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Well, this is embarrassing — or motivating — depending on which way you slice it: UFC Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is an early heavy betting favorite ahead of his potential showdown with former interim 170-pound kingpin, Colby Covington, opening with a solid -300 line, according to Bovada.com.
Something tells me “Chaos” is unfazed.
The gap has actually closed quite a bit in the past 24 hours — “Nigerian Nightmare” is already down to a -250 favorite, while “Chaos” is currently sitting as a +195 underdog. That means that a $100 be on Usman would win $40, while the same wager on Covington would net $195.
Of course, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has not made this grudge match official — Covington just competed at UFC on FOX 5 this past weekend, grinding out a dominant and lopsided decision win over former division champion, Robbie Lawler (highlights). However, Usman — who is undefeated inside the Octagon (10-0) — was sitting ringside inside Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and, of course, he was not impressed.
In fact, Usman and Covington had a Maury Povich-style confrontation after the show to promote their potential showdown (watch it), which could take place at either UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., on Nov. 2, 2019, or at UFC 245 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Dec. 14, 2019.
Despite company president Dana White’s pre-fight “guarantee,” neither of those dates remain a safe bet, though, because Covington needs to heal and his good friend, Jorge Masvidal, might have the inside track once contract negotiations begin in earnest.