- Odds: Islam Makhachev -330 favorite, Beneil Dariush +265 underdog.
- Prediction: Islam Makhachev by submission.
One of UFC’s hottest fighters right now, Islam Makhachev is set to take on #3 ranked lightweight Beneil Dariush. The fight is scheduled to take place at UFC Vegas 49 on February 26, 2022. We review the opening Makhachev vs Dariush odds with an early fight prediction to follow.
Islam Makhachev vs Beneil Dariush Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
| Islam Makhachev | -330 |
| Beneil Dariush | +265 |
FanDuel Sportsbook has released odds for this highly anticipated lightweight bout. Makhachev being the firm favorite at -330, (Bet $330, Net $100). His opponent Beneil Dariush is on a seven-fight winning streak and opens a +265 betting underdog, (Bet $100, Win $265).
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Betting on Makhachev vs Beneil
Dariush most recently at UFC 262, successfully defeated Tony Ferguson in a Lightweight bout via Decision. Dariush is definitely the biggest underdog at 155 right now and should give Makhachev a better challange if this fight hits the ground.
The level of competition of both of these fighters has steadily increased over their last number of bouts. Making them both used to betting favorites heading into a fight. Many counted Dariush out against Tony Ferguson, but he delivered on the night and almost submitted “El Cucuy”.
Makhachev fought at UFC 267, defeated Dan Hooker via Submission. He was favored to win the fight with an implied win probability of 76.7%. I expect to see Makhachev range anywhere from -400 to -600 come fight night.
It’s hard to look past Makhachev getting the win here by submission. However, Dariush is more equipped to defend against submissions than Makhachev’s past opponents. Dariush’s only loss by submission came by Michael Chiesa way back in 2016.
It’s safe to say Makhachev is the real deal and has the most potential out of all the current Dagestani fights in the UFC. He’s evolved into an incredibly dominant style that smoothers his opponents and he’s currently on a nine-fight winning streak.
Betting Pick: Makhachev by Submission.
Title Shot for the Winner?
Islam’s manager Ali Abdelaziz sees this as a number one contender match. While Justin Gaethje might beg to differ. If Islam can pull off a dramatic win he could be next in line to face the winner of Oliveira Poirier – which you can read UFC 269 predictions on here.
“I don’t like it when two guys who I really love have to fight, but these two have worked their whole lives to become a champion and this is a No. 1 contender match,” Abdelaziz said. “Whoever wins this fight will fight for the title, so who am I to tell them not to fight? They’re at the top and I wish both guys the best of luck.”
Dariush Sees No Issue in Grappling Makhachev
While Makhachev is known for his grappling, Dariush is confident in his own grappling ability and is willing to test himself.
“I don’t really think too much about Islam – I think about me,” Dariush told RT Sport. “What do I do in my fights? I’m a grappler, obviously, so I’m not going to be like, ‘Oh, he’s a grappler – I can’t grapple.’ Of course I’m going to try and grapple. I know how to strike, so of course I’m going to use my striking. I’m not a person where I feel like, ‘Oh, I have to do this in order to win the fight.’ I feel comfortable everywhere. So if I want to wrestle, I’ll wrestle. If I want to strike, I’ll strike. If I want to counter, I’ll counter. I can do all things, so I’m not worried about it.
“A lot of people say we mirror each other because we’re both southpaw. We’re almost the same height – I think he’s a little bit taller than me – and if I don’t get too crazy, I try to be also very methodical. So there’s differently a mirror there.”
Who’s your money on Dariush or Makhachev? Comment below.