dbreiden83080
02-06-2011, 03:21 PM
http://mmajunkie.com/news/22369/ufc-128-opening-line-jon-jones-a-favorite-over-champ-shogun-rua.mma
Despite being a champion, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua currently is the underdog to title challenger Jon Jones in their upcoming UFC 128 title fight.
That's according to the oddsmakers' opening line, anyway.
Noted MMA oddsmaker and frequent MMAjunkie.com Radio guest Joey Oddessa today confirmed the initial line with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). Jones opens as a -150 favorite while Rua is a +120 underdog.
Jones (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) set up the light-heavyweight title fight, which takes place March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., with a victory over Ryan Bader at Saturday's UFC 126 event in Las Vegas. Rashad Evans initially was slated to fight Rua (19-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC), but earlier in the day, UFC president Dana White and the organization's medical staff learned that a torn knee ligament will keep Evans sidelined for six to eight weeks.
Once Jones scored a second-round submission victory over then-undefeated Bader, he was told the title shot is his.
The 23-year-old phenom's hype now will only grow; few title challengers have entered a championship bout as a favorite.
Yet, "This is the second time in recent months that the champion enters as the underdog," said Oddessa, who provides line-movement updates at Twitter.com/mmaodds. "The last being Frankie Edgar ... against Gray Maynard. While it's rare, Frankie representing the underdogs is 1-0-1 in the champion-vs.-underdog role."
The -150 line means oddsmakers are giving Jones an approximate 60 percent change of winning. "Shogun" is an approximate 45 percent favorite. (Due to the nature of sports wagering, the two figures don't add up to an even 100 percent.)
Oddessa said the fight already has seen heavy action, thanks partially to this weekend's Super Bowl betting.
"The initial support all came in on Jon Jones, driving the number from -150 to -155 to -175 early," he said. "Then the Rua money came in. This was in the first 15 minutes it was put on the board. (It's) all big-limit action on both sides, and now the bout is sitting at Jones -160.
"Jones' dominant win over a great wrestler and fighter in Ryan Bader has the whole planet buzzing about the potential of the young fighter, and they are going to the windows with it."
Despite being a champion, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua currently is the underdog to title challenger Jon Jones in their upcoming UFC 128 title fight.
That's according to the oddsmakers' opening line, anyway.
Noted MMA oddsmaker and frequent MMAjunkie.com Radio guest Joey Oddessa today confirmed the initial line with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). Jones opens as a -150 favorite while Rua is a +120 underdog.
Jones (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) set up the light-heavyweight title fight, which takes place March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., with a victory over Ryan Bader at Saturday's UFC 126 event in Las Vegas. Rashad Evans initially was slated to fight Rua (19-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC), but earlier in the day, UFC president Dana White and the organization's medical staff learned that a torn knee ligament will keep Evans sidelined for six to eight weeks.
Once Jones scored a second-round submission victory over then-undefeated Bader, he was told the title shot is his.
The 23-year-old phenom's hype now will only grow; few title challengers have entered a championship bout as a favorite.
Yet, "This is the second time in recent months that the champion enters as the underdog," said Oddessa, who provides line-movement updates at Twitter.com/mmaodds. "The last being Frankie Edgar ... against Gray Maynard. While it's rare, Frankie representing the underdogs is 1-0-1 in the champion-vs.-underdog role."
The -150 line means oddsmakers are giving Jones an approximate 60 percent change of winning. "Shogun" is an approximate 45 percent favorite. (Due to the nature of sports wagering, the two figures don't add up to an even 100 percent.)
Oddessa said the fight already has seen heavy action, thanks partially to this weekend's Super Bowl betting.
"The initial support all came in on Jon Jones, driving the number from -150 to -155 to -175 early," he said. "Then the Rua money came in. This was in the first 15 minutes it was put on the board. (It's) all big-limit action on both sides, and now the bout is sitting at Jones -160.
"Jones' dominant win over a great wrestler and fighter in Ryan Bader has the whole planet buzzing about the potential of the young fighter, and they are going to the windows with it."