UFC 322 Betting Tips: Makhachev to Submit & Conquer at MSG
UFC 322 enters the iconic Madison Square Garden with a card more than worthy of such a stage.
Headlined by Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev, both will face stiff competition for fight of the night with Valentina Shevchenko vs Weili Zhang the co-main event.
Get ready for all the hard-hitting action with our UFC 322 betting tips below…
Tip 1 – Islam Makhachev to win by submission @ 2/1
When you dominate divisions like Islam Makhachev (27-1-0), the only way is up.
Enter Jack Della Maddalena (18-2-0), a proven knockout artist and the reigning welterweight champion soon to face off against pound-for-pound one of the most relentless wrestlers in the UFC.
The reigning champion will enter the octagon 9-0 with all the confidence in the world – confidence that will soon wane against the suffocating pressure of the former lightweight champion.
Della Maddalena’s takedown defence will be royally tested here and, while the Perth native did a stand-up job keeping Belal Muhammed at bay at UFC 315, the challenger here is a completely different animal.
Once Makhachev gets you on the ground, it’s usually game over.
An outcome that’s currently above Evens at 2/1 if you’re backing the Dagestani to submit his way to another UFC title.
Tip 2 – Valentina Shevchenko vs Weili Zhang to go the distance @ 13/25
We now go to the UFC 322 co-main event in what could easily go down as one of the greatest title fights in history.
Defending flyweight champion Valentina ‘Bullet’ Shevchenko (25-4-1) continues to be one of the most complete fighters on the roster and one of the most-celebrated champions in the promotion.
Her challenger, Weili Zhang, is the current strawweight champion and a powerhouse of a fighter known for her elite cardio, unpredictable striking and raw power.
We’re expecting a close, tactical battle with momentum shifts throughout… but no early finishes. Both women are far too experienced at this level to allow that to happen.
This superfight is going the distance – at 13/25, it’s a smart play with there being no clear-cut favourite.
Tip 3 – Leon Edwards to win by decision @ 14/5
Make no mistake about it: the former welterweight champion must deliver in the Big Apple.
A win for Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards (22-5-0) and he proves he belongs in the conversation for another shot at glory, a loss to the up-and-coming Carlos ‘The Nightmare’ Prates (22-7-0) would see his star continue to dwindle with three straight losses.
Prates possesses devastating one-punch power – the kind that has resulted in a trio of first-round knockouts and Performance of the Night bonuses.
He’s a fighter that thrives in chaos – like his nightmarish nickname suggests – unravelling even the most technically-sound of opponents with his explosive left cross and right hook combinations.
Edwards will need to stay composed and manage the pace – but if he does, a decision win is well within reach.
Rocky is currently 14/5 to do just that.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
