In the main event of UFC Vegas 50, top-10 light heavyweights collide as Thiago Santos takes on Magomed Ankalaev. The card goes down at the UFC Apex on Saturday, March 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
UFC Vegas 50 Opening Odds:
Thiago Santos +134
Magomed Ankalaev -158
Current UFC Vegas 50 Odds (Feb. 25)
Thiago Santos +310
Magomed Ankalaev -390
Santos and Ankalaev’s recent fights
Thiago Santos (22-9) is coming off a five-round lacklustre decision win over Johnny Walker to snap his three-fight losing skid. During his losing streak, he dropped a decision to Aleksandar Rakic, a submission loss to Glover Teixeira in his return after tearing both of his knees and a split decision loss to Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title. Before the setbacks, he knocked out Jan Blahcowicz, Jimi Manuwa, Eryk Anders, and beat Kevin Holland by decision. He’s currently 4-3 at light heavyweight in the UFC and is ranked fifth.
Magomed Ankalaev (16-1) is coming off a decision victory over Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 267 in October which was seventh win in a row. Prior to the victory over Oezdemir, he beat Nikita Krylov by decision, knocked out Ion Cutelaba in back-to-back fights, KO’d Dalcha Lungiambula, decisioned Klidson Abreu and knocked out Marcin Prachnio. His lone loss in his career was a submission loss to Paul Craig in a fight he dominated from bell-to-bell but tapped with one second left in the third round. The fight also marked his debut and he’s currently ranked sixth.
Are the odds surprising?
The opening odds were massively surprising as to only open Ankalaev less than -160 was a bad line and it shows. Right away, the sports books got hammered with money on the Russian who many view as a future champion.
Ankalaev is usually a massive favorite as well as he was -365 against Oezdemir, -335 against Krylov, -400 in the second Cuteleba fight, -800 against Craig, -560 against Prachnio. The lowest he has been is -222 against Abreu.
How might the odds change?
As you already saw, the market was hammered with money on Ankalaev. At -390 it does seem high as Thiago Santos has legit one punch KO power and has to be respected with that. He almost nearly beat Jon Jones after tearing both of his knees, however, Ankalaev seems special. I do think more money will come in on the Russian and he will enter the Octagon around a -425 favorite.
