UFC 290 Preview and Predictions
UFC International Fight Week 2023 is set to hit its pinnacle with UFC 290. The event is one of the most stacked UFC cards of the year. The main event features a featherweight unification bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez that promises violence. Additionally, the co-main event features a flyweight title fight that will look to settle the rivalry between Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja. If that wasn’t enough, the main card is rounded out with outstanding bouts.
The Vendetta Sports Media preview team is here to preview and predict each fight on the UFC 290 main card. The don Trey Daubert is even pitching in with his first pick of the year. You can find out prediction records below.
James: 66-44-2
Garrett: 69-41-2
Anthony: 47-32-1
Trey: 0-0
Bo Nickal vs. Val Woodburn- Middleweight Bout
James: The UFC 290 main card kicks off with Bo Nickal against late replacement Val Woodburn. I will keep this brief. In this bout, Nickal will be the biggest betting favorite in UFC history for a reason. Simply said, we have an all-time great collegiate wrestler against a UFC debutant. That is a horrific combination for the debutant.
This is the easiest UFC 290 bout to preview. I do not think Woodburn is an absolute bum. It is a possibility that he has UFC-level potential. That does not mean he can beat Nickal, however. I imagine Nickal quickly lands a takedown and wins with the submission of his choice. I will take Nickal via first-round submission.
Garrett: Nickal via submission
Anthony: Nickal via submission
Trey: “Bo Nickal to win. I just want to see Trey 1-0 in the posts for the rest of the year.”
No. 11 Jalin Turner vs. No. 12 Dan Hooker- Lightweight Bout
James: The UFC 290 main card features an outstanding lightweight bout between Jalin Turner and Dan Hooker. Turner is looking to add a veteran’s name to his resume as he proves that he deserves to be a contender. Hooker, who has even more at stake, is looking to prove that his best days are in the future rather than in his past.
Turner is a lethal finisher that is massive for the lightweight division. In all honestly, he should be a welterweight. At 6’3”, he always holds a size advantage. In terms of skill, he has powerful straight shots from the outside. On the inside, he can land knees and elbows. Once he lands a damaging strike, he has great finishing instincts and uses chokes to finish fights.
Hooker has a lot of similar strengths. He has a similar repertoire of length, straight shots, knees, and elbows. The most potent differences are that he is better at boxing in the pocket, but not as powerful.
The preview for this bout projects that it will be one of the most violent fights at UFC 290. I doubt either fighter will shy away from a battle.
That said, I have to side with Turner. Hooker has taken an extreme amount of damage and I do not think he is capable of trading with Turner at this stage in his career. Once Turner lands a clean strike, this fight will be over. I will take Turner via first-round knockout.
Garrett: Turner via TKO
Anthony: Turner via KO
No. 2 Robert Whittaker vs. No.5 Dricus Du Plessis- Middleweight Bout
James: At UFC 290, Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis will compete for an opportunity to fight middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. That would be nothing new for Whittaker as he already fought Adeasnya twice; however, he is still chasing a win in the matchup. Meanwhile, Du Plessis is looking to add a fresh face to the middleweight title picture. A win over Whittaker could certainly spark interest in a fight against Adesanya.
Whittaker is one of the most skilled MMA fighters on the planet. On the feet, he is a super technical kickboxer with outstanding combinations. Additionally, he uses his jab and intelligence to control fights. All things considered, this skillset makes him a tough fighter to strike with. If that wasn’t enough, he is more than willing to mix takedowns into his game plan as well.
Du Plessis may not be the most technical fighter on the roster, but he has a lot of great physical attributes. He has a great chin, will throw a ton of volume, and has a lot of power. Those attributes patch some of his technical deficiencies. Regardless, his powerful kicks and flurries of hooks have gotten him this far.
I like Whittaker in this fight. In moments where Du Plessis pressures, Whittaker can land counters. In moments where Du Plessis eases pressure, Whittaker can work forward with his own combinations. Unless Du Plessis can test Whittaker’s battle-worn chin, I think it will be a long night for him. I will take Whittaker via third-round knockout.
Garrett: Whittaker via TKO
Anthony: Whittaker via KO
(C) Brandon Moreno vs. No. 2 Alexandre Pantoja 2- Flyweight Title Bout
James: In the co-main event of UFC 290, Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja will see their rivalry culminate in a flyweight title bout. Pantoja, despite being the challenger, currently holds two wins over Moreno. The first came in an exhibition bout on The Ultimate Fighter where Pantoja won via rear-naked choke. In the rematch, Pantoja got a unanimous decision victory. At UFC 290, Moreno will look to overcome the mental hurdle of losing two bouts to a fighter while Pantoja tries to keep the upper hand in this matchup.
Moreno has steadily improved since his last loss to Pantoja. At the highest level, Moreno makes money off being well-rounded. On the feet, he has quality boxing that is supplemented with good kicks. On the ground, he is a wrestler that can fight off submissions and win scrambles.
Pantoja’s skills are centered around his BJJ. Typically, he can find submissions when he pushes the pace and creates scrambles. This is because he is sensational at taking the back, locking in a body triangle, and finishing the fight with a rear-naked choke. On the feet, he is not technical, but he is not afraid to get into a brawl and land power shots.
This bout previews to be the closest on the UFC 290 main card. In this fight, I am interested to see Pantoja’s game plan. On one hand, he could find a submission if he starts with an aggressive grappling pace. The issue is that he does not have the cardio to fight that way for five rounds. If he attempts to slow the pace down, I do not think he is technical enough to compete with Moreno on the feet.
At the end of the day, I think we get an early submission from Pantoja or a late finish from Moreno. The outcome will be determined by Pantoja’s game plan and Moreno’s early grappling defense. I value Moreno’s grappling and I think he manages in the early grappling sequences. I will take Moreno via fourth-round knockout.
Garrett: Moreno via decison
Anthony: Moreno via KO
(C) Alexander Volkanovski vs. (IC) Yair Rodriguez- Featherweight Title Bout
James: In the main event of UFC 290, Alexander Volkanovski is returning to featherweight to defend his belt against Yair Rodriguez. In his last bout, he moved up to lightweight in an attempt to become a double champion, but those efforts were unsuccessful as he lost a decision to Islam Makhachev. Still, he is undefeated as a featherweight and has defended his belt four times. Meanwhile, Rodriguez won the interim featherweight championship against Josh Emmett and is looking to unify the belts. After consecutive victories, it seems like Rodriguez has a ton of momentum heading into this bout.
Volkanovski is the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC rankings for a reason. The Australian is simply one of the most talented fighters on the roster. His striking is super technical, he has insanely quick hands, and unrealistic cardio that allows him to fight at a ridiculous pace for all five rounds. In terms of skill, he is a great boxer that supplements his hands with elite leg kicks. In pure striking battles, he is nearly impossible to beat. Not to mention, he has solid clinch striking and underrated grappling. If needed, he can land takedowns and throw fight-changing ground-and-pound.
Rodriguez is possibly the most unique fighter in the UFC. The Mexican-born interim champion has more weapons than anyone on the roster. This includes a wide variety of kicks, elbows, knees, and traditional boxing. In the past, Rodriguez has shown flying and spinning attacks and, more importantly, the ability to land them. In fights, these attacks can be used in isolation or mixed into combinations which makes his striking even more dangerous. On the ground, he has been steadily improving his submission game and has become a threat off his back.
In this bout, I think Volkanovski controls the fight with boxing, leg kicks, top control, and ground-and-pound. I think all of Rodriguez’s win upside comes in the form of a head kick, flying knee, or submission off his back. I am not optimistic any of those outcomes come to fruition. As this fight plays out, I think Volkanovski gradually gains momentum while accumulating damage before finding a finish. I will take Volkanovski by fourth-round knockout.
Garrett: Volkanovski via TKO
Anthony: Volaknovski via decision
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