It’s been a few weeks since Holly Holm pulled off the biggest upset in UFC history. From a betting perspective, that statement is even more significant considering how much money you could’ve made if you had bet on Holm to win. So in honor of missed opportunities, we’re taking a look at the biggest upsets ever in the octagon - and how much you could’ve made.
Bet on UFC odds at BookMaker.eu throughout the year.
No. 1: Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey
UFC 193
Peak Line: Holm +1250
$10,000 bet cashout: $125,000
Had you bet $10k at Holm’s highest line, you’d have a down payment on a million dollar house. Sigh. Culturally, this upset had even more impact - one could equate it to this generation’s Tyson-Douglas. Rousey’s stardom and aura of invincibility had never been higher, setting up for a fall from grace that nobody saw coming. Except that one famous sports bettor who happened to bet $20,000 on Holm at 12-to-1 odds. He cashed out a cool quarter mil.
No. 2: Matt Serra +700 vs. Georges St. Pierre - 1000
UFC 69
Peak line: Serra +850
$10,000 bet cashout: $85,500
St. Pierre was coming off a surprisingly easy win over Matt Hughes - who was at the time considered the greatest welterweight of all time. Serra seemed to be an unqualified challenger who earned the match via gimmick - winning a season of The Ultimate Fighter. What was supposed to be an easy win for GSP turned into a nightmare when Serra walloped the champion with a huge overhand right. St. Pierre could not recover from the onslaught, and the second most significant upset of all time was in the books.
No. 3: T.J. Dillashaw +765 vs. Renan Barao -1250
UFC 173
Peak line: Dillashaw +765
$10,000 bet cashout: $76,500
Just like Ronda Rousey, Renan Barao had seemed unbeatable leading up to his fight with Dillashaw. Dana White even went so far as to call him the best pound-for-pound fighter on the roster. But not only did Dillashaw beat the Brazilian, he thrashed him for a full five rounds. It was a shocking upset, but it was a fight suffering in star power - further exacerbated by the fact that the bantamweight division in general doesn’t have much of a following.
No. 4: Frankie Edgar +725 vs. B.J. Penn -1100
UFC 112
Peak line: Edgar +725
$10,000 bet cashout: $72,500
B.J. Penn is still considered the the best lightweight champion in UFC history. After a run of dominant title defenses, The Prodigy looked like he was set to rule the stacked 155-pound class for a while. But Edgar, a relatively unknown fighter who scored a string of upsets to earn the title challenge, used crisp boxing and superb movement to earn a controversial unanimous decision. The Answer silenced the rest of his critics by dismantling Penn in an immediate rematch.
BONUS: Rameau Sokoudjou +1350 vs. Antonio Nogueira -2300
Pride 33
Peak line: Sokoudjou +1550
$10,000 bet cashout: $155,000
Ok, so this wasn’t a UFC fight. But it remains the biggest upset in MMA history in terms of betting odds. Lil’ Nog entered the fight on a 9-1 run and generally regarded as one of the best middleweights in the world. Just two fights removed from a loss to Shogun Rua in a Fight of the Year winner, Nogueira took a tune-up fight against an unknown Sokoudjou. What many saw as a squash match turned into a massacre. The Cameroonian blitzed the Brazilian from the opening bell, knocking him out cold.
BET ON UFC FIGHTS NOW
And with BookMaker’s quick and easy payout options, you’re winnings are always close at hand. Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today!
