sportsbook

• Charles Oliveira +136
• Islam Makhachev -174

Bovada Sportsbook

• Charles Oliveira +160
• Islam Makhachev -190

BetUS

• Charles Oliveira +150
• Islam Makhachev -190

BetMGM

• Charles Oliveira +145
• Islam Makhachev -175

Makhachev Slightly Favored in UFC 280 Main Event

A look at the above odds reveals how one fighter is slightly favored over the other in the upcoming pay-per-view. All four highlighted sportsbooks side with Makhachev, whose best odds to win sit at -190 (BetUS, Bovada), translating to an implied probability of 65.5%.

Makhachev has been a bulldozer throughout his MMA career, losing only once in 23 outings. The former Combat Sambo World Champion has won 10 straight fights and enters this one after scoring a TKO victory over Bobby Green in his last outing.

Nevertheless, it can’t be understated how dominant Oliveira has been. The 33-year-old Brazilian has only lost once since 2017, having won 11 straight fights ahead of this weekend, including victories against the likes of Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler and — most recently — Justin Gaethje.

A whopping seven of those 11 victories have come by submission, proving exactly what Oliveira is capable of. He’s an expert at finishing his opponents off early into the fight, which might be easier said than done against someone of Makhachev’s talents.

Regardless, this will be a battle between two tough fighters and double-digit winning streaks. One can make the argument for Oliveira considering he’s already won the UFC Lightweight Championship and successfully defended it once, but Makhachev is no slouch.

Whoever winds up winning the UFC 280 main event will certainly need to earn that win.

UFC 280 Betting Markets & Trends for Oliveira vs Makhachev

While doing a straight up bet can be fun, BetOnline Sportsbook offers a wider variety of betting options for the upcoming UFC 280 main event.

For example, the top method of victory for this matchup is for Makhachev to win by submission at +200 odds. The dominant Russian is a perfect 10-0 when his fights are decided by submission, however, Oliveira hasn’t lost in that manner since 2016.

On the flip side, Oliveira’s likeliest victory method is to also win by submission, albeit at +320 odds. As pointed out before, seven of his last 11 victories have come by making his opponents tap and pass out, earning the reputation of being a submission expert.

BetOnline is also favoring that the fight will end during the first two rounds at -144 odds. Only one of Oliveira’s last 11 fights has gone the distance, while Makhachev has gone four straight outings without reaching the time limit.

If you’re looking to get more value out of your bet, there are method & round combo markets available. As far as that goes, Makhachev is favored to win the fight by submission in Round 1 at +750 odds.

Oliveira vs Makhachev UFC 280 Fight Prediction

Both men are terrific fighters and this is a bout that can truly go either way. While Oliveira has been to the top of the mountain before, it’s now Makhachev’s time to win. He’s one of the most dominant fighters that the division has seen in a long time and I fully expect him to exit UFC 280 as the new UFC Lightweight Champion.

As far as best bets go, I’m willing to take Makhachev winning by submission at +200. Oliveira might be an expert in that regard, but he’s also submitted three different times in his career. Clearly, the possibility of Makhachev making him tap out is there.

UFC 280 Event Details

When is UFC 280?

UFC 280 will take place on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022.

Where is UFC 280?

UFC 280 will take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

What time does UFC 280 start?

• UFC 280 Prelims Start Time: 10 a.m. ET
• Start Time of UFC 280’s Main Card: 2 p.m. ET

How can I watch UFC 280?

The UFC 280 prelims will be available on both ESPNEWS and ESPN+, and the main card will be available via pay-per-view (which can be ordered through the ESPN+ app).