Kamaru
Usman is a sizeable favorite to best Jorge
Masvidal for a second time should the two welterweights square
off again in the near future.
According to oddsmaker BetOnline,
Usman opened as a -300 favorite, while Masvidal was listed at +250.
As of this writing, Usman was listed at -310 and Masvidal at +260.
The rematch must happen sometime in 2021 for any betting action to
be valid.
Those odds are comparable to those released prior to UFC 251, when
Usman
opened as a -313 favorite and Masvidal was a +263 underdog.
After original foe Gilbert
Burns tested positive for COVID-19, Masvidal stepped in on less
than one week’s notice and lost a five-round verdict to the
reigning welterweight king on July 11. The card, which featured two
other title bouts,
drew an estimated 1.3 million pay-per-view buys.
After besting Burns at UFC 258 this past weekend, Usman turned his
attention to a return date with Masvidal.
“Like I said, you’ve got this fake Jesus wannabe run his mouth,
because he had a built-in excuse for stepping into that fight, why
he took that loss, so next time I’m going to close his mouth for
good and I’m going to put him to sleep,” Usman said.
Meanwhile, UFC president Dana White didn’t seem opposed to the
possibility of booking Usman vs. Masvidal again.
“There’s a lot of options for him right now,” White said. “If
that’s the fight he wants and that’s the fight Masvidal wants, then
I’m sure the people would like to see it too.”