UFC champ Max Holloway opens as big favorite over Frankie Edgar at UFC 222

Max Holloway is the considerable favorite over Frankie Edgar. It will come as no surprise to Frankie Edgar, who has spent most of his career as the underdog, that reigning UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is the betting favorite to wi…

Max Holloway is the considerable favorite over Frankie Edgar.

It will come as no surprise to Frankie Edgar, who has spent most of his career as the underdog, that reigning UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is the betting favorite to win their championship bout at UFC 222.

Betting website Bovada lists ‘Blessed’ as a -280 favorite to beat underdog Edgar (+225) on March 3.

Holloway and Edgar were originally scheduled to lock horns for the 145-pound title last year but ‘The Answer’ was forced to withdraw at the last minute after suffering a broken orbital bone in training practice.

Holloway ended up in a rematch with former featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo — who he originally beat to win the belt at UFC 212, overwhelming and finishing ‘Scarface’ with a barrage of strikes in the third round, similar to how he disposed of the Brazilian in their first title bout.

Edgar, the former UFC lightweight champ, lost to Aldo in a featherweight title fight at UFC 200 but rebounded with two straight victories over Jeremy Stephens and Yair Rodriguez, brutalizing the latter with an onslaught of ground and pound and earning the TKO via second-round doctor stoppage.

UFC 222, which sees Holloway defend his belt against Edgar in the main event, takes place March 3 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.