We’ve been writing about Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 2 for months now, and it’s really, truly, finally officially official. The sport’s pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter and arguably the GOAT, Jon Jones, has a date set with arch-nemesis Daniel Cormier. Mark your calendars, because the UFC has announced that the rivals will meet on April 23 at UFC 197, with Cormier’s title on the line.
Bet on UFC 197 odds at BookMaker.eu
Daniel Cormier +245
Jon Jones -315
Over/under 4.5 rounds, over -155, under +125
Please note, the odds at BookMaker are updated on a daily basis. The lines listed here are subject to change.
ODDS ANALYSIS
These odds have been chilling in our Future Events section for a while, so it’s refreshing to see them actually moved to an official date. When we last reported on them a few weeks ago, Jones was a -340 favorite, with Cormier at +260. That means that the action has been coming in on Cormier, which is a bit surprising.
ALL IN ON BONES
Jones is still a significant favorite, and I’d expect his money line to move further into chalk territory. I have no clue as to why people are betting Cormier, considering how convincingly Jones beat him the first time around. After a close first two rounds, Bones pulled away and sailed through rounds three through five.
There has always been rumors that Jones, as a champion, had problems with motivation. After his close brush with defeat against Alexander Gustafsson, reports came out that he barely trained. Considering Jones’ struggles with cocaine and weed, that’s not hard to believe. And he still was able to beat one of the best in the light heavyweight division.
But Jones has plenty of motivation coming into this bout. First, his most hated rival now has the title that he never lost in the cage. Second, Jones got chewed up by the public and the media in every way possible for his transgressions outside the cage. He’s had everyone and their mamas publicly chastising him for over a year. Think he’s ready to shut them up?
You need no further proof than his new physique to know how badly Jones wants this. The former champion was always a lean, lanky figure. Now, according to his instagram, the dude is jacked. You don’t put in that kind of work outside of your normal routine if you’re not 1000% committed to a task. And the scary thing is, he could probably still beat Cormier even without his newly discovered muscled.
BUY BONES. BUY NOW.
I wrote a few weeks ago that if Jones got anywhere near -300, jump all over it. He’s at -315 now and I really don’t see how he gets any cheaper than that. It’s still not a great payout by money line standards, but I think it should be obvious that Cormier has not closed the talent gap during his title reign. Don’t forget that Jones is a once-in-a-generation talent and play it safe on fight night.
HOW TO BET
Access live betting lines at BookMaker Sportsbook and start wagering now. With our live betting options, you can also wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. UFC 197takes place on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card will be televised on pay-per-view.
