The 5 best bets for UFC 267

The UFC returns to Fight Island on Saturday for UFC 267. We're here to stuff your wallet with the best bets for the event's explosive main card.

Khamzat Chimaev by KO, TKO, or DQ (+150)

Chimaev is the naturally bigger fighter and better striker and he's good enough with his takedown game to exploit Li Jingliang’s subpar defense. Because Jingliang is going to have to stand and trade with Chimaev to win - and it isn’t outside the realm of possibility he can create some drama - it will be just a matter of time before Chimaev puts him out of his misery for a solid pickup.

Dan Hooker by decision (+900)

Though he’s going up against one of the UFC’s latest darlings in Islam Makhachev, Hooker is a huge step up in class for the light-hitting grappler and he's coming off a major win over Nate Marquardt. This line is simply too good to pass up when you consider 1) Makhachev’s soft opposition to this point, and 2) Hooker’s superior experience and momentum.

Alexander Volkov by KO, TKO, or DQ (+135)

Volkov may be one tier below the true elite at heavyweight, but he’s still one tier higher than Marcin Tybura. While "Tybur" is decent in a lot of areas, he doesn't do anything well enough to offset Volkov’s volume, and he’ll be outgunned in any exchanges. Expect Volkov to get back to his winning ways with a dominant stoppage win.

Petr Yan vs. Cory Sandhagen will not go the distance (-110)

Yan’s power and volume along with Sandhagen’s speed and aggression makes this an easy pick for a fight that will end early. While we picked Yan to eventually overwhelm Sandhagen, it wouldn’t be a stretch for Sandhagen to blindside Yan thanks to his unpredictability and range. Either way, calling this fight to end inside the distance is a safe bet.

Jan Blachowicz moneyline (-275)

The well-rounded Blachowicz has his hands full against Glover Teixeira, but Blachowicz’s superior striking and the strength of his recent performances gives him the clear edge in the main event. Blachowicz has stopped three of his last five opponents, but Teixeira’s experience and the threat of his takedown game might prevent the champion from overextending himself. Taking Blachowicz to retain outright is the best choice when picking the main event.