The UFC returns to the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, this Saturday for UFC 298. The 12-fight card starts at 6:30 p.m. ET with the main card beginning at 10 p.m. ET.
While the evening will feature plenty of noteworthy fights you can bet on at the best online sportsbooks, the main draw will be the featherweight championship between Alexander Volkanovski and surging prospect Ilia Topuria.
The co-main event features former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker squaring off with the hard-hitting Brazilian Paulo Costa.
Here’s a look at the main card, with odds (subject to change) from DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski (26-3) vs. Ilia Topuria (14-0)
- Co-Main Event: Robert Whittaker (24-7) vs. Paulo Costa (14-2)
- Geoff Neal (15-5) vs. Ian Machado Garry (13-0)
- Merab Dvalishvili (16-4) vs. Henry Cejudo (16-3)
- Anthony Hernandez (11-2) vs. Roman Kopylov (12-2)
- Prelim highlight: Amanda Lemos (13-3-1) vs. Mackenzie Dern (13-4)
Featherweight: Volkanovski vs. Topuria
- Spead: Topuria +5.5 (-165) | Volkanovski -5.5 (+120)
- Total rounds: Over 3.5 (-135) | Under 3.5 (+105)
- Moneyline: Volkanovski (-125) | Topuria (+105)
- Best bet: Volkanovski by decision +240
Australia’s Volkanovski is arguably the best featherweight of all time, as he has a resume that includes wins over former champions Max Holloway (three times), Jose Aldo and rising contenders like Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez.
However, the 35-year-old is coming off a knockout loss to lightweight Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, where he went up a weight class and had only 10 days to prepare for the fight.
Only 119 days separate the two fights, and the odds reflect that.
On the other side of the cage is Spain’s Topuria, who is coming off a one-sided beatdown over American contender Josh Emmett. “El Matador” has already had comparisons to Conor McGregor with his brash confidence on the mic and highlight reel finishes in the cage.
Topuria has now finished four of his six opponents in the octagon, which gives the 27-year-old a good shot to capture UFC gold. Topuria has only won four of his 14 victories (28%) by knockout, according to Tapology.
However, Volkanovki’s last fight at 145 pounds took place at UFC 290 in July, where he put together a dominant performance in a win over Rodriguez. The chatter of a decline for the featherweight kingpin seems premature.
Volkanovski should control the majority of this fight with his speed and striking, so we’re backing him to pick up a victory by decision (+240).
Middleweight: Whittaker vs. Costa
- Spread: Costa +3.5 (-110) | Whittaker -3.5 (-120)
- Total rounds: Over 2.5 (-160) | Under 2.5 (+124)
- Moneyline: Whittaker -238 | Costa (+195)
- Best bet: Whittaker by decision (+110)
Whittaker, a former middleweight champion, has gone 4-2 since losing his title to Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 in 2019, notching impressive wins over contenders Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori.
That said, he was knocked out his last time out by current 185-pound champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290.
Cota has 11 career wins by knockout, but he hasn’t fought since August 2022 due to various injuries and illnesses and doesn’t have a win against a fighter currently ranked in the 185-pound division.
Whittaker hasn’t had a knockout win since April 2017, and with the fight only being three rounds, a Whittaker win by decision (+110) seems like the most likely outcome.
Expect the Aussie to outstrike Costa over three rounds to earn the nod on the scorecards.
Welterweight: Neal vs. Garry
- Spread: Neal +3.5 (-105) | Garry -3.5 (-125)
- Total rounds: Over 2.5 (-140) | Under 2.5 (+110)
- Moneyline: Garry (-230) | Neal (+190)
- Best bet: Neal by KO/TKO (+350)
It’s easy to see why Garry is the favorite, as he’s seven years younger than Neal and has a perfect 13-0 record.
However, Neal has fought far better opposition, having earned wins over contenders like Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad.
When Neal is at his best, he can be one of the best punchers in the sport, as evidenced by his knockout win over Vicente Luque at UFC Vegas 59 in August 2022
Sixty percent of Neal’s wins are by knockout, and we’ve seen Garry get dropped in fights against lesser opponents like Kenan Song. Neal will connect at some point during the fight and hand the Irishman his first career loss. He’s +350 at DraftKings to win by KO/TKO.
Flyweight: Cejudo vs. Dvalishvili
- Spread: Cejudo +3.5 (-145) | Dvalishvili -3.5 (+110)
- Total rounds: Over 2.5 (-330) | Under 2.5 (+240)
- Moneyline: Dvalishvili (-218) | Cejudo (+180)
- Best bet: Dvalishvili by decision (-135)
Make no mistake about it, this is Cejudo’s last chance at the 135-pound title after he came up short for the bantamweight gold against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 in May 2023.
However, Cejudo is no stranger to pressure. Not only is the 37-year-old an Olympic gold medalist and a former two-division UFC champion, but he’s also one of the sport’s most durable fighters. He’s almost always locked in a competitive fight.
Meanwhile, Dvalishvili is riding a nine-fight win streak, including wins over former champions Jose Aldo and Petr Yan.
While this will be a closer fight than the odds indicate, we’re backing Dvalishvili to win, partly because we think his pace will be too much for Cejudo.
Expect the 33-year-old to neutralize Cejudo’s striking by pushing him up against the fence for three rounds to earn a victory by decision (-135).
Middleweight: Hernandez vs. Kopylov
- Spread: Koplov +3.5 (+120) | Hernandez -3.5 (-165)
- Total rounds: Over 1.5 (-175) | Under 1.5 (+135)
- Moneyline: Hernandez (-245) | Kopylov (+200)
- Best bet: Hernandez by submission (+180)
Two of the most underrated fighters in the 185-pound division go to war in a classic striker versus grappler match.
After starting his UFC career 1-2, Hernandez is riding a four-fight win streak, three of which came by submission.
Kopylov also had a rough 0-2 start to his UFC tenure but turned things around with four straight knockout victories.
Expect Hernandez to get this fight to the floor with his superior wrestling and lock in a rear-naked choke in the second round for a win by submission (+180).
Prelim: Strawweight: Lemos vs. Dern
- Spread: Dern +3.5 (-140) | Lemos -3.5 (+105)
- Total rounds: Over 2.5 (+110) | Under 2.5 (-140)
- Moneyline: Lemos (-135) | Dern (+114)
- Best bet: Lemos by KO/TKO (+165)
Dern is coming off the first stoppage loss of her career in a lopsided setback against Jessica Andrade at UFC 295.
Lemos offers a similar threat, as eight of her 13 career wins have come via knockout. Unless Dern can get this fight to the mat and look for a submission, it could be a long night for the California native.
Lemos should be able to keep this fight standing and display solid takedown defense. It will only be a matter of time before she connects on the American for another knockout victory.
She’s +165 at DraftKings to win via KO/TKO.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
