clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Tale of the Tape for Alex Oliveira vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov

Alex Oliveira and Shavkat Rakhmonov meet in a welterweight bout on the preliminary card of UFC 254 on Fight Island. We break down the odds.

By Collin Sherwin
Alex Oliveira of Brazil kicks Peter Sobotta of Poland in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 26, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

In the preliminary card of UFC 254, Alex Oliveira will take on Shavkat Rakhomonov in a welterweight bout live from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi this Saturday and available on pay-preview via ESPN+.

Oliveira weighed in at 173 lbs., two over the limit of 171 for welterweight in a non-title fight. He’ll be fined 20% of his purse, which will go to Rakhomonov, and he’ll be ineligible for any performance bonuses for the card.

Oliveira opens as the slight favorite, but is giving up a few inches in height. 22-8-1 in his MMA career with two no contests, Oliveira is 11-6 with one no contest in the UFC. While he does average more significant strikes (2.89) than his opponents (2.16), his real strength comes in grappling, where he averages 2.47 takedowns per 15 minutes.

The Brazilian is entering the bout on a two-fight win streak, recovering a three-fight losing string from late 2018 all the way until early 2020. He has just under an 11-minute average fight time.

His opponent is set to make his UFC debut. Rakhmonov is yet to let a fight go the distance, and is a perfect 12-0 career with seven knockouts and five submissions. The 25-year-old is originally from Kazakhstan, and is clearly a very aggressive fighter.

The big question is if he can hang at the UFC level. As with most black octagon debuts, it’s a risk-reward option for betters.

Here are the betting odds at DraftKings Sportsbook for Alex Oliveira vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 254 on October 24th.

Money line odds

Alex Oliveira: -139 before weigh-in miss, now -106
Shavkat Rakhmonov: +115 before weigh-in miss, now -121

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (NH/CO) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ (18+ NH). NJ/PA/WV/IN/NH/IA/CO/IL only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.

More From DraftKings Network