UFC 294 Punching Parlay
- Said Nurmagomedov ML (-205)
- Magomed Ankalaev ML (-350)
Two Team Parlay (-109) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the UAE with a mouth-watering lightweight championship rematch main event between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski, and today, we’re singling our locks on the card to formulate another punching parlay.
Below, you’ll find two of our strongest predictions from the UFC 294 fight card in Abu Dhabi, and we’ve concluded that these lines are worth the risk for this weekend’s event; continue reading to find the betting value.
UFC 294 Information
- Date & Time: Saturday, October 21, 2023 – 10:00 AM EDT
- Location: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Scheduled Fights: 13
- Main Event: Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski (UFC Lightweight Championship)
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Muin Gafurov
UFC 294 Bantamweight Bout
Nurmagomedov: The Story So Far
Despite the surname, Said Nurmagomedov (17-3-0) isn’t related to Khabib, but given his UFC performances thus far, you wouldn’t know otherwise.
One of the most noteworthy tendencies of his career would be his ability to adapt during fights. If mistakes are made, his fight intelligence excels in altering the course of the battle, and with notable striking and wrestling tools, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him become a top-five bantamweight in the future.
Gafurov: The Story So Far
For Muin Gafurov (18-5-0), although he owns a record similar to his weekend opponent, his experience and overall ceiling are certainly lower. The majority of his record was obtained on the MMA regional scene, and he faltered in his UFC debut to a mid-tier John Castaneda.
UFC 294 Nurmagomedov vs. Gafurov: Skillset Breakdown
Watching Gafurov surrender his Dana White’s Contender Series bout to a 5/1 underdog in Chad Anheliger throws up just one of many concerns for the Tajikistan native heading into this bout. After five takedowns, his gas tank depleted, and we were given substantial proof that he could struggle even against the lower level of competition in the UFC.
Nurmagomedov, however, may have lost his previous bout versus Jonathan Martinez, but many critics believe the judges’ decision was a mistake. He’s fought and defeated a significantly higher level of competition than Gafurov, and it’s challenging to find enough faults where his opponent can capitalize.
Advantages for Nurmagomedov include speed, striking accuracy, size, and volume, and he owns good enough wrestling to stuff the incoming takedowns before Gafurov eventually gasses.
Nurmagomedov Moneyline Reasoning
The available UFC odds favor Nurmagomedov, and so they should. The current line is at -205, and I believe this price is an absolute steal when considering the lopsided amount of factors that side with the betting favorite.
UFC 294 Punching Parlay Leg 1: Nurmagomedov ML (-205) at BetOnline
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker
UFC 294 Featherweight Bout
Ankalaev: The Story So Far
With five years and 10 UFC contests in the bag, Magomed Ankalaev (18-1-1) has rapidly climbed the light heavyweight rankings and is comfortably ranked at No.2.
Following a split decision draw in his attempt to claim UFC gold, the Russian menace is back on the wagon and will now look to make a statement versus a Brazilian KO artist in Johnny Walk.
Walker: The Story So Far
Johnny Walker (21-7-0) hasn’t presented a picture-perfect UFC tenure thus far. Still, after losing 4 of his 5 fights between 2020 and 2022, the SBG Ireland representative has bounced back with three consecutive wins, with two of those fights ending inside the distance.
UFC 294 Ankalaev vs. Walker: Skillset Breakdown
Walker’s return to the win column involved Ion Cutelaba, Paul Craig, and Anthony Smith. This streak, however, won’t impress Ankalaev, who’s defeated two of those opponents via TKO.
Walker’s headhunts and his game’s technical aspects have much to be desired. This could be to his detriment on Saturday when faced with an opponent that often meets the pace his opponents are delivering.
For all of the notable skills Ankalaev has displayed, he doesn’t dictate bouts but does an excellent job of beating his opponents in whatever game plan they employ.
Ankalaev Moneyline Reasoning
If the KO/TKO doesn’t present itself, Walker is known to be happy letting off one-two-combinations at range, and his chance of winning through this method doesn’t look good when up against Ankalaev.
The available odds at the top sportsbooks show a juicy price on Ankalaev. Still, it’s not a scary position to be in when Walker’s in-octagon intelligence has failed countless times.
A wrestling or striking exchange could see the Russian prevail, whereas Walker likely needs a knockout versus a fighter who’s never been knocked out during his pro-MMA career.
UFC 294 Punching Parlay Leg 2: Ankalaev ML (-350) at BetOnline
The UFC 294 Punching Parlay
- Nurmagomedov ML (-205)
- Ankalaev ML(-350)
UFC Pick: Two Team Parlay (-109) [1.09u stake returns 1u profit] at BetOnline
UFC 294 Main Card & Odds
- Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski [UFC lightweight championship bout]
- Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev [UFC co-main middleweight bout]
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker [UFC light heavyweight bout]
- Ikram Aliskerov vs. Warlley Alves [UFC middleweight bout]
- Said Nurmagomedov vs. Muin Gafurov [UFC bantamweight bout]
UFC 294 Preliminary Card & Odds
- Tim Elliott vs. Muhammad Mokaev [UFC flyweight bout]
- Mohammad Yahya vs. Trevor Peek [UFC lightweight bout]
- Javid Basharat vs. Victor Henry [UFC bantamweight bout]
- Sedriques Dumas vs. Abu Azaitar [UFC middleweight bout]
- Anshul Jubli vs. Mike Breeden [UFC lightweight bout]
- Nathaniel Wood vs. Muhammad Naimov [UFC featherweight bout]
- Jinh Yu Frey vs. Victoria Dudakova [UFC women’s strawweight bout]
- Shara Magomedov vs. Bruno Silva [UFC middleweight bout]
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.