UFC 266: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega Main Event Picks

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has a jam-packed schedule and this Saturday we are getting what should be a very entertaining UFC featherweight title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega. Here’s a complete preview, including updated UFC odds and our betting pick.

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega

UFC Featherweight Title Bout

Saturday, September 25, 2021 - 11:05 PM EDT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

In the main event of the evening, Alexander Volkanovski defends his UFC featherweight title against Brian Ortega. UFC 266 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. With plenty of betting lines and markets currently available, let’s attempt to find some value for our UFC picks on Saturday’s main event.

Alexander Volkanovski. Steve Marcus/Getty Images/AFP

Alexander Volkanovski

Introduction, Background and UFC Career

Alexander Volkanovski has been unstoppable, winning his last 19 fights and he is 9-0 since joining the UFC in 2017, with wins against Darren Elkins, Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo and Max Holloway. Volkanovski won a unanimous decision against Holloway to capture the UFC featherweight title at UFC 245 on December 14th, 2019 and in his last fight, he won the rematch against Holloway via split decision at UFC 251 on July 11th, 2020.

Volkanovski won a Greco-Roman wrestling national title at age 12 to begin his MMA background began before a career in semi-professional rugby temporarily steered him away from mixed martial arts. He eventually returned to the sport and used years of kickboxing training to complement his wrestling background.

Born:September 29, 1988Age:32Country:AustraliaHeight:5’6?Weight:145 lbsReach:71?Stance:OrthodoxAssociation:Freestyle Fighting Gym / City KickboxingClass:FeatherweightRecord:22-1

Stats

Method of VictorySignificant StrikesTakedowns11 wins by KO/TKO6.02 Landed34% Accuracy3 wins by Submission3.31 Absorbed72% Defended8 wins by Decision

Octagon Strengths

Reigning UFC featherweight championAs well-rounded as they comeLands 6.02 Significant Strikes per MinuteStrong wrestling background

Octagon Weaknesses

Untested against submission artists

Brian Ortega (L) of the United States. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Brian Ortega

Introduction, Background and UFC Career

Brian Ortega found his love for MMA during the early years of his life. With Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the forefront of his skillset, his 8-0 undefeated record caught the UFC's attention in 2014. Ortega is 7-1-1 in the UFC. Max Holloway beat Ortega via TKO in the fourth round at UFC 231 on December 8th, 2018 during his first title opportunity. This is the only loss of Ortega's career and it was a wake-up call for someone who had wins against Diego Brandao, Clay Guida, Renato Moicano, Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar before facing Holloway.

It's been almost three years since the epic fight between Holloway and Ortega and the challenger beat Chan Sung Jung via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 180 to put himself straight back into UFC featherweight title contention. The 30-year-old is just entering the prime of his career, which is a scary thought when looking back at what he has accomplished so far.

Born:February 21st, 1991Age:30Country:United StatesHeight:6’5?Weight:145 lbsReach:69?Stance:SwitchAssociation:Black House / Black Belt SurfingClass:FeatherweightRecord:15-1-1

Stats

Method of VictorySignificant StrikesTakedowns3 wins by KO/TKO4.29 Landed21% Accuracy7 wins by Submission6.28 Absorbed56% Defended5 wins by Decision

Octagon Strengths

Former RFA featherweight championHas a first-degree BJJ black beltHis biggest threat comes from his submission game

Octagon Weaknesses

Absorbs 6.28 Significant Strikes per Minutehttps://youtu.be/Sz0QSbS_3NY

Prediction

The reigning UFC featherweight champion is dangerous in all areas of MMA and while Ortega has incredible skills and fighter spirit, it's hard to see how he can defeat Volkanovski's striking game. Ortega's first-degree BJJ black belt is his best hope but Volkanovski's strong wrestling background makes him very difficult to takedown. And Ortega's 21 percent takedown accuracy isn't encouraging.

Max Holloway showed the path to defeat Brian Ortega and who better to follow it than the man who beat Holloway two times. Volkanovski's adaptability is unmatched, as seen during the fights against Holloway, one of the best strikers in the division. It's hard to see Ortega finding any success on the feet and Volkanovski's wrestling defense is top-notch. The betting odds are surprisingly low on Volkanovski, giving him ample value for Saturday.

UFC Pick: (visit our Sportsbook Review)

*The pick reflects the line at the moment the writer made the play, the odds at the beginning of this article show the live line movement. Since the lines might vary, don’t forget to refer back to our live odds.