Usman Opens As Sizable Favorite Over McGregor

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If Masvidal flakes in favor of a Diaz do-over, the door may be open for McGregor.

I know it’s difficult to make any real money at the betting window if you play the favorite, but I may have to make an exception in this case. All I can see when I envision a Kamaru Usman vs. Conor McGregor title fight is “Notorious” getting double-legged through the cage wall and onto the concrete.

Think James Irvin vs. Bobby Southworth — minus the lawsuit.

Anyway, our fiscal friends over at BetOnline (www.BetOnline.ag) have Usman as the -250 (2/5) betting favorite over the +200 (2/1) McGregor for what could turn out to be a 170-pound headliner later this year. I know it seems farfetched, but remember this is the same promotion that booked Chael Sonnen vs. Jon Jones, Jose Aldo vs. Henry Cejudo, and Yoel Romero vs. Israel Adesanya.

It doesn’t have to make sense (so long as it makes cents), the key difference between sports and prizefighting. It also clears the way for Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje at some point this summer (or later).

McGregor (22-4) returned to action last January with an emphatic win over Donald Cerrone, a pay-per-view (PPV) headliner between two lightweights masquerading as diet-hating welterweights. Usman (16-1), who could only make the 155-pound mark by way of amputation, has not competed since finishing Colby Covington last December.

Don’t expect the Usman-McGregor betting line to stay put … especially if this fight (somehow) becomes official.