UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez odds, predictions, time: MMA expert reveals fight card picks
Defending champion Alexander Volkanovski will try to defend his featherweight crown when he takes on Yair Rodriguez in the main event at UFC 290 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Volkanovski has been the undisputed UFC featherweight champion since December 2019. He is ranked No. 2 on the UFC pound-for-pound rankings behind only heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Volkanovski has compiled a 25-2 record as a pro, including 12-1 in the UFC.
Volkanovski is a -370 favorite (risk $370 to win $100), while Rodriguez comes back at +290 in the latest UFC 290 odds from Caesars Sportsbook. The co-main event features a flyweight matchup between Brandon Moreno (-210) and Alexandre Pantoja (+175). Before finalizing any UFC 290 picks, make sure you .
Marley won the first-ever "ToutMaster" UFC betting contest sponsored by MMAOddsBreaker and appears regularly on multiple MMA betting and daily Fantasy shows. He watches every single fight for every professional MMA card and does extensive research before each event.
Over the past three-plus years, $100 bettors who have followed Marley's picks are up nearly $11,000. The accomplished MMA analyst has provided consistent winners for SportsLine members for the past four years. His accomplishments include hitting five consecutive main-event underdog winners in 2020 following the UFC's brief pause in action because of the pandemic. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, with UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez in sight, Marley has studied the card from top to bottom and revealed his top picks and best bets. You can only see Marley's MMA picks at SportsLine.
UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez preview
Although Volkanovski, 34, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev in February for the 155-pound lightweight championship, his only losses have come in the lightweight and welterweight divisions. He is 10-0 at 145 pounds, winning seven of those by decision. It is the longest active streak in the featherweight division and tied for the second-longest in featherweight history.
Volkanovski had a 22-fight winning streak snapped in his last bout, but will make his fifth title defense at featherweight. The former professional rugby player from Australia has 12 career wins by knockout and three by submission. He averages 6.35 significant strikes per minute while absorbing only 3.4 significant strikes. In his last featherweight title defense, he won by unanimous decision over Max Holloway on July 2, 2022.
Rodriguez, 30, is the interim UFC featherweight champion after winning by submission in the second round over Josh Emmett at UFC 284 in February. He has a 16-3 record with one no contest as a pro, including 10-2 with one no contest in UFC. Rodriguez has won six bouts by knockout and three by submission. Among his knockouts, five have come in the first round.
He has won two consecutive fights and three of his last four. Rodriguez is considered one of the most diverse strikers in the 145-pound division. He uses punches and kicks that are hard to duplicate and hard to prepare for. See all of Marley's UFC 290 picks here.
Top UFC 290 predictions
One of Marley's top UFC 290 picks: He is backing Robert Whittaker (-380) to defeat Dricus Du Plessis (+300) in a battle of middleweights.
Whittaker, 32, is 25-6 as a professional, including 15-4 in UFC. He has registered 10 wins by KO/TKO with five wins coming by submission. He has two first-round finishes and is the former UFC middleweight champion. He has won four of his last five bouts and is 13-2 in his last 15. Whittaker's only losses since 2014 have come versus middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, and they are also his only losses at 185 pounds.
Du Plessis, 29, has compiled a 19-2 record as a professional, including 5-0 in the UFC. He has eight wins by KO/TKO and 10 by submission. He is on a seven-fight winning streak and is 15-1 in his past 16 bouts. He is averaging 6.72 significant strikes landed per minute, best in UFC middleweight history with a minimum five fights. He has a 2.99 strike differential, also best in UFC middleweight history.
"(Du Plessis) can keep this fight close with volume. He has big power, and he can mix in takedowns. I do think he can keep the fight much closer than these odds indicate and I wouldn't want to trust the judges holding a -380 Whittaker ticket if this does go the distance. At these odds it's dog or pass on the ML for me, but Whittaker is the better fighter, and I will take him to win two or all three rounds," Marley told SportsLine. See who else to pick here.
How to make UFC 290 picks
Marley has strong picks for Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez and every other bout on the UFC 290 card. He's also backing a fighter who has a "big edge on the ground," to emerge with a dominant victory. See Marley's picks and analysis at SportsLine.
UFC 290 odds, fight card
Alex Volkanovski (-370) vs. Yair Rodriguez (+290) Brandon Moreno (-210) vs. Alexandre Pantoja (+175)Robert Whittaker (-380) vs. Dricus Du Plessis (+300)Jalin Turner (-280) vs. Dan Hooker (+230)Niko Price (-230) vs. Robbie Lawler (+190)Jack Della Maddalena (-900) vs. Josiah Harrell (+600)Yazmin Jauregui (-380) vs. Denise Gomes (+300)Jimmy Crute (-130) vs. Alonzo Menifield (+110)Tatsuro Taira (-1000) vs. Edgar Chairez (+650)Vitor Petrino (-230) vs. Marcin Prachnio (+190)Cameron Saaiman (-550) vs. Terrence Mitchell (+400)Jesus Aguilar (-140) vs. Shannon Ross (+120)
Esteban Ribovics (-140) vs. Kamuela Kirk (+120)
