Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo battles Merab Dvalishvili in a three-round bantamweight clash as part of the UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 fight card. The match is on Saturday, August 20, at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The fight card will start at 10:00 PM ET. ESPN will cover the fight on live television, and UFC Fight Pass will feature the showdown via live stream. Aldo is on a three-fight winning streak after losing to Petr Yan for the vacant UFC bantamweight title while Dvalishvili seeks to stretch his winning run to eight matches.
Experts expect a main event-worthy bout between Aldo and Dvalishvili as both fighters aim to boost their rankings in the 135-pound division and kick off their run for the title. UFC fight picks slightly favor the Georgian to emerge victorious if the fight goes to the final bell. However, betting experts give Aldo an advantage when the match ends before three rounds.
UFC 278: Aldo vs. Dvalishvili Betting Information
| Date: |
Saturday, August 20, 2022 |
| Time: |
10:00 PM ET |
| Location: |
Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah |
| TV Coverage: |
Pay Per View |
UFC 278: Aldo vs. Dvalishvili Odds
| Fighter |
ML |
|
| Jose Aldo |
+100 |
Place Bets |
| Merab Dvalishvili |
-130 |
| Place Bets |
Jose Aldo
Aldo (31-7) has won three straight fights since losing to Petr Yan for the UFC bantamweight championship. Although all of these bouts lasted the distance, the 35-year-old Brazilian showed he is still a force to reckon with in the sport. Aldo dominated Rob Font and Pedro Munhoz, and had enough guns to fend off Marlon Vera in his first fight after losing to Yan. Despite winning these fights, “Junior” needs to bring his A-game and step up his fighting prowess against Dvalishvili to climb up in the 135-pound rankings and gain a crack at the title.
Merab Dvalishvili
Dvalishvili (14-4) has been on a seven-fight winning streak in the UFC since losing to Ricky Simon via guillotine choke. The Georgian has put up a dominant show in those bouts. The streak placed him No. 6 in the bantamweight rankings. He hopes to continue climbing the ranks with a victory against Aldo. Dvalishvili needs to put up a solid defense against Aldo’s strikes and takedowns while establishing his game against the Brazilian. The 31-year-old must produce a perfect outing to outclass the former UFC champion and solidify his status as a top bantamweight contender.
Aldo vs. Dvalishvili Betting Numbers
|
Aldo |
Dvalishvili |
| Record |
31-7-0 |
14-4-0 |
| Last Fight |
Win |
Win |
| Country |
Brazil |
Georgia |
| Height |
5’7″ |
5’6″ |
| Weight |
135 lbs. |
135 lbs. |
| Reach |
70″ |
68″ |
| Win by KO/TKO |
55% |
21% |
| Submissions |
3% |
7% |
| Decisions |
42% |
71% |
| Strikes Landed Per Minute |
3.61 |
4.26 |
| Striking Accuracy |
46% |
41% |
| Striking Absorbed Per Minute |
3.74 |
2.28 |
| Striking Defense |
60% |
60% |
| Takedown Average |
0.51 |
7.30 |
| Takedown Accuracy |
54% |
45% |
| Takedown Defense |
90% |
78% |
| Submission Average |
0.2 |
0.3 |
Aldo vs. Dvalishvili Summary
MMA sportsbooks favor Dvalishvili in a close fight as he is a -138 favorite. Aldo, a +110 underdog, is a top bet when it comes to stoppage. He is at least a -350 favorite when the fight ends before the second round. The fight is considered a bantamweight title eliminator, with the winner getting a bigger chance of securing a title shot against 135-pound champion Aljamain Sterling. Aldo needs to be more active in striking to outclass Dvalishvili while the Georgian must endure the Brazilian’s attacks to secure the victory. The best online MMA betting site will cover the fight and reveal the results as soon as possible.
