UFC 266: 5 bold predictions for the show

#2. Alexander Volkanovski will secure a decision win over Brian Ortega at UFC 266

For his second title defense, Alexander Volkanovski will face Brian Ortega in the main event of UFC 266. The fight has been brewing for a long time and the two fighters' stint as coaches on 'The Ultimate Fighter' has made the rivalry even more intense.

It is likely that 'T-City' will fail to snatch featherweight gold in his second shot as well. This is due to the fact that although Ortega showed significant improvement in his fight against 'The Korean Zombie' in October 2020, it still might not be enough to get the better of 'The Great'.

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Volkanovski also secured two straight wins over Max Holloway. 'Blessed' battered Ortega for twenty long minutes before the fight ended via doctor stoppage. So, although it will be difficult for Volkanovski to finish 'T-City', he has a good chance of securing a decision win at UFC 266.

#1. Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler will be 'Fight of the Night' at UFC 266

Arguably the most exciting matchup for UFC 266 consists of a rematch 17 years in the making. Nick Diaz will face former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler in a five-round non-main event non-title fight at UFC 266.

The two fighters first faced off at UFC 47 where Diaz secured a knockout win over 'Ruthless' in the second round. Since their first encounter, both fighters have gone on to make big names for themselves and are today considered to be legends of the sport.

Diaz, who has always been known to bring the fight to his opponents. Lawler, meanwhile, will be looking to redeem himself after suffering four losses in a row. The two fighters have a total of 81 professional fights between them but their combined knockout losses only come up to five.

So, there is a high probability that the contest will be a five-round slugfest that will end up taking home the 'Fight of the Night' honors.

About the author

Puneet has a total of 2.5 years of experience and specializes in reporting on MMA and boxing for Sportskeeda. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication, which aided him in his writing skills.

The iconic interim featherweight title fight between Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in 2015 ignited Puneet’s passion for the sport. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira stands out as Puneet’s favorite MMA fighter as he's drawn to 'Do Bronx's' captivating background story and entertaining persona. He is a believer of MMA being the world’s no.1 combat sport as opposed to Boxing.

While writing, Puneet ensures that his articles stay true to their titles and deliver valuable information to readers. He emphasizes the importance of embedding videos or pictures directly from their original sources to enrich the reader's experience.

Puneet’s professional achievements include covering major events such as UFC 264 and several boxing matches featuring renowned fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.

Beyond MMA, Puneet likes to watch movies.

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Edited by John Cunningham

5 bold predictions for UFC 266

#2. Alexander Volkanovski will secure a decision win over Brian Ortega at UFC 266

#1. Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler will be 'Fight of the Night' at UFC 266