Odds for UFC 251 Card on “Fight Island”
On July 11th, UFC president Dana White’s grand plans to create “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi will come to fruition. Yas Island, which is actually directly adjacent to Abu Dhabi International Airport, will host UFC 251, and the promotion is bringing some massive bouts to the Middle East:
https://realcombatmedia.com/2020/06/ufc-fight-island-location-announced/
Three title fights are on tap. The main event of the evening will be Kamaru Usman defending his welterweight belt against Gilbert Burns. Before that, Max Holloway will get a shot at winning the featherweight title back from Alexander Volkanovski, and Peter Yan will meet the legendary Jose Aldo for the bantamweight belt that Henry Cejudo vacated after UFC 249 in May. All three fights feature sizable favorites. But all three underdogs have seen their odds improve in just the last 24 hours. Before we get started on all these money line odds, this page covers exactly that with all the basics:
https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/guides/betting-101/moneyline-explained/
Usman vs Burns
Current odds: Usman (-190), Burns (+167)
Opening odds: Usman (-200), Burns (+170)
Usman is on a 15-fight win streak and has still yet to lose in the octagon. But the Nigerian has also been out of action since December 2019, when he won a close fight over challenger Colby Covington by fifth-round TKO.
The odds are moving in Burns’ favor because he’s fought more recently – two fights since March 2020 – and both were impressive, statement wins. He dominated former champion Tyron Woodley in May, much the way Usman dominated Woodley to first win the title.
Volkanovski vs Holloway
Current odds: Volkanovski (-180), Holloway (+155)
Opening odds: Volkanovski (-190), Holloway (+165)
For all intents and purposes, this is an immediate rematch. While their first bout was last year (Dec. 2019), neither has fought since. The opening odds were heavily skewed to Volkanovski because he really did control the first meeting. He won on all three judges’ cards, though two were 48-47. (The third was 50-45.)
But as impressive as Volkanovski was, Holloway was a dominant champion at featherweight. He won 12 in a row from 2014-2018 before moving up to lightweight and falling to Dustin Poirier in an interim title fight. Bettors certainly think there is a chance that “Blessed” will grace the octagon with a new and improved game-plan for the rematch.
Yan vs Aldo
Current odds: Yan (-225), Aldo (+190)
Opening odds: Yan (-240), Aldo (+205)
In all likelihood, the movement in the odds here towards Aldo is due to name recognition. Now 33 years old, Aldo is not the same fighter who racked up a 25-1 record to start his career. He has lost five of his last eight fights, including the last two to Volkanovski and Marlon Moraes (his bantamweight debut). It’s curious that he’s even getting this shot.
Yan, on the other hand, has won nine in a row (including all six of his UFC fights) and is just entering his prime at 27. Jimmie Rivera gave him a challenge back in June 2019, but most of his wins have been on the dominant type.
Early indications are that UFC 251 will start at 10:00 pm ET on ESPN+ PPV:
https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-251
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