UFC 322 Odds, Picks, Predictions & UFC Best Bets for Makhachev vs. Maddalena
The Octagon heads to Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, this Saturday night for UFC 322. The event features 13 fights, including two title bouts. The headliner features UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena against Islam Makhachev, and the co-main event sees UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko against Weili Zhang. In the latest edition of the Bookies.com Best Bets, we will break down those two bouts, plus one of the preliminary card bouts.
UFC odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and current as of publication. Check out our DraftKings Sportsbook Review.
UFC 322 Main Event Best Bet
Islam Makhachev (-270) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (+220)
The main event of UFC 322 features UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena against Islam Makhachev. Although he is the challenger and moving up a weight class, Makhachev is a -270 favorite, and I see him winning this fight to win a second UFC title.
Makhachev is 34, and he is 16-1 in the UFC, including his current 15-fight win streak. The Russian is one of the all-time greats in MMA and could tie Anderson Silva for the longest win streak in UFC history if he wins this fight. He is an elite grappler who can take his opponents down and dominate them on the mat, and he also has fantastic striking skills. There just aren’t many flaws in Makhachev’s game, and other than an early-career knockout loss, which looks like a fluke in hindsight, he has pretty much dominated everyone that has crossed his path.
Della Maddalena is 29, and he is 8-0 in the UFC. The Aussie won the UFC welterweight title in his last bout when he won a decision over Belal Muhammad. So far in the UFC, Della Maddalena has looked incredible. His striking is phenomenal, he has an iron chin, and his grappling has proven to be solid as well. He doesn’t have many flaws in his game, although his takedown defense isn’t the greatest. In this fight against Makhachev, his opponent is going to try and take him down, so if Della Maddalena is going to pull off the upset, he has to keep this fight standing. If he gets taken down, however, this could turn into a short night for the champion.
Della Maddalena has looked phenomenal in the UFC, and Makhachev is one of the sport’s all-time greats, still fighting at an elite level. Even though he is moving up in weight, I think Makhachev will do well at welterweight. In this bout, I see Makhachev getting Della Maddalena down to the mat and submitting him. Go with Makhachev to win as a -270 favorite, and consider taking him by submission for a prop bet.
UFC 322 Best Bet: Islam Makhachev wins at -270 with DraftKings Sportsbook
Other UFC 322 Best Bets
Valentina Shevchenko (-125) vs. Weili Zhang (+105)
The co-main event of UFC 322 sees UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko defend her belt against Weili Zhang. Despite being the challenger, Zhang is a slight +105 underdog, and I like her to win the belt.
Zhang is 36, and she is 10-2 in the UFC. The Chinese fighter is the former UFC women’s strawweight champion, and she is one of the best women’s MMA fighters of all time. She is a top striker who has a heavy volume striking attack, power in her limbs, and a strong chin. She also generally has strong takedown defense. After winning her last five fights in a row, Zhang decided to move up a weight class and attempt to win a second UFC title. She is already one of the best women’s fighters ever, but a second UFC title would elevate her to legendary status.
Shevchenko is 37, and she is 14-3-1 in the UFC. The Kyrgyzstan native is one of the legends of women’s MMA, having been in the UFC since 2015, while fighting and beating many of the best female fighters of all time over the years. She is the GOAT at women’s flyweight, having been a two-time champion and having many title defenses. She is an incredible talent who is skilled in every aspect of MMA. That being said, Shevchenko is getting up there in age, and several of her recent fights have been close. She’s a legend, but Zhang may be a bad matchup for her.
This should be a great fight between two women who prefer to stand and trade. I see this being mostly a striking battle, with Zhang landing more volume along the way in an all-out war. Go with Zhang to win this fight at +105 odds, and look for her to win this fight by decision.
UFC 322 Best Bet: Weili wins at +105 with DraftKings Sportsbook
Erin Blanchfield (-245) vs. Tracy Cortez (+200)
On the preliminary card, Erin Blanchfield takes on Tracy Cortez in a women’s flyweight bout. Blanchfield is a -245 favorite, and I like her to win this fight.
Blanchfield is 26, and she is 7-1 in the UFC. The American is one of the top women’s flyweights, with only one loss inside the Octagon. She is an elite grappler who can take her opponents down to the mat and submit them on the ground. She also has a volume-heavy striking attack on the feet. Overall, there is a lot to like about Blanchfield. She is still one of the youngest fighters in the weight class, and with another couple of wins, could be fighting for the title.
Cortez is 31, and she is 6-1 in the UFC. The Mexican-American joined the UFC in 2019, and she has been one of the top women’s flyweights since then, winning all but one of her fights inside the Octagon. She has excellent wrestling skills and generally prefers to take her opponents down to the mat. On her feet, she also has solid striking skills, making her a well-rounded fighter, although she has not shown any finishing skills inside the Octagon.
Blanchfield should be the more effective striker and grappler in this fight. She should be able to land more strikes on the feet and potentially land a few takedowns along the way en route to a decision win. Take Blanchfield to win at -245, and look for her to win on the judges’ scorecards.
UFC 322 Best Bet: Erin Blanchfield wins at -245 with DraftKings Sportsbook
About the Author
Eagles vs. Packers Odds, Best Bets & Player Props For MNF NFL Week 10 
College Football Week 12 Best Bets: Big Betting Favorites Feel The Pinch 
Online Casino Promo Codes USA October 2025: Online Casino Deposit Bonus Codes 
Bleacher Nation Fantasy Promo Code BOOK: $250 Match Bonus For NFL Monday (Nov. 10) 
Best 10 US Social Casinos Online for November 2025 
Best 10 US Online Sweepstakes Casinos for November 2025 Chosen By Experts