While Conor McGregor's destruction of Jose Aldo at UFC 194 is still fresh on our minds, odds for a rematch are already available at BookMaker's UFC future events section. As expected, McGregor is the favorite in this rematch - but not by as much as you'd probably expect.
Let's break down the money lines.
UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
Conor McGregor -160
Jose Aldo +130
ODDS ANALYSIS
Prior to UFC 194, Aldo closed at an average of +130, with McGregor at -160. Nothing has changed for the rematch, with identical money lines on each fighter. This is a bit surprising considering just how quickly McGregor disposed of Aldo. If the matchup does come to fruition, I'd expect McGregor's line to move deeper into the chalk.
REMATCH REVIEW
Aldo and McGregor could fight 100 times and we would probably never see another 13-second knockout. Of all the ways anyone expected their first encounter to go, nobody - except McGregor of course - thought that the longtime Brazilian champ's lights would go out at the first punch.
That's probably why we're seeing identical money lines here. The first outcome seems like such an outlier that it's almost like the first fight never happened. The only difference here is that the first time around, most hardcore MMA fans and were shocked that Aldo was the underdog. It almost seemed disrespectful to a man who hadn't lost in over 10 years and dispatched every featherweight placed in front of him.
Now, Aldo in the underdog role is fitting. McGregor's left hand is one of the most dangerous weapons in MMA, and like Dan Henderson's straight right, it's the great equalizer in any fight. Nobody has ever come close to knocking out Jose Aldo, and he's faced brutal hitters like Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas.
Despite what Aldo's cornermen say, I thought Aldo looked extremely nervous during the pre-fight introductions. I know that the Brazilian never looks at his opponents until the bell rings, but I've never seen him look more tense. It's easy to say these things in retrospect, but McGregor stated in the press conference that it's a whole different pressure bubble stepping into the cage with him, and I'm inclined to agree. In a rematch, the pressure for Aldo to avenge a crippling loss would be even greater.
THE SMART PLAYS
If you were planning to place a wager on McGregor, now is the time to do it. There's no chance that he gets any cheaper if the matchup gets made. He's got a legion of fans that will flood the sportsbooks, and now he's got a dominant win over Aldo to fortify their reasons to bet on the Irish superstar.
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