Alexander Volkanovski's surprising odds as UFC 280 main event backup

Earlier this week, Alexander Volkanovski announced that he would be flying to UFC 280 as an alternate for the main event. Oddsmakers quickly jumped on the development, releasing betting odds for Volkanovski against both Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira. Surprising to some, the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter comes in as the underdog in both potential fights.

Of course, this is only applicable if either Oliveira or Makhachev are forced to withdraw from the original bout, yet MMA fans know how unpredictable the sport can be. Just one PPV card ago, all three of the final fights were shuffled just a day prior to the event at UFC 279.

If Volkanovski should step in, oddsmakers are giving him an underdog shot at Makhachev, +300 to -400. This would mean a bet on Volkanovski of $100 would look to return a profit of $300, and it will cost $400 to win $100 on Makhachev. The odds are closer between Volkanovski and Oliveira, with Volkanovski once again the underdog, this time at +110. ‘Do Bronx’ is then the favorite at -140, meaning $100 on Volkanovski returns $110, and each $130 on Oliveira will return $100.

UFC 280 takes place on Saturday, October 22, and it’s a stacked fight card with two title fights and a bunch of exciting main card and preliminary fights to go with it. Order the UFC 280 PPV here and watch every fight live on ESPN+.

Volkanovski, of course, is the current #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC today with four title defenses. After beating Max Holloway a third time last July, he quickly took the opportunity on the post-fight mic to call out Oliveira, who many consider the unofficial champion at Lightweight. A win over Makhachev or Oliveira in the event their fight falls apart could give Volkanovski a chance at joining the exclusive group of champions who have held belts in two weight classes simultaneously.

Here are the opening odds for the three fighter’s last five fights:

Alexander Volkanovski’s last five fights