Can Ortega out-box Volkanovski? Will they go to the mats?

June M. Williams

Zane Simon & Connor Ruebusch are back to break down this week’s UFC PPV event in Las Vegas, NV. With picks and odds for every fight on the card. From Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega in the main event down to Omar Morales vs. Jonathan Pierce in the opening prelims.

While the UFC’s recent Fight Night offerings haven’t been much to write home about lately, the promotion is leaving little room for complaint with their PPV cards. UFC 266 features a couple of title fights, with Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight crown against Brian Ortega and Valentina Shevchenko defending her flyweight belt against Lauren Murphy. Fans will also be treated to a legendary battle 17 years in the making when Robbie Lawler rematches Nick Diaz. Throw some Blaydes vs. Rozenstruik and Andrade vs. Calvillo action in there, and it should be a treat.

June M. Williams

Your MMA Vivisection Hosts!

That still leaves plenty to talk about on the prelims, however, including a top-flight bantamweight bout between Marlon Moraes and Merab Dvalishvili. For a breakdown of all the undercard action check out the Prelims Vivi below.

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ESPN+ PPV MAIN CARD | 10pm/7pm ET&PT
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega – At 2:34, Odds 32:23, Picks, Both: Volkanovski
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Lauren Murphy – At 33:24, Odds 42:53, Picks, Both: Shevchenko
Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler – At 43:07, Odds 53:27, Picks, Zane: Lawler, Connor: Diaz
Curtis Blaydes vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – At 54:28, Odds 59:58, Picks, Both: Blaydes
Jessica Andrade vs. Cynthia Calvillo – At 1:00:08, Odds 1:09:04, Picks, Zane: Andrade, Connor: Calvillo

ESPN PRELIMS | 8pm/5pm ET&PT
Marlon Moraes vs. Merab Dvalishvili – At 3:23, Odds 15:35, Picks, Both: Dvaslishvili
Dan Hooker vs. Nasrat Haqparast – At 16:05, Odds 32:19, Picks, Both: Hooker
Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Chris Daukaus – At 32:55, Odds 38:29, Picks, Zane: Daukaus, Connor: Abdurakhimov
Roxanne Modafferi vs. Taila Santos – At 39:39, Odds 47:47, Picks, Both: Santos

ESPN+ PRELIMS | 6pm/3pm ET&PT
Uros Medic vs. Jalin Turner – At 48:00, Odds 54:00, Picks, Both: Turner
Nick Maximov vs. Karl Roberson Cody Brundage – At 54:29, Odds 58:18, Picks, Both: Roberson, before change in bout: Roberson Withdrew
Matthew Semelsberger vs. Martin Sano – At 58:33, Odds 1:02:28, Picks, Both: Semelsberger
Jonathan Pearce vs. Omar Morales – At 1:02:41, Odds 1:06:00, Picks, Both: Morales

For those of you following the picks made on the show, we started tracking them with the July 13th, 2020 Vivisections for ‘Kattar vs. Ige’... Standings for our last event, UFC Vegas 37: Zane went 10 out of the 14 bouts we watched this week, Connor went 8 out of those 14, one of which ended in a draw. So far, here are the overall standings: Zane is now 366/596 and Connor is now 356/596.

Check out both of our Vivi shows on our Bloody Elbow Presents YouTube Channel, right here.

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