This past Saturday, the sport’s two top pound-for-pound fighters in Demetrious Johnson and Jon Jones returned to the octagon. While both men were victorious, one was somewhat disappointing, while the other exceeded sky-high expectations.
Let’s take a look at what transpired from a betting perspective at UFC 197.
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BONES SHAKES OFF THE RUST
Closing odds:
Jon Jones -738
Ovince St. Preux +519
It may not seem fair that many are disappointed with Jon Jones after he dominated Ovince St. Preux from bell to bell, but that’s the reality when you’re generally regarded as one of the best of all-time. If you bet Jones, it would’ve served you better to lock in your bets a few weeks before fight night, as he was hovering around the -450 mark before closing at a ridiculous -738. The outcome should have never been in doubt though, as OSP was never really considered a threat to Bones.
MIGHTY MOUSE SHINES BRIGHT
Closing odds:
Demetrious Johnson -335
Henry Cejudo +275
Poor Henry Cejudo. His undefeated record and Olympic gold medal gave his backers more than a glimmer of hope for an upset. But nah. The flyweight champion not only pulverized Cejudo with knees from crazy angles, but he made the top-5 challenger look out of his league while notching a first-round TKO. Johnson’s line came down to -335 on fight night, from -400 a few weeks ago, so patience was rewarded for DJ players.
PETTIS LOSES THIRD STRAIGHT
Closing odds:
Anthony Pettis -183
Edson Barboza +159
Ew. It was hard to look at Pettis’ lead leg after Barboza’s switch kicks turned it into living ground beef for three rounds. And after his third straight loss, it’s even harder to predict to the future for the former champion. While he won’t fall out of the top 10, he’s way outside of the title picture and has to reassess pretty much everything. I pegged Barboza as a very live underdog before the fight, and he came through in this kickboxing match.
BEST OF THE REST
Blue chip prospect Robert Whittaker was a huge favorite at -305, and he came through with a unanimous decision. Although his leg got busted up in the process, he piled up points with singing combinations and put Natal on shaky legs on more than a few occasions. With five straight wins, it’s time for the Australian to face a top-15 fighter.
Speaking of prospects, 23-year old Yair Rodriguez pulled off a Knockout of the Year contender with a ridiculous flying switch kick to Andre Fili’s face. The fight closed at nearly pick’em odds, although Y-Rod was right around -150 a few weeks ago. It’s not like the fight was close, as the Mexican dominated the first five rounds before wiped out Fili.
UP NEXT
Get ready for a solid Fight Night card in Rotterdam on May 8, featuring a heavyweight contender bout between Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski. We’ve already got odd you can bet on right now, so sign in and lock in your bets now.
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HOW TO BET
Access live betting lines now at BookMaker sportsbook! You can even wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Money lines, totals, props and money line are all available now. UFC Fight Night Rotterdam takes place May 8, 2016 at the Ahoy Rotterdam in Rotterdam Netherlands. The card will air on FOX Sports 1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
