For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the UFC will host an event outside of the United States as heavyweight prospects Tom Aspinall and Alexander Volkov square off in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall. The battle of ranked heavyweights tops the MMA showcase from 02 Arena in London and will showcase numerous international fighters, many of whom couldn't fight during the pandemic because of travel restrictions. The No. 11-ranked Aspinall has won all four of his UFC fights and could make a big jump in the rankings with a win over the No. 6-ranked Volkov at UFC London.

Aspinall is a -130 favorite (risk $130 to win $100), while Volkov is a +110 underdog in the latest UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall odds from Caesars Sportsbook. In the co-main event, featherweight contenders take the spotlight when Arnold Allen (-135) meets Dan Hooker (+115). Before making any picks of your own for UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall, make sure you check out the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Andrew Gombas. 

Gombas is a former NCAA wrestler who taps into his experience on the mat to dissect the X's and O's of MMA matchups in a manner that sets him apart from other MMA analysts. He started the MMA handicapping service MMA Knockout Bets in 2018 and has shown a profit every year since.

With more than 1,400 selections tracked by the third-party monitoring service Bet MMA, he has shown a 6 percent return on investment for his followers. Over the past two years, his followers have netted a profit of more than $10,000. 

Gombas kicked off the 2022 UFC season in January by advising SportsLine members to support Calvin Kattar (+200) against Giga Chikadze (-240) in a battle of ranked featherweight contenders in the main event. Kattar dominated wire to wire to give Gombas' followers an easy winner. Anyone who has followed him already has seen massive returns. 

Now, with UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall in sight, Gombas has studied the card from every angle and released his top MMA picks. Those UFC expert picks are only available at SportsLine. 

UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall preview 

Aspinall (11-2)'s footwork and athleticism are unusual for a man his size, and he has used these advantages to finish his four UFC fights. However, unlike many prospects who immediately call for top contenders or a title shot upon their emergence as a prospect, the soft-spoken Aspinall has vowed to take his journey carefully and progress one step at a time. 

Last year, the Manchester native submitted stubborn former champion Andrei Arlovski in February before stopping fellow prospect Sergey Spivak in September. His first main event should provide a stern test from Volkov (34-9), who can enter the title-shot conversation with a victory over a top prospect. 

The 33-year-old Volkov is known for his durability and above-average athleticism, but the Russian fighter has struggled against world-class opponents. His last three losses have come against recent title-challengers Ciryl Gane and Derrick Lewis, and he also lost to Curtis Blaydes, who is now ranked No. 4 in the division. 

His notable victories have come against the likes of former title-challenger Alistair Overeem and prospect Marcin Tybura. You can only see who to back here. 

UFC London predictions 

We'll share one of Gombas' UFC Fight Night predictions here: He is siding with Ilia Topuria (-500) to get his hand raised against Jai Herbert (+400) in a matchup of explosive lightweight prospects.

Herbert (11-3) came to the UFC as a celebrated prospect following a 5-0 run through the Cage Warriors promotion that featured four finishes. However, the 33-year-old English fighter was immediately subjected to world-class competition and lost his first two UFC fights against veteran contenders Francisco Trinaldo and Renato Moicano. He notched his first UFC victory with a first-round stoppage of fellow prospect Khama Worthy in October.

Topuria (11-0) is a well-rounded prospect who has caught the attention of MMA observers because of his efficiency in striking and the ground game. The 25-year-old Georgian fighter has seven submissions to his credit but has knocked out his last two opponents, including the durable Ryan Hall last July.

"Herbert is the bigger man and even has an eight-inch reach advantage, but the grappling upside for Topuria is massive. Even on the feet, the way Topuria pressures will cause massive issues for Herbert," Gombas told SportsLine. 

How to make UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall picks

Gombas also has strong picks for Volkov vs. Aspinall and other fights on the UFC Fight Night card. He's also backing a fighter who is "huge for the weight class" to emerge with a dominant upset victory. Those UFC Fight Night picks are only available at SportsLine.

Who wins Volkov vs. Aspinall? And which fighter pulls an upset? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed top picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the insider who's up more than $10,000 on MMA picks the past two years, and find out. 

UFC Fight Night odds, fight card

Tom Aspinall (-130) vs. Alexander Volkov (+110)
Arnold Allen (-135) vs. Dan Hooker (+115)
Paddy Pimblett (-550) vs. Kazula Vargas (+425)
Muhammad Mokaev (-400) vs. Cody Durden (+320)
Cory McKenna (-250) vs. Elise Reed (+210)
Timur Valiev (-115) vs. Jack Shore (-105)
Nikita Krylov (-190) vs. Paul Craig (+170)
Sergei Pavlovich (-310) vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov (+255)
Mike Grundy (-180) vs. Makwan Amirkhani (+160)
Ilia Topuria (-500) vs. Jai Herbert (+400)
Molly McCann (-130) vs. Luana Carolina (+110)
Gunnar Nelson (-500) vs. Takashi Soto (+400)