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Boxing UFC 294 Parlay Picks: Makhachev, Volkanovski, Chimaev, Usman at 11.85 Odds
UFC 294 takes place this Saturday in Abu Dhabi and the main card will begin at 19:00 (UK time). Both the main and co-main events have seen huge changes in the last 2 weeks as Alexander VOlkanovski and Kamaru Usman have stepped in to fight in place of the injured Charles Oliveira and Paulo Costa.
Our MMA expert Milan Stanojic has a reputation of finding value in big events and he is back with a UFC 294 Parlay at 11.85 odds. For more UFC 294 free tips, visit the bettingexpert community, and for more expert predictions for multiple sports, visit our Expert Insights section.
In this article:
- Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski: Short Notice Shortcomings
- Khamzat Chimaev vs Kamaru Usman: The Nightmare is Over
- Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker: The Streak Ends
UFC 294 Parlay odds: 11.85
Odds available as of October 20th 2023. Odds may now differ.
Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski: Short Notice Shortcomings
Islam Makhachev vs Alexader Volkanovski 2 will be the main event at UFC 294 this Saturday and this is an event we expected to happen this soon, and neither did Alexander Volkanovski. Recovering from an elbow injury and getting ready to fight in February 2024, this was not the smartest decision Volk has made.
Yes, we all watched the first fight and Volk looked amazing, but he had more than enough time to prepare for that one. This time around though, we aren’t sure he will be able to pull off the same performance. Even he has said himself that his best shot at victory now will be an early KO – a worrying sign.
The defending champion Islam Makhachev has been preparing for this event for quite some time, cutting weight and going through a full training camp while his opponent had only 11 days’ notice. It wasn’t the most dominant victory for him last time out but he did get the better of a lot of these exchanges in the stand-up. His range, clinch work and kicks were quite effective.
Whether Volkanovski makes good on his prediction to win early by KO or Islam catches VOlk off guard with a kick to the head, it doesn’t matter. We expect this one to finish before the final bell and we are backing the No on To go the Distance.
Khamzat Chimaev vs Kamaru Usman: The Nightmare is Over
Another short-notice replacement in the co-main event as Kamaru ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ steps in to fight Khamzat ‘Borz’ Chimaev in the Middleweight division.
Chimaev has been long expected to make his Middleweight debut ever since missing weight last year to fight Nate Diaz. He is one of the most exciting prospects the UFC has to offer and he has already been tested against one of the toughest guys in the division – Gilbert Burns.
Kamaru Usman was well on his way to becoming the Welterweight goat but Leon Edwards’ shin had something to say about that and now Usman is trying to get another shot at the Welterweight title. He has a lot to lose in this one and it’s no wonder fans are calling him and Volkanovski the true BMFs in the UFC for stepping in on short notice.
That said, we are backing Chimaev to get the job done early in this one guys. As good as Kamaru has been throughout the years, we just can’t trust that his injured knees will be able to contend with the volume and pressure of Chimaev.
Khamzat is younger, he has been preparing for this event for a long time and we can’t expect Usman to be at his best on such short notice. With all due respect, Chimaev by KO/TKO/DQ or at 3.05.
Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker: KO City at Light-Heavyweight
The final fight of our UFC 294 Parlay will feature the bout between Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker in the Light-Heavyweight division.
Since making his UFC debut back in 2018, Magomed Ankalaev has been perfect, racking up 9 victories in a row, 5 of which have been by KO. His latest draw against Yan Blachowicz was definitely a gut punch, and his frustration was visible after the event. But if he gets the victory in this one, a title shot is almost a guarantee after the Prochazka vs Pereira fight.
Ankalaev will be coming into this one with extra motivation and with 10 career KO/TKO victories, we already know what we can expect from the angry Dagestani.
For Johnny Walker, it’s been a period of career revival in 2022. After suffering that KO loss to Jamahal Hill in February, he has gone on a 3-fight winning streak, beating Ian Cutelaba, Paul Craig and Anthony Smith. Walker is now the 7th-ranked guy in the division and a win here would do wonders in his case for a title shot.
However, Johnny already has 4 career KO losses and we don’t trust his chin to withstand the test of Magomed Ankalev. The Dagestani is the better wrestler and the punching power should be enough to put away the 31-year-old Brazilian.
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