UFC 235: Jones vs Smith Betting
How to bet Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith: UFC 235 Odds and Predictions
Anytime a fighter that might end up being considered the best mixed martial artist of all time makes the walk to the cage, it’s must-see TV. This Saturday, Jon Jones puts his light heavyweight championship belt on the line again in the UFC 235 main event against Anthony Smith. For Jones, it’ll be his second fight in two months after he served a lengthy suspension for taking a banned substance. Meanwhile this is the shot of a lifetime for Smith, who has a ton of experience, but just three fights at light heavyweight.
Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith Betting Odds
Oddsmakers have Jones set as a -800 favourite right now and that line was closer to +1000 at the open. Still, to be fair to Smith, there likely isn’t a fighter in the world that would be a favourite against Jon Jones right now. Jones is 23-1 with a no-decision on his record, but that one loss way back in 2009 to Matt Hamill is largely ignored by the vast majority of MMA analysts because he was disqualified for elbows that appeared to be legal. His no-decision came from a positive drug test after he beat Daniel Cormier for a second time.
Casual MMA fans may not be overly familiar with Anthony Smith, but he is a veteran of the fight game. He has more 44 pro fights under his belt and more than 70 total scraps as he faces off against Jones. That said, he’s a relative newcomer to this division. At 6-foot-5, the cut to 185 pounds just came to be too much so after spending his first 10 years in the UFC at middleweight he made the switch to light heavyweight and saw immediate dividends. Smith has made short work of his first three opponents at 205 with first round knockouts of Rashad Evans and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, followed by a submission of Volkan Oezdemir in the third round. He has earned Performance of the Night bonuses in his last two fights and comes into this tilt with Jones as the No. 3-ranked light heavyweight.
UFC 235 Betting Props: Jones vs. Smith
It’s just as hard to bet on Jones as it is to bet against him in this spot. He’s the clear favourite for a reason – he should win – although it’s going to cost you a lot bet the champ. You’d need to risk $850 just to win $100. If you’re looking for more bang for your buck, you ought to look elsewhere. A Smith upset would pay out $600 to the $100 bettor. Smith is a game competitor if nothing else and will look to make this a nasty fight instead of a stylistic display of martial arts.
Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith Betting Picks and Predictions
We’ve seen some Smith supporters come in with bets on fight week to dip Jones from -850 to -800. Although if you like Jones, you might want to look at a method of victory bet or betting on total rounds. Our pick has Jones winning with a fourth round TKO/KO.
