An electric slate, UFC 294 features a ton of excellent fights which should definitely fire up MMA fans. The two main event battles have already been covered in this space, but there are two other fantastic bouts on this card. In the third main bout of the night, Nathaniel Wood squares off with Muhammad Naimov in a solid featherweight matchup that could have implications for the division. Conversely, another big middleweight showdown is slated for this card as Nassourdine Imavov takes on Ikram Aliskerov. This fight should be the second-most important middleweight bout on the card after Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev, but also a key one to watch for your UFC 294 betting night.
For this article, SBS will be going over your betting game plan with fighter spotlights, predicted winners, and more notes and information about UFC 294 betting.
| UFC 294 Main Event Bouts | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel Wood vs. Muhammad Naimov | Wood | -330 | -330 | -330 |
| Nassourdine Imavov vs. Ikram Aliskerov | Aliskerov | -113 | -113 | -113 |
Fighter Spotlight: Nathaniel Wood
A former Bantamweight Champion in the Cage Warriors promotion, Wood has put together an impressive record since joining the UFC back in 2018. Since making his debut, he has posted a record of 7-2 in UFC events, bringing his overall career mark to 20-5. With nine career knockout wins, the English fighter certainly has the power to defeat most featherweight opponents. Wood is coming off a unanimous decision win over Andre Fili earlier this year in July so he might have a little bit of wear and tear on his body.
Fighter Spotlight: Muhammad Naimov
Known as the “Hillman,” Naimov is entering this fight with some high expectations and will be looking to improve on his 9-2 career mark. A fighter with five knockout wins of his own, Naimov won his UFC debut in June of this year with a TKO victory over Jamie Mullarkey. Prior to that, he had starred in the Tuff-N-Uff promotion where he posted a perfect mark of 2-0. This will be his biggest bout to date though, but he should be up for the challenge.
Prediction: Both fighters competed earlier this summer so fatigue could play a factor here, but Wood has the more distinguished and decorated body of work, so take him to win here.
Fighter Spotlight: Nassourdine Imavov
A fighter who had been a rising star in the promotion, Imavov is now looking to right the ship following two disappointing outings. At UFC 289 earlier this year, his bout against Chris Curtis ended in a no-contest thanks to an accidental clash of heads which rendered Curtis unable to continue. Prior to that, he matched up against Sean Strickland in his light heavyweight debut and ended up losing the bout via unanimous decision. Regardless, Imavov is still one of the up-and-coming fighters in the promotion thanks to a stout 12-4 record already four wins in the UFC.
Fighter Spotlight: Ikram Aliskerov
Our final fighter showcase, Aliskerov has had an excellent MMA career after turning 30 earlier this year. With an impressive record of 14-1 professionally, he is coming off a stellar KO win over Phil Hawes at UFC 288. In that bout, Aliskerov knocked out Hawes in the first round thanks to a vicious set of punches. A four-time world champion in combat sambo, the Russian fighter is a tough competitor in the ring with his only professional loss coming at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev in 2019.
Prediction: This fight should be a battle, but look for Aliskerov to have the upper hand here given the difference in records and also being able to beat a common opponent in Hawes.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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