UFC 280 Prelims Predictions, Odds and Results: Oliveira vs Makhachev
UFC 280 Prelims Pintsized Background
BT Sport fans beware, UFC 280 is a belting card but comes with a rare Box Office price tag. A pay-per-view event that lacks an era-defining headliner, but instead offers five elite or high-level fights. Surprisingly, the entirety of the card is strong – a departure from what fans have come to expect from the UFC’s PPV model.
On the UFC 280 prelims, the featured preliminary involves Belal Muhammad and Sean Brady edging towards a Welterweight title shot. The division will be held up by a Leon Edwards-Kamaru Usman rematch, but the next-in-line could well rest upon a noteworthy performance by Muhammad or Brady.
Where/When is UFC 280 Preliminary Card taking place:
October 22, 2022. Etihad Arena. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
What time does UFC 280 Preliminary Card start:
🇬🇧 UK: 3pm / 🇺🇸 US ET: 9am
What channel is UFC 280 Preliminary Card on:
🇬🇧 UK: BT Sports Box Office / 🇺🇸 US: ESPN+
Pintsized MMA content from the week before:
🚀 Preview: UFC Vegas 62 Predictions, Odds and Results: Grasso vs Araujo
💰 PI’s Recommended Fight: Pete Rodriguez vs Mike Jackson
Travel down the Pintsized rabbit hole:
🥊 UFC 280 Full Card | 🌟 UFC 280 Main Card | 📺 YouTube
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UFC 280 Prelims Picks & Odds
| UFC 280 Prelims Odds | UFC 280 Prelims Predictions |
|---|---|
| Belal Muhammad (+120) Sean Brady (-140) | Belal Muhammad vs Sean Brady Prediction: Belal Muhammad Decision |
| Makhmud Muradov (+165) Caio Borralho (-195) | Makhmud Muradov vs Caio Borralho Prediction: Caio Borralho Decision |
| Volkan Oezdemir (+145) Nikita Krylov (-170) | Volkan Oezdemir vs Nikita Krylov Prediction: Volkan Oezdemir Decision |
| Abubakar Nurmagomedov (-165) Gadzhi Omargadzhiev (+140) | Nurmagomedov vs Omargadzhiev Prediction: Gadzhi Omargadzhiev Decision |
| Armen Petrosyan (-205) AJ Dobson (+175) | Armen Petrosyan vs AJ Dobson Prediction: Armen Petrosyan TKO Round 3 |
| Muhammad Mokaev (-850) Malcolm Gordon (+600) | Muhammad Mokaev vs Malcolm Gordon Prediction: Muhammad Mokaev Submission Round 1 |
| Lina Lansberg (+255) Karol Rosa (-305) | Lina Lansberg vs Karol Rosa Prediction: Karol Rosa Decision |
UFC 280: Preliminary Card
Belal Muhammad vs Sean Brady
Welterweight (170)
Belal Muhammad (21-3)
Belal Muhammad solidified himself as one of the top Welterweights after the thorough domination of his previous foe, Vicente Luque. As spoken about earlier, the winner of this affair could hold the next Welterweight title shot, and it’s difficult to argue against Belal’s rights. The nature of Muhammad’s wins is drawn out over terrifyingly efficient (if dull) top control and surprisingly crisp (if paper-fisted) boxing. Belal, despite lacking elite athleticism, comes on strong late into fights – an area that Brady showed cracks in against Michael Chiesa.
Sean Brady (15-0)
Sean Brady is a highly dangerous grappler but there is a sneaking suspicion that the American has been pushed too early into his career. A phenomenal athlete, Brady will find himself at a technical gap against Belal. Brady could out-muscle and kill Muhammad with pace during the early rounds, even with the latter’s strong TDD, but it’s unlikely to break his vastly experienced foe.
Muhammad vs Brady Prediction: Muhammad Decision
Sean Brady is a highly dangerous grappler but there is a sneaking suspicion that the American has been pushed too early into his career. A phenomenal athlete, Brady will find himself at a technical gap against Belal. I’m expecting Brady to have success against Muhammad early through setting a strong pace, but it won’t be enough to break his vastly experienced foe – especially when you consider Belal’s 91% TDD.
Return to UFC 280 Preliminary Card
Makhmud Muradov vs Caio Borralho
Middleweight (185)
Makhmud Muradov (25-7)
How has it been over a year since Gerald Meerschaert eye-poked his way back to a submission victory over Makhmud Muradov? The Tajikistani was touted as one of the hotter prospects at Middleweight before his (somewhat illegal) humbling. Muradov is a high-volume, combination striker that dances around the outside. Borralho is flying high on form but Muradov has killer speed and pop that could catch the Brazilian cold early.
Caio Borralho (12-1)
Caio Borralho has been one of the surprise packages since his DWCS victory in 2021. Borralho is a one-dimensional fighter who operates a slow-paced, single-shot output. Borralho lacks the defensive slickness needed to stay safe during the opening round, but his chin instead appears capable of carrying the load. As seen against Meerschaert, Muradov crumbles under sustained pressure and Borralho will eventually find the opportunity to shoot on his hips.
Muradov vs Borralho Prediction: Borralho Decision
Borralho is flying high on form but Muradov has killer speed and pop that could catch the Brazilian cold early. Borralho lacks the defensive slickness needed to stay safe during the opening round, but his chin instead appears capable of carrying the load. As seen against Meerschaert, Muradov crumbles under sustained pressure and Borralho will eventually find the opportunity to shoot.
Return to UFC 280 Preliminary Card
Volkan Oezdemir vs Nikita Krylov
Light Heavyweight (205)
Volkan Oezdemir (18-6)
It wasn’t the most exciting win to snap his losing streak, but it was great to see Volkan Oezdemir return to the W column. Patient and calculated on the feet, Oezdemir utilises angles well and creates visibly awkward striking affairs for opponents. Krylov now operates as a sticky wrestler, but Oezdemir proved to be a tricky customer to takedown against the likes of Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic.
Nikita Krylov (28-9)
Old Krylov would have laid down an aggressive striking gameplan capable of breaking Oezdemir down the stretch. The modern wrestling-first approach of the Ukrainian is a snooze to watch but stands out in a dire division for talent.
Oezdemir vs Krylov Prediction: Oezdemir Decision
Krylov is easier to back as a busy kickboxer who is deadset on controlling opponents on the mat. Aside from the Daniel Cormier fight, Oezdemir has regularly proven to be a tricky customer to take down, such as against Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic. Oezdemir’s greater output and utilisation of angles should prove the edge on the feet as well.
Return to UFC 280 Preliminary Card
Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs Gadzhi Omargadzhiev
Welterweight (170)
Abubakar Nurmagomedov (16-3-1)
Khabib’s cousin, Abubakar, is best known for disappointing his bloodline after falling into a David Zawada triangle choke. Returning to the octagon after a year and a half, one can only hope that the Russian has ironed out his robotic stand-up. Peppering Jared Gooden’s head, as it stays on the centre line, is not indicative of improvement.
Gadzhi Omargadzhiev (13-1)
Omargadzhiev isn’t as good as his record suggests. A hard-nosed wrestler, Omargadzhiev is lost at sea if he is unable to take his opponent to the mat. An inability to dominate Caio Borralho, a raw athletic talent, is a red flag for a fighter who enjoyed a considerable spell in the amateurs.
Nurmagomedov vs Omargadzhiev Prediction: Omargadzhiev Decision
Khabib’s cousin, Abubakar, is best known for disappointing his bloodline after falling into a David Zawada triangle choke. Abubakar showed another layer to his striking against Jared Gooden, but he will struggle to keep himself standing against Omargazhiev. Omargadzhiev is a massive physical specimen, not without technical flaws, but should be able to out-muscle Nurmagomedov early on.
Return to UFC 280 Preliminary Card
Armen Petrosyan vs AJ Dobson
Middleweight (185)
Armen Petrosyan (6-2)
Armen Petrosyan’s debatable victory over Gregory Rodrigues continues to age like a fine wine. The slick Armenian striker may have hit a road bump against Caio Borralho, but he is consistently improving so early into his MMA career. Natural power and an entertaining array of knockout strikes leave Petrosyan as an easy marketing sell if he could find a 2022 highlight reel.
AJ Dobson (6-1)
After a fine showing on the DWCS series, AJ Dobson hit a hard ceiling against the technically superior Jacob Malkoun. The frightening violence in AJ Dobson’s game provides a base that can be refined, but his learning should still be on the regionals rather than the cut-throat UFC. It’s difficult to see Dobson holding down Petrosyan for long enough to scrape the rounds.
Petrosyan vs Dobson Prediction: Petrosyan TKO Round 3
The frightening violence in AJ Dobson’s game provides a base that can be refined, but his learning should still be on the regionals rather than the cut-throat UFC. Petrosyan is still largely a one-trick kickboxer, but he has shown great ability to work through adversity and stick to his preferred game plan.
Return to UFC 280 Preliminary Card
Muhammad Mokaev vs Malcolm Gordon
Flyweight (125)
Muhammad Mokaev (7-0)
Fair play to the UFC for giving Mokaev the time to build his skillset at the bottom of Flyweight. The Dagestani-turned-Mancunian skyrocketed in fame after a one-minute debut victory over Cody Durden, before somewhat crashlanding after a stinker against Charles Johnson. The undefeated fighter is still erratic in his shot selection on the feet, but there is no denying his exceptional talent on the mat.
Malcolm Gordon (14-5)
Gordon is a glass cannon without the tricks on the feet to catch opponents often on the feet. As a result, the Canadian has adopted a crafty grappling game – but to chase it would be to fall into Mokaev’s preferred fight. A clear attempt by the UFC to set up a Mokaev highlight reel.
Mokaev vs Gordon Prediction: Mokaev Submission Round 1
Gordon is a glass cannon without the tricks on the feet to catch opponents often on the feet. As a result, the Canadian has adopted a crafty grappling game – but to chase it would be to fall into Mokaev’s preferred fight. Mokaev has been erratic on his feet over his two fights in the UFC, but he shouldn’t face much adversity when shooting against Gordon.
Return to UFC 280 Preliminary Card
Lina Lansberg vs Karol Rosa
Women’s Bantamweight (135)
Lina Lansberg (10-6)
The Elbow Queen has not won a fight since 2019, having been pasted by both Sara McMann and Pannie Kianzad. Lansberg is a gritty, physical fighter but at 40 years old it just isn’t happening anymore.
Karol Rosa (15-4)
If Karol Rosa is out-wrestled by a twilight Lina Lansberg, the Brazilian may as well be cut. Lansberg is in for a long night of Rosa’s inexhaustible, rapid combinations. Accompanied by a strong chin, it would take a nightmare TDD blip for Rosa to lose this.
Lansberg vs Rosa Prediction: Rosa Decision
Lansberg is in for a long night of Rosa’s inexhaustible, rapid combinations. The Swede was once a tough, physical fighter but at 40 years old it just isn’t happening anymore. Chuck in Rosa’s strong chin and it would take a nightmare TDD blip for Rosa to lose this.
Return to UFC 280 Preliminary Card
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