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all right folks you know what it is international fight week 2023 is upon us thank you for checking in to our UFC 290 betting preview presented by DraftKings Sportsbook John annik alongside the UFC Hall of Famer my brother Daniel Cormier T cities in the building Brian Ortega is here good to see the top featherweight Contender and of course the Undisputed UFC bantamweight champion and Olympic gold medalist Al Jermaine Sterling you are the man though all right we have a lot to get into today we are going to Center our betting preview on the top three fights on the pay-per-view but I just want to point out a couple things off the top our pay-per-view opener bone nickel is taking on the late notice replacement Val Woodburn and we’re just presenting this as information Bo nickel right now on DraftKings Sportsbook minus 2400 he would close as the biggest betting favorite in UFC history that’s crazy because I have seen Amanda Nunes be unreal favorite and to say that bull nickel would be an even bigger favorite than that it’s crazy but that is also speaking to what people see in the matchup right they don’t know a falcon Russell but I’m telling you we spoke to this kid today dude is not scared a bull nickel and I’ll do you got a little bit of that Jamaican blood in him I know that’s some good yeah something in the in the water over there in Jamaica so I wouldn’t be surprised if he catches him with something but I’m not 100 sure that he’s gonna actually get the W I’m not gonna go that far but it makes it interesting for sure Chase City one other fight of note Robbie Lawler making his final walk we had our fighter meeting with him and this is going to be his final walk to the Octagon plus 220 Underdog against Nico price a lot of people see value they think they’re going to get a big effort out of Robbie as he walks off into the sunset um yeah dude I think it’s going to be uh I hope he wins yeah you know anytime you see someone who’s going to retire you wish him like a like a grateful yeah out right it’s like go in there walk in there get your mind right you’ve done you’ve been in the sport for a long time yeah so get it go out there give the world one last beautiful show and then like you said just sell into the sunset 2 000 Robbie Lawler told us today he made his debut in fighting 23 years this man has been fighting in today he’s probably the most gracious weirdest time that we’ve ever had in terms of fighter meeting with Robbie Lawler taking it all in as much as he can it’s amazing to hear his fellow Fighters talk about just how special Robbie Lawler is and he puts a Capstone on his career UFC 290 but we are going to begin our preview here with this featured bout in the UFC’s middleweight division this is definitely a title Eliminator between the former champion and future Hall of Famer Robert Whittaker he is minus 400 against the South African dracus dupless C who is plus 300. I don’t have to tell this panel the only man to beat Robert Whittaker since 2014 won Israel out of Sanya oddsmakers Johnny ovello and the likes suggesting that duplessy is up against it your thoughts on this feature about it 85. well when you start to think about Robert Whittaker you start thinking in historical terms what would we be viewing this guy as if not for Israel and a Sonya he has not lost anyone since 14 that would be almost a decade of being undefeated and still the UFC champion he has proven time and time again why he is going to go on as one of the greatest middleweights of all time but in Drake’s duplex C you have a young guy that’s motivated to really make his Mark in this division this dude is 5-0 and he barely got here I remember him fresh-faced young and excited about just being in the UFC today he finds himself on the verge of a title shot many may not believe in him but I’m telling you right now duplexy in this corner Brian they’re very confident that they can get the job done so some money has come in on duplex C he’s Plus 300. you’ve obviously been in a lot of big spots you’ve been a betting favorite a lot in your UFC career but from what you’ve seen from the South African thus far you think he’s ready for this type of challenge this is going to be the the Make It or Break It Right this is going to be like you’re going to finally step into that League of these guys who you don’t play with right right there’s there’s there’s Fighters that you you build your resume with and there’s Fighters that help you make your resume and and obviously this is one of them from right there’s this is going to Showcase whether you are ready for that yeah or if you got to go and take some time and go back to the gym and see what holes get exposed if there is any right or you make a statement and then all right let’s let’s go you’re ready I’m a fresh face Brian Ortega in the Frankie Edgar situation right that was your make or break that was exactly what I was talking about yeah but even then you know you like like I said these these fights are obviously when you put the four ounce gloves it anything can happen yeah but these are the types of fights that that I feel like the fans want to see right where you see this this hungry young blood and these guys who’ve been at the top for a long time who seem to just not go anywhere Al Joe you seem like a betting man would you bet this fight Robert Whittaker 41 4-1 favorite right now I mean it’s hard to to bet against Bobby Knuckles it really is that guy just beats anyone other than Israel and even against Israel signing it’s a close fight very very close fight uh especially in that last one that rematch um with this one I do like duplexes the the one thing I do have a question about is his conditioning his cardio factor that everyone seems to be talking about constantly and I I heard that he made some adjustments and it was something with a health thing he had a deviated septum surgery yeah and we’re gonna see if that makes a big difference because if it does that’s a game changer for a guy like that to come in that physically built that type of specimen comes in as the young blood in to really shake some things up at that division all right perhaps the fight I’m most excited to probe you guys on I mean we want to talk to t-city of course about the main event but fascinating backdrop right to this co-head liner for the Undisputed UFC flyweight Championship Brandon Moreno prices moved around a little bit but right now minus 190 on DraftKings Sportsbook to come back on pantosia is plus 160. so Al Jill let me start with you on this fight there’s history between these two gentlemen they fought in an exhibition on The Ultimate Fighter pantosia finished Moreno then they fought in 2018 in Chile and it was a unanimous decision win for alessandre pantosa he’s the underdog this weekend as he tries to rest away the belt I think that’s the right call for him to be the underdog just because of how Brandon Moreno has been doing so well climbing the ranks obviously becoming a champion this crazy Saga that he has with uh figuero and just showing his his stripes and what he’s really made of that Mexican that this uh I don’t know what to call it he just has that aura about him and I think he’s kind of coming into his own and the one thing I do like about this I do like that pintosa is still very dangerous when he gets to that back and if there’s someone who appreciates the back takes myself and I’m pretty sure Brian will take it as well yeah so I think Moreno has come into his own has made a lot of changes and I think uh his growth is going to show in this fight Brian five consecutive title fights for Brandon I was just about to be like yo like this guy has made an incredible turn in his life right where it comes from these battles with figuero um these five title fights being at the top for so long training I was watching some videos on how good he’s looking with his boxing and Chris been just he right when I thought that he was like all right he’s he’s good and let’s see how he does then I watch more film I’m like damn this guy’s getting better and he has this this different kind of funny style but yeah when you see it work it is like I admire it yeah and I think that for him I feel like it’s a perfect fight because it’s gonna feel that hunger right because you have this you have these fights that that feel you feel your ego I want to say yeah right this guy beat me twice but I’m the champ yeah right hold up let me seal it right now with the stamp and get you out of the way that way no one can ever say anything and as a fighter you know that if you have lost someone you want to do anything in your power to make that right again sure pantosia did beat him twice he also tried to upstage him a little bit backstage after Moreno’s last title fight against Davis and figuero but pantos is a dog man you know that’s what I was gonna say you know you boys are uh Brandon Moreno group he’s over here Mexico there was a guy a gentleman very well trained gentlemen his name was Clubber Lang and Clubber Lang chase down Rocky Balboa and he chased down Rocky Balboa and he tried to fight him and he never could and he watched that man go to Heights that he knew that he could beat him he got pantosia who actually has the wins and he’s been chasing down Brandon Moreno when he won that fight against uh uh Brandon Roy Val and the Apex I asked him I said dude you have to be the number one Contender that had to be a year and a half ago he’s been sitting he’s been waiting he’s hungry and he has the information of two victories to give him confidence and when speaking to him he has no doubt that he gets his done so for as good as the Assassin baby has been and how good he looks this guy pantos your man he is the real deal and he expects to become the champion this weekend pantosha just an underdog for the third time in the UFC he’s plus 160.j how well he won two times he’s never been finished I think to T cities point is sort of rooted in the championship experience what we all see as Market boxing improvements the mental Evolution for Moreno real quick before we get to the main event are you betting this fight pantosia plus 160 Moreno about two to one favor there’s a lot of pressure right there it’s safe listen I I like Moreno I’ve treated Moreno I’m gonna go with Moreno okay all right yes it seemed to be safe right if you’re gonna bet anybody Jay you bet the guy that’s one two times as the dog I’m just glad that we called we don’t have to but I’m just saying as a dog there is some value there so I’ll give you that all right let us dive in to your International fight week headliner at UFC 290 featherweight Championship unification bout Alexander volkanovsky minus 380. yair Rodriguez plus 290. there are a lot of reasons why Brian Ortega is with us today right he’s a handsome man he’s a top Contender but you also someone threw me off but you also have experience uh against these two gentlemen so with that backdrop give us your forecast for what could be an epic unification mine is more for selfish reasons uh I would like yair to win bye I see it as like is it a decision win but because me and him have unfinished story to tell right and uh with both guys you know but for woken up for Volk I have to earn my way back up and with yeah if he wins well that will put me just right back in there so who doesn’t want to go straight into camp for a championship fight and um I just see it as a great fight man these guys are volck is very smart he has a great team who will study the heck out of you yeah and and you know yeah he’s been over there and training at 10 000 feet elevation as he always has he has cardio for days both of them do and it’s going to be interesting to see this Muay Thai style against this kind of uh yeah he’s like was a karate type kicks kicked out you know it’s going to be very different and obviously in the in the long run huge score is the most points is going to win yeah so I think that’s why I’m seeing it you’re in a great spot regardless if you don’t know Brian Ortega the man who came the closest significantly uh to finishing Alexander volkanovski in the Octagon so I think you’re in a pretty good spot regardless DC let me spin this to you that plus 320 next year Rodriguez no longer available down to plus 290 but still a monster number next to a fighter that is one of one and really unlike any other Athlete on the roster yeah you know this is a great number four guy that the last time we saw him he looked better than we’ve ever seen the beating he put on Josh Emmett really was it was never competitive and you’re talking about a guy in Emmett who would seem to have been the next guy they’re in an interim title fight so obviously they are next up for the champion he’s long he’s tall he’s got very diverse striking and yeah Rodriguez can submit you if you play with them on the ground but when you talk about Vault man we are talking about a guy with one of the highest fired IQs that I’ve ever seen inside the Octonaut he doesn’t get tired and he seems to make adjustments on the fly in there this matchup is so good I always spoke about Peoria on downloading information that’s what it seems like volcanovski does whenever he’s in knockdown well dude I’m talking about the first time I’m not you won the second fight fair it’s where the first fight I’m talking about he made adjustments on the Fly we saw him do it with O’Malley we see him do it time and time again I think that volkanovsky is one of those same guys with the high fight IQ champ look at the champ well we were actually happy to let you know that one of the names that Alexander volkanovsky uttered in our fighter meeting today in terms of future opponents then the Funkmaster Al Jermaine Sterling we know that 45 is probably in your future but what are your thoughts on this particular matchup and since we are doing a DraftKings betting preview I am curious what you think about that big number next to yayer’s name uh I think there’s a lot of value with that for Yaya Rodriguez I think he brings a very different style and uh uh technique that folkenazi hasn’t really seen yet guys who kick well like that who are very on the Fly very diverse can start throwing elbows from these weird places that’s a very dangerous trick you got to fight he’s super long he’s confident off of his back now the last guy I took him down was Frankie right and put a beating on them came back made those adjustments Josh Emmett he catches a kick takes him down and what does he do what hits him with a triangle choke you never think yeah yeah Rodriguez is going to hit somebody with a triangle Chuck off of his back but he lit him up on the feet first and I think that’s the difference but again betting on against bokonosuke is kind of like betting against Mayweather at this point that’s what it kind of feels like if there is any comparison but as you said before you put those four ounce gloves on anything can happen and this is why we love the sport of MMA because this is where the craziest things happen and uh I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a big upset that is an interesting comparison in terms of Volk right not an O as a favorite on draftking Sportsbook at least in terms of cash and he’s been pretty good at the window so we’ll see how it goes all right so we like to do at the end of our betting preview is build a same game or same fight parlay we each pick some proposition or even just a money line wager we throw them all together and man do we have a juicy one for you today so Brian I’m going to start with you you like Yaya Rodriguez to win and he’s plus two 90. ultimately why do you see him springing this big upset this weekend just he’s going to be fast on his feet he’s going to be kicking he’s going to be evading he’s gonna be uh just accumulating all those punches and kicks and one impressive fight was like I said when you saw him with Max uh he didn’t think that maybe he could hang in there but he did if anything he was some of those gold cards were pretty close so I feel like he has a speed he has very unique awkward strikes that you have no idea where they’re going to come from and that’s something a lot of people can’t prepare for you know so I call it decision and him just accumulating time after time every time he fights I can’t believe how fast that kid is it’s unbelievable ah aljo total over under three and a half rounds you like under three and a half plus 120 that’s a broadcasting stream you think we’re getting to finish I think there’s a high possibility of getting to finish when you’re talking guys that kicked away that Yaya Rodriguez does that’s a recipe for disaster especially if he can hit the liver and bang it a couple times that can make things very very interesting even if he gets taken down gets to kick Caught Up Kicks from yair making it dangerous and of course he could submit you over his back as we’ve seen before right and then we got voknowski has a big overhand he could also put the finishing touches with Josh Emmett did knock down yair or should I say he wobbled him pretty bad in that last fight and I could see volkanoski Catching with the same thing all right DC you went over 90 strikes landed by Yaya rodri yeah it’s kind of chalky minus 215 pretty safe bet well it’s a safe bet but it’s because I believe that they’re going to fight long I don’t agree with the champ the champ feels like it’s going to be a shorter fight I feel like this is a good decision you may cash in but I’m saying like I feel like they’re gonna fight for a long time and I feel like it’s going to be a very competitive fight yeah it’s going to be Tit for Tat it’ll be guys going back and forth they will be getting after each other and I believe that yair Rodriguez will find success inside the octagon and prove to be much tough for a challenge than many people are giving them credit for volcanovski was on the other side of the coin last time against Michael Chev and he surprised people I feel like he will not be surprised because he expects Shadow Rodriguez to be very tough our well put champ and our parlays a little bit Rodriguez heavy so I’m going to go one knock down or more for Alexander volkanovsky so you might want to get involved a lot of ways to attack the board this weekend all right we got voices to save these guys got things to attend to with that for Daniel corm hey Brian we’re taking Al Jermaine Sterling I’m John anik thank you for watching the UFC 290 betting preview presented by DraftKings sports book we’ll see on pay-per-view Saturday night when UFC fighters battle it out inside the Octagon you can’t blink because every instant is a chance for Action so DraftKings has an offer for you it’s just as fast get 150 instantly in bonus bets when you bet just five dollars so no matter what happens once the Bell Rings you get paid 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