Former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was used to being a heavy betting favorite for most of her fights on the way to a perfect 12-0 mark.
But after more than a year off after the first loss of her MMA career, Rousey finds herself as just -140 chalk (bet $140 to win $100) to beat current champ Amanda Nunes (13-4) at UFC 207 on Friday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Rousey’s air of invincibility disappeared quickly when Holly Holm knocked her out in the second round of their championship bout at UFC 193 on Nov. 15, 2015.
Since then, she has taken plenty of time off to heal up, get back on track and avoid any distractions that might get in her way in advance of the title fight versus Nunes, who is listed as a +110 underdog (bet $100 to win $110) despite winning her last four bouts.
Nunes is coming off a first-round rear-naked choke submission of Miesha Tate at UFC 200 on July 9, and she has not lost since suffering a third-round TKO at the hands (and elbows) of Cat Zingano more than two years ago at UFC 178.
Tate had upset Holm via fifth-round RNC submission at UFC 196 on March 5 for her fifth consecutive victory before falling to Nunes.
In the co-main event, men’s bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz (22-1) will battle unbeaten prospect Cody Garbrandt (10-0) as a solid -225 betting favorite.
Cruz has won 13 in a row since suffering the lone loss of his career to Urijah Faber for the featherweight title at WEC 26 nearly a decade ago. He has beaten Faber twice during his winning streak, including a unanimous-decision victory in their last fight at UFC 199 on June 4.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Garbrandt is 5-0 in the UFC with four knockouts, including the last three in the first round.
Garbrandt is a +175 underdog, though, mostly due to his inexperience against top-level fighters in the organization. His most impressive win came against the previously undefeated Thomas Almeida by first-round KO at UFC Fight Night 88 on May 29, with him earning a Performance of the Night bonus.
Betting information courtesy of OddsShark.
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