UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has quite the task ahead of him tomorrow night when he takes on Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title, but his list of adversaries continues to be growing by the minute. Earlier today McGregor and UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley got into a Twitter beef that has caught the attention
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has quite the task ahead of him tomorrow night when he takes on Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title, but his list of adversaries continues to be growing by the minute.
Earlier today McGregor and UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley got into a Twitter beef that has caught the attention of many mixed martial arts (MMA) fans worldwide, sparking rumors that ‘The Notorious One’ may be after 170-pound gold next.
Woodley, who will be defending his welterweight title against Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson in the co-main event of UFC 205 tomorrow night, didn’t hear the last of it there, however, as video footage has surfaced of McGregor going off on him backstage at the UFC 205 weigh-ins earlier today:
McGregor continued his verbal assault by then engaging in a heated conversation with No. 2-ranked lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov, who will also be competing tomorrow night against No. 6-ranked Michael Johnson on the stacked Madison Square Garden card.
In the video below you can see McGregor and Nurmagomedov being separated by security as they jaw off at one another, moments before they are due to hit the scale in front of the packed MSG crowd:
Regardless of whether or not these two men could be next in line for ‘The Notorious One’ we will have to take it one fight at a time, as McGregor currently has his sights set on making history in attempt to become the first dual-weight champ in UFC history.
It all goes down live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Madison Square Garden arena in New York City tomorrow night (Saturday November 12, 2016).
The age-old saying of nothing ventured, nothing gained has its place in the MMA world. The unpredictable nature of the sport leaves open windows for those looking to take a risk. It’s a sport that never ceases to surprise.
UFC 205 is one of, if not the…
The age-old saying of nothing ventured, nothing gained has its place in the MMA world. The unpredictable nature of the sport leaves open windows for those looking to take a risk. It’s a sport that never ceases to surprise.
UFC 205 is one of, if not the deepest cards in MMA history. There are fascinating storylines from top-to-bottom and intriguing stylistic matchups throughout. The oddsmakers had their work cut out for them in trying to parse this card out for the betting public.
What fights are most revealing through the eyes of these prognosticators? Where is there unexpected value? Steven Rondina and Nathan McCarter take you through a few of the most compelling odds heading into Saturday’s gigantic event.
Nathan McCarter: Steven, there’s really nowhere else to begin but the main event. It’s the fight. What do you make of the odds?
Steven Rondina: I’m honestly surprised that Alvarez is such a narrow underdog at +145 (bet $100 to win $145), just based on how much bettors love McGregor as a -175 (bet $175 to win $100) favorite. I think that’s an accurate portrayal of either man’s likelihood to win (I’ve been waffling back and forth, personally but have leaned towards McGregor more frequently), and that has me looking to avoid a straight pick of the winner.
Nathan: If this weren’t the historic fight that it is, I’m not sure if the odds would be enough to captivate me on a straight moneyline. It’s a close fight, and the odds reflect that. That’s the brass tacks. Nothing stands out as being off-kilter or offering tremendous value.
There is another close fight on the card that has my attention as far as betting odds go, and that’s the welterweight meeting between Donald Cerrone, a -165 favorite, and Kelvin Gastelum, a +135 underdog.
Cerrone has looked sensational at 170. He’s on a three-fight win streak at his new weight, and each win saw him finish his opponent in a more spectacular fashion than the previous fight. Gastelum, on the other hand, has had a roller coaster ride during his UFC stint.
Gastelum looked to be a future contender during his early UFC run but then suffered through weight issues that drastically hurt his stock. He laid an egg against Neil Magny last November but returned to form against Johny Hendricks at UFC 200. Steven, is there value on Gastelum here?
Steven: I think that’s a fair line, but it’s definitely an intriguing one. Gastelum is a young, talented fighter who has fought consistently difficult competition and managed to succeed more often than not. He’s a fairly large welterweight, and if he can take Cerrone down or tie him up in the clinch, he’ll have a definite edge.
It’s also worth noting Cerrone hasn’t faced especially stiff competition at 170 yet. Patrick Cote and Rick Story are both solid, but neither is especially fearsome in any area of the cage, and both men are at fairly advanced points in their careers. Gastelum is probably going to be the biggest, strongest, hungriest fighter he has faced in the UFC. Gastelum winning, and in particular winning by decision, is an alluring bet.
Nathan: I concur, and also interesting is that a prop bet on Gastelum via submission is at +600. I’m not sure there is a play there, but I’m sure a few are looking at that with interested eyes. Cerrone has tapped before, and Gastelum isn’t a slouch in that department.
What other fight piques your interest, Steven?
Steven: By far, the most alluring underdog on the card is Michael Johnson. He’s a +230 underdog as of this writing for his fight against KhabibNurmagomedov, currently a -300 favorite, and that seems a little bit crazy to me.
For all the hype surrounding Nurmagomedov, he’s not really a known commodity. Johnson is, and at +230…well, I know I’m interested.
Nathan: I agree here. Johnson does all the little things well to be a credible threat to Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov’s most notable win is against Rafael Dos Anjos. When you match Dos Anjos up against Johnson, you can see the disparity between the speed and athleticism. Those two factors make not just seeing value in the Blackzilian, but also picking him outright very enticing.
The oddmakers aren’t totally off their rocker. While Johnson sits at +230, Johnson by TKO is only at +525. Given Nurmagomedov’s durability, one might expect that number to be higher, but they obviously value Johnson’s recent win over Dustin Poirier where he got to showcase his hand speed.
Steven: Agreed across the board. Let’s bring this home with some brief discussion about the two title fights that landed outside the main event.
Strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz isn’t especially compelling. Jedrzejczyk is sitting at -400, which is steep enough that I wouldn’t want to put money down on her. Kowalkiewicz is +300, and that isn’t quite sweet enough to get a serious look from me.
The co-main event, welterweight champ TyronWoodley vs. Stephen Thompson, though? That’s pretty interesting.
The champ is actually a decent underdog, sitting at +165. I’m definitely feeling good about Thompson’s chances, but Woodley isn’t easily knocked out, and he is the champion. He’ll likely have an edge if this one goes to the scorecards and, of course, there’s a strong chance that he catches Thompson before he can find his range and end it early.
Nathan: I wasn’t especially surprised by the odds for this fight, but I do think there’s value on Woodley.
Woodley has long been underappreciated even going back to his days in Strikeforce. His route to the UFC welterweight championship was filled with a who’s who of the top-tier competition, including Jake Shields, Josh Koscheck and Carlos Condit. It’s his inconsistency where I can see the oddsmakers being skeptical of his ability to defeat Thompson.
And it’s in that consistency where Thompson is riding high. Since losing to Matt Brown in 2012, Thompson has fixed the holes in his game and been a consistent force. It’s easy to buy in.
The problem I am having with crediting him as a -205 favorite is that Woodley is a cerebral fighter who is intent on remaining the champion. He’s not likely to get caught up in a striking exchange that will leave him knocked out cold, and he’ll be patient to close the distance. It could make this a relatively lackluster fight. The odds are accurate, but the value for the underdog is intriguing.
There are plenty of storylines to watch on Saturday, but the oddsmakers always find a way to make a fight more interesting. The ones we have highlighted here are just a few. Miesha Tate at a -170 favorite shows her value on the main card as well. Raquel Pennington is tough as nails but hasn’t shown the ability to beat top-tier talent such as Tate.
UFC 205 brings you 13 fights in total where you will be tempted throughout. You going to take the venture? If so, hold onto your wallets.
The age-old saying of nothing ventured, nothing gained has its place in the MMA world. The unpredictable nature of the sport leaves open windows for those looking to take a risk. It’s a sport that never ceases to surprise.
UFC 205 is one of, if not the…
The age-old saying of nothing ventured, nothing gained has its place in the MMA world. The unpredictable nature of the sport leaves open windows for those looking to take a risk. It’s a sport that never ceases to surprise.
UFC 205 is one of, if not the deepest cards in MMA history. There are fascinating storylines from top-to-bottom and intriguing stylistic matchups throughout. The oddsmakers had their work cut out for them in trying to parse this card out for the betting public.
What fights are most revealing through the eyes of these prognosticators? Where is there unexpected value? Steven Rondina and Nathan McCarter take you through a few of the most compelling odds heading into Saturday’s gigantic event.
Nathan McCarter: Steven, there’s really nowhere else to begin but the main event. It’s the fight. What do you make of the odds?
Steven Rondina: I’m honestly surprised that Alvarez is such a narrow underdog at +145 (bet $100 to win $145), just based on how much bettors love McGregor as a -175 (bet $175 to win $100) favorite. I think that’s an accurate portrayal of either man’s likelihood to win (I’ve been waffling back and forth, personally but have leaned towards McGregor more frequently), and that has me looking to avoid a straight pick of the winner.
Nathan: If this weren’t the historic fight that it is, I’m not sure if the odds would be enough to captivate me on a straight moneyline. It’s a close fight, and the odds reflect that. That’s the brass tacks. Nothing stands out as being off-kilter or offering tremendous value.
There is another close fight on the card that has my attention as far as betting odds go, and that’s the welterweight meeting between Donald Cerrone, a -165 favorite, and Kelvin Gastelum, a +135 underdog.
Cerrone has looked sensational at 170. He’s on a three-fight win streak at his new weight, and each win saw him finish his opponent in a more spectacular fashion than the previous fight. Gastelum, on the other hand, has had a roller coaster ride during his UFC stint.
Gastelum looked to be a future contender during his early UFC run but then suffered through weight issues that drastically hurt his stock. He laid an egg against Neil Magny last November but returned to form against Johny Hendricks at UFC 200. Steven, is there value on Gastelum here?
Steven: I think that’s a fair line, but it’s definitely an intriguing one. Gastelum is a young, talented fighter who has fought consistently difficult competition and managed to succeed more often than not. He’s a fairly large welterweight, and if he can take Cerrone down or tie him up in the clinch, he’ll have a definite edge.
It’s also worth noting Cerrone hasn’t faced especially stiff competition at 170 yet. Patrick Cote and Rick Story are both solid, but neither is especially fearsome in any area of the cage, and both men are at fairly advanced points in their careers. Gastelum is probably going to be the biggest, strongest, hungriest fighter he has faced in the UFC. Gastelum winning, and in particular winning by decision, is an alluring bet.
Nathan: I concur, and also interesting is that a prop bet on Gastelum via submission is at +600. I’m not sure there is a play there, but I’m sure a few are looking at that with interested eyes. Cerrone has tapped before, and Gastelum isn’t a slouch in that department.
What other fight piques your interest, Steven?
Steven: By far, the most alluring underdog on the card is Michael Johnson. He’s a +230 underdog as of this writing for his fight against KhabibNurmagomedov, currently a -300 favorite, and that seems a little bit crazy to me.
For all the hype surrounding Nurmagomedov, he’s not really a known commodity. Johnson is, and at +230…well, I know I’m interested.
Nathan: I agree here. Johnson does all the little things well to be a credible threat to Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov’s most notable win is against Rafael Dos Anjos. When you match Dos Anjos up against Johnson, you can see the disparity between the speed and athleticism. Those two factors make not just seeing value in the Blackzilian, but also picking him outright very enticing.
The oddmakers aren’t totally off their rocker. While Johnson sits at +230, Johnson by TKO is only at +525. Given Nurmagomedov’s durability, one might expect that number to be higher, but they obviously value Johnson’s recent win over Dustin Poirier where he got to showcase his hand speed.
Steven: Agreed across the board. Let’s bring this home with some brief discussion about the two title fights that landed outside the main event.
Strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz isn’t especially compelling. Jedrzejczyk is sitting at -400, which is steep enough that I wouldn’t want to put money down on her. Kowalkiewicz is +300, and that isn’t quite sweet enough to get a serious look from me.
The co-main event, welterweight champ TyronWoodley vs. Stephen Thompson, though? That’s pretty interesting.
The champ is actually a decent underdog, sitting at +165. I’m definitely feeling good about Thompson’s chances, but Woodley isn’t easily knocked out, and he is the champion. He’ll likely have an edge if this one goes to the scorecards and, of course, there’s a strong chance that he catches Thompson before he can find his range and end it early.
Nathan: I wasn’t especially surprised by the odds for this fight, but I do think there’s value on Woodley.
Woodley has long been underappreciated even going back to his days in Strikeforce. His route to the UFC welterweight championship was filled with a who’s who of the top-tier competition, including Jake Shields, Josh Koscheck and Carlos Condit. It’s his inconsistency where I can see the oddsmakers being skeptical of his ability to defeat Thompson.
And it’s in that consistency where Thompson is riding high. Since losing to Matt Brown in 2012, Thompson has fixed the holes in his game and been a consistent force. It’s easy to buy in.
The problem I am having with crediting him as a -205 favorite is that Woodley is a cerebral fighter who is intent on remaining the champion. He’s not likely to get caught up in a striking exchange that will leave him knocked out cold, and he’ll be patient to close the distance. It could make this a relatively lackluster fight. The odds are accurate, but the value for the underdog is intriguing.
There are plenty of storylines to watch on Saturday, but the oddsmakers always find a way to make a fight more interesting. The ones we have highlighted here are just a few. Miesha Tate at a -170 favorite shows her value on the main card as well. Raquel Pennington is tough as nails but hasn’t shown the ability to beat top-tier talent such as Tate.
UFC 205 brings you 13 fights in total where you will be tempted throughout. You going to take the venture? If so, hold onto your wallets.
UFC 205 is headlined by a lightweight championship fight, but the main event is not the card’s only meaningful lightweight showdown. No. 1 ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov will square off against No. 6-ranked Michael Johnson in an undercard battle that carri…
UFC 205 is headlined by a lightweight championship fight, but the main event is not the card’s only meaningful lightweight showdown. No. 1 ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov will square off against No. 6-ranked Michael Johnson in an undercard battle that carries strong title implications.
Nurmagomedov returned to the Octagon in April after a two-year absence from competition. By scoring a knockout victory in that contest, he issued notice that his halted title run is now back on track. A win over Johnson might be the last stop before paydirt.
Johnson is coming off the most important win of his career, a knockout of Dustin Poirier. The victory ended a two-fight losing streak and catapulted Johnson up the lightweight ranks. While a triumph over Nurmagomedov might not usher Johnson into contention, it would place him within visible distance of a title shot.
In anticipation of this crucial lightweight contest, we take a look at how Nurmagomedov and Johnson match up.
Undefeated top lightweight contender Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov said that he received two contracts to fight reigning 155-pound king Eddie Alvarez – one for Nov. 12’s UFC 205 and one for Dec. 10’s UFC 206, but it now appears as if those contracts simply represented a negotiation tactic by the UFC, as Alvarez will instead
Undefeated top lightweight contender Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov said that he received two contracts to fight reigning 155-pound king Eddie Alvarez – one for Nov. 12’s UFC 205 and one for Dec. 10’s UFC 206, but it now appears as if those contracts simply represented a negotiation tactic by the UFC, as Alvarez will instead defend his strap against featherweight king Conor McGregor at UFC 205.
Nurmagomedov will fight Michael Johnson on the same card.
“The Eagle’s” head coach, Javier Mendez, head trainer at San Jose’s American Kickboxing Academy, said that he was ‘disappointed’ in the way that the promotion treated his fighter:
“I was disappointed,” Mendez told MMAJunkie. “Not disappointed that (Conor) got the title shot, just disappointed that Khabib was used as a pawn, in my opinion. Why give a guy a contract to fight and actually not give him the fight?”
Nurmagomedov has made his feelings about UFC 205’s main event clear, and he’s had some harsh words for both Alvarez and McGregor, but Mendez said that it was simply out of frustration:
“He’s not gunning for any particular person,” the coach said. “But once he has his sights set on that one individual, he focuses on that individual. If there’s has any trash talking, it’s toward that one individual. But he really doesn’t have an issue with any fighter at all, period.”
A win over the No. 6-ranked Johnson would improve Nurmagomedov’s overall record to a perfect 24-0 while improving his UFC record to 8-0, making him the clear cut No. 1-contender.
The MMA world is definitely awaiting the lightweight title main event between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez at November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, yet there are still top 155-pound fighters who believe the booking is a bit of a joke. That’s nothing new, however, as McGregor’s leapfrogging of a
The MMA world is definitely awaiting the lightweight title main event between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez at November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, yet there are still top 155-pound fighters who believe the booking is a bit of a joke.
That’s nothing new, however, as McGregor’s leapfrogging of a packed lightweight fray for his third consecutive fight outside of his division – where the belt sits collecting dust since last December – has caused a drawn-out uproar amongst fans and fighters alike ever since it was booked.
One lightweight who shares that sentiment is Michael Chiesa, who currently sits on the sidelines awaiting his recovery from the back injury that forced him out of a potentially great main event against Tony Ferguson this summer.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, ‘Maverick’ had some harsh criticism for ‘Notorious’ and his title shot, believing him to be in over his head as an easy out at 155:
I think it’s bullshit. I feel bad for the guys that have been leaped-frog by him. I do understand that there is an entertainment aspect to the sport and to this promotion, but I think you have to maintain the sport before you let a guy make moves like that. Do I like him being in my weight class? Yeah, because it’s a big money fight and I match up really well against him. I mean, I’d be one body-lock away from subbing him.
“Other than that, it doesn’t really… you know, I just feel bad for the Tony Fergusons, and the Nurmagomedovs, and these guys that have racked up these huge win streaks and they’re getting leaped-frogged by a dude, who really, I mean, we’ll find out if he has any business in our division on November 12, but until then, I don’t think he’s in the right spot. He needs to go back and do what’s right. He’s got Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis in his own weight class to deal with. So I hope Eddie puts him back down to 145, but if not welcome to your new home, welcome to the deep waters.
Chiesa’s far from the first fighter to question McGregor’s ground game, but it’s also difficult to question the Irish champ at least deserving a spot in the stacked 155-pound division, as he just beat top-ranked veteran Nate Diaz in a knockdown barnburner at August’s UFC 202. We’ll soon find out if he can beat the current best lightweight onthe planet, and if he does, a decision will have to be made about which title McGregor will defend next.
He’s already beaten Holloway, and Pettis, despite being an enticing style match-up with McGregor, has only won one fight at 145 pounds after dropping three straight at lightweight. That would mean bouts with Ferguson and/or Nurmagomedov could be on the horizon for ‘Notorious,’ and those would obviously be huge fights that were tough to pick.
With McGregor teasing some significant time off after UFC 205, we may unfortunately never get to see him take on the most dangerous 155-pound talent in the world.
Would he falter like Chiesa thinks he would, or would he rise to the occasion and silence his doubting peers?
