Khamzat Chimaev hasn’t accomplished nearly as much as Robert Whittaker in his MMA career, but the undefeated middleweight opened as a heavy favorite nonetheless to win on June 22 in the main event at UFC Saudi Arabia.
The showdown that’s being billed as a No. 1 contender’s fight at 185 pounds headlines the first-ever UFC card in Saudi Arabia. The current odds have Chimaev listed as a sizable betting favorite over Whittaker, although there’s already been significant money put on the former UFC middleweight champion.
Here are the current odds courtesy of Sportsbetting.ag
Robert Whittaker: +140
Khamzat Chimaev: -160
That line has actually shifted from the opening odds, which had Chimaev was listed as a heavy -220 favorite and Whittaker as the underdog at +190.
The shift shows that savvy bettors are already looking at Whittaker as a potential steal as an underdog in the five-round fight. Whittaker is coming off a win over Paulo Costa in his last outing after suffering a knockout loss to future UFC champion Dricus du Plessis.
As for Chimaev, he holds a perfect 13-0 record, but Whittaker undoubtedly serves as his toughest test to date in the middleweight division. His most recent fight came this past October when Chimaev edged out former welterweight king Kamaru Usman after Usman stepped in as a late-notice replacement at 185 pounds.
Chimaev now looks to beat Whittaker and secure his spot as the No. 1 contender in the UFC middleweight division.
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