Shavkat Rakhmonov is a highly touted contender and the odds back it up.
Rakhamonov (16-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) takes on Geoff Neal (15-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 217 co-main event, which takes place Jan. 14 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+.
At DraftKings, Rakhmonov is a big -460 favorite, meaning a $460 bet would be needed on “Nomad” to return $100. Neal is a +370 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the Fortis MMA fighter would result in $370 profit with a win.
Rakhmonov’s hype comes for a reason. The unbeaten 28-year-old has finished all his professional wins – eight by knockout and eight by submission. In Rakhmonov’s most recent octagon appearance in June, he submitted Neil Magny to earn a Performance of the Night bonus.
But Neal also has made waves in the welterweight division. “Handz of Steel” is coming off back-to-back wins over Santiago Ponzinibbio and a third-round knockout of Vicente Luque in August.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Neal acknowledged Rakhmonov’s well-rounded skills, but doesn’t expect to face any issues against him.
“I really feel he’s just good everywhere,” Neal said. “I haven’t seen anything that’s spectacular that he does. Just as long as my cardio is there and I’m focused mentally, I think I’ll take the win – easy.”
