Sergei Pavlovich is a -200 favorite over Alexander Volkov (+170 underdog) in the upcoming heavyweight co-main event at UFC Saudi Arabia on June 22 in Riyadh.
Here's a deeper preview of why I love the Pavlovich vs Volkov odds, plus our best bets for UFC Saudi Arabia.
Pavlovich vs Volkov Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Sergei Pavlovich | -200 |
| Alexander Volkov | +170 |
Odds as of June 21
Our odds calculator suggests Pavlovich's -200 status awards him a 66.67% implied chance of victory, with a $100 bet paying out $150. At +170, Volkov gets a 37.04% chance and a $100 bet cashes $270.
This is a three-round fight, but I doubt it goes that long, making it a fiery appetizer to the main event between Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker.
Betting Preview: How Pavlovich Wins
Russian power. Or something. Sergei is a sledgehammer of destruction, rarely wasting time in cornering his opponents and unloading on them against the fence. You can bet your bottom dollar Pavlovich roars in the first 10 seconds and swings to put Volkov away. I reckon he can get it done, too.
I've seen nothing from Volkov to suggest he has a reasonable strategy for countering Pavlovich. Perhaps "Drago" can work a takedown and buy some time, but that's only a half solution.
In the end, I'm cool with Pavlovich at -200. That's solid parlay value, but you can also bet the Russian to win by KO, though the odds won't change much on that front.
Betting Preview: How Volkov Wins
Volkov is four inches taller than Pavlovich but his reach is four inches shorter. His best strategy for survival is to eliminate that advantage as best he can. That means clinches against the fence or traditional takedowns.
Volkov secured a rare ezequiel choke last time vs Tai Tuivasa, but Pavlovich is a much bigger monster. The longer this bout goes, the better it is for Volkov. While you could bet Volkov by decision for a massive dart throw, I'd recommend taking him SU as an underdog. Pray for some early evasion and a late-fight push.
Pavlovich vs Volkov Picks
Yep, I'm going basic. I like Pavlovich to win at -200 for a safe bet. You can fuse two bets for some value and do Pavlovich to win in Round 1. That's probably where the most value lies.
