It was announced on Thanksgiving Day that “The Notorious” Conor McGregor is set to make his Octagon return in the UFC 246 headliner opposite Donald Cerrone, and we now have our first numbers associated with the big event, the fighting odds.
Conor McGregor has not won a fight since November of 2016 when he outclassed Eddie Alvarez en route to becoming the first double champion in UFC history. The gap between fight wins has had little-to-no effect on the odds of the impending UFC 246 showdown, as McGregor has opened as a -278 favorite against Cerrone for the event at BetMGM.com, with the comeback on Donald Cerrone being +200.
In laymen’s terms, if a better wants to win $100 on betting Conor McGregor, they must lay down $278. Conversely, Donald Cerrone is a 2 to 1 underdog. So if someone were to bet $100 on Donald Cerrone, they would profit $200. Winning $100 would mean betting $50 on Cerrone.
It is important to remember that this fight will be taking place in the welterweight division, where Conor McGregor owns a .500 record of 1-1, with both fights against the same opponent, Nate Diaz. Coincidentally, Donald Cerrone has also fought Nate Diaz, only his bout occurred at lightweight way back in 2011. Diaz would win that bout via unanimous decision.
One reason for the odds to favor McGregor is because the bout is likely to be a standup affair, where Conor McGregor shines brighter than most other fighters to ever compete in the Octagon. Furthermore, Donald Cerrone is coming off of back-to-back losses and is a well-traveled 36 years old. A speed and skill advantage on the feet could tell the story of the fight, but there are a few things that the oddsmakers may be overlooking: Conor McGregor is yet to get a finish at welterweight, Donald Cerrone is generally a very tough and durable fighter, and Cerrone would be expected to have a pronounced advantage if the fight were to go to the mat.
Come January 18, 2020, we will get our answers inside of the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What do you think of the opening UFC 246 odds between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone?
