UFC 245 Odds Favor Usman to Defend Title Against Covington
Former interim title holder Colby Covington (15-1, 2 KO, 5 SUB) is finally getting his shot at the UFC’s real welterweight title belt at UFC 245 on Dec. 14th. But according to oddsmakers, the American is likely to leave empty-handed, with champion Kamaru Usman (15-1, 6 KO, 1 SUB) sitting as a -170 favorite in his first defense of the belt.
Where Did the Odds Open?
Covington can take some solace in the fact that sharp bettors clearly believe in him. Usman was close to -300 when the odds first opened, according to this website that has all your pre-fight betting needs covered.
But early betting action from the pros has moved the odds significantly in the challenger’s favor.
How Do the Fighters Matchup?
Usman and Covington parallel each other in terms of style. Both come from a strong wrestling background and possess volume-striking games that lack for power. Usman has earned unanimous decision wins in eight of his last nine fights. The only opponent he has stopped in the last four years is Sergio Moraes (KO) in Sep. 2017.
Covington, meanwhile, has won five straight unanimous decisions, with his last stoppage being a TKO of Max Griffin in Aug. 2016.
While this fight is likely to be high-paced and action packed, it’s also likely to go the distance. The over/under round odds have yet to be released, but expect over 4.5 to be heavily juiced.
What Awaits the Winner?
The welterweight division has a fascinating landscape at the moment. The winner of Usman vs Covington is likely to face either:
- a resurgent Jorge Masvidal, who’s run roughshod over all three of his opponents since returning from a 16-month hiatus, or
- the winner of former champion Tyron Woodley vs Leon Edwards, a fight that’s rumored to be in the works for January.
Either way, it’s a welcome change from the listless welterweight situation that fans were resigned to while Woodley was largely yawning his way to six straight title defenses from Jan. 2015 until Usman ended his run in March.
