As the name of this UFC betting even implies, Jose Aldo and Max Holloway will headline UFC 212 on June 3rd at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The main card also includes several other fights.
José Aldo (c) vs. Max Holloway (ic)
Weight class: Feather
Notes: Featherweight Championship Unification Match
Sportsbook odds for fans who bet on UFC:
Max Holloway 4½ (-155) +115
Jose Aldo 4½ (+135) -135
Aldo was “promoted” to featherweight champion after incumbent Conor McGregor was stripped from the title. Or maybe he unified it with the North American Heavyweight Champion in a tournament in Rio. Who knows? Maybe he’s still knocked out and this is all a dream he’s having. Aldo is coming off a unanimous decision over Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 on July 9th, 2016 in Las Vegas.
‘Blessed’ Holloway is the current interim UFC Featherweight Champion, which equals to being the No. 1 contender. Like Aldo, Holloway’s most recent loss came at the hands of Notorious. Unlike Aldo, that was almost three years ago. Blessed has won the following ten bouts, up to and including a TKO win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 206 on December 10th, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Cláudia Gadelha vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz UFC betting preview
Weight class: Straw
Sportsbook odds for fans who bet on UFC:
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 2½ (-340) +250
Claudia Gadelha 2½ (+280) -300
The Polish Princess was also undefeated in 10 fights, but failed to ride the momentum into a championship victory and succumbed to Joanna Jędrzejczyk by UD at UFC 205 on November 12th, 2016 in New York City. “Karolina will submit Claudia,” her coach Lukasz Zaborowski told Champions.co. “Remember these words.”
Claudinha knows what it’s like to lose to Jędrzejczyk for the strawweight title; she fell to a UD at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Joanna vs. Team Cláudia Finale on July 8th, 2016 in Las Vegas. It was her second career defeat and second to JJ. “[Karolina] hasn’t fought anyone like me just yet,” Gadelha told Metro News. “I’m sure I’ve got the best ground game in the division. She’s is in for a rude awakening.” Oh, so she’s going to finish her with Rick Rude’s move. Word.
Vitor Belfort vs. Nate Marquardt UFC betting preview
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Sportsbook odds for fans who bet on UFC:
Nate Marquardt 1½ (+190) +110
Vitor Belfort 1½ (-230) -130
Marquardt is 3-6 since returning to UFC in 2013 and 3-4 since switching back to middleweight. Perhaps he should redact his nickname from ‘The Great’ to ‘The Regular.’
‘The Phenom’ has lost three of his last four fights and had a loss to Kevin Gastelum overturned into a no contest after the latter tested positive for marijuana – which is not even really a PED. This will be Belfort’s UFC retirement match, which makes one wonder whether Dana will present him with a gold watch afterward. Word has it that Belfort will continue to ply his trade in the not-so-greener pastures of Bellator MMA.