After a substantial lay-off from the octagon, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is back this weekend.
Here’s all you need to know about the Aussie’s upcoming title defence.
When is UFC 266?
Headlined by Volkanovski and American Brian Ortega, UFC 266 takes place in Las Vegas this Sunday, Australian time. The main card kicks off at midday AEST and the big fight will take place at roughly 2pm.
The early preliminary card starts at 8am AEST, with the preliminary card starting at 10am. Both of these are streamable on Kayo Sports and will be live on ESPN. MMA action begins on the early preliminary card at 8am AEST, live stream on UFC Fight Pass.
Will Alexander Volkanovski win?
The 32-year-old goes into the fight as a deserved favourite, but perhaps not by as big a margin as you’d expect. He’s $1.53 to retain his title on Sunday, with Ortega paying $2.39. It’s roughly the same odds as Volkanovski’s previous fight against Max Holloway.
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Volkanovski’s aggressive and powerful game has been a handful for every opponent he’s faced, but the man himself has pointed to Ortega’s Jiu Jitsu abilities as one area that will provide a different challenge than in previous fights. Still, he remains confident of success and given that he’s undefeated in the UFC and his only loss as a professional was way back in 2013 in the Australian Fighting Championship, there’s no reason to doubt him here.
What’s taken so long?
Volkanovski hasn’t fought in 18 months, although a large chunk of that was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when sport ground to a halt. After finally securing a date to fight Ortega earlier this year, the champ came down with the virus just a week before the fight.
Why is there bad blood?
Volkanovski has come through his UFC career so far with every bout being one of mutual respect – but that’s not the case here. The two butted heads while acting as opposing coaches during the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter, with the American’s personality rubbing the Aussie the wrong way.
You might have thought that the drama was perhaps being played up for the cameras, as is often the case with reality TV shows, but Volkanovski has had nothing good to say about Ortega’s character since the show finished, even calling him a ‘douchebag’ in an interview with Wide World of Sports earlier this week.
Where does Brian Ortega rank in the weight class?
Ortega ranks second in the featherweight division, but with Volkanovski already recording two wins over number one contender Holloway in the past two years, he was the logical choice as a next opponent.
Ortega defeated ‘The Korean Zombie’ Chan Sung Jung last year in what was essentially a de facto championship qualifier. After the win Volkanovski called out the American, and the rest is history.
https://twitter.com/alexvolkanovski/status/1317643877298233345
How can I watch UFC 266?
If you’re in a lockdown-free part of the country right now, congratulations – you can just go to any pub that would otherwise show big fights and enjoy yourself. If you’re stuck inside, however, it’s $54.95 through either Foxtel’s Main Event channel or the Kayo Sports app.
Who else is fighting on Sunday?
From a local point of view, the most exciting bout on the weekend other than the featherweight title fight will come on the preliminary card, when Kiwi Dan Hooker fights Germany’s Nasrat Haqparast. Hooker was set to miss the fight completely thanks to visa issues, before some 11th hour intervention. He’ll arrive in Vegas less than two days before the fight.
Valentina Shevchenko defends her women’s flyweight bout against Lauren Murphy in a match-up that pits two people who between them haven’t lost a fight in four years. The champ is on a seven-match winning streak, to the challenger’s five.
Robbie Lawler vs Nick Diaz has fight of the night potential, while there could definitely be fireworks between big boppers Curtis Blaydes and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
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