Max Holloway earned his 11th straight win and became the UFC featherweight champion when he defeated Jose Aldo in the main event of UFC 212. Aldo will get the chance to reclaim the belt this Saturday when Holloway and Aldo meet in a rematch at UFC 218.
Holloway is a -305 favorite to defend his title in Detroit at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. The champion was originally scheduled to fight Frankie Edgar in this main event, but with Edgar sidelined due to injury, Aldo will get a shot at revenge. The 25-year-old Holloway has emerged as one of the top 10 best pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC and could cement that status with another win on Saturday.
Aldo (+225) finished 2014 with an 18-fight win streak and a perfect 6-0 record in the UFC. Since then, Aldo has lost two of his last three fights, getting knocked out by Conor McGregor in 13 seconds at UFC 194 and getting knocked out in the third round of his UFC 212 match against Holloway. A win would re-establish Aldo as an elite featherweight, while a loss would leave the 31-year-old reeling.
In the co-main event, Francis Ngannou (-240) squares off as the betting favorite against Alistair Overeem (+190) in a heavyweight bout that will likely determine the No. 1 contender for a title shot against Stipe Miocic. Ngannou (10-1) is a rapid up-and-comer who has won nine straight fights including three straight first-round knockouts. All 10 of his career wins have been by knockout or submission.
Overeem has won six of his last seven fights with the only blemish coming against the heavyweight champion Miocic at UFC 203. The 37-year-old veteran is a solid counter-striker who could pay off his backers if the fight shakes out the right way. This one isn’t likely to go to the cards regardless of which fighter comes out on top.
Other bouts on the card include Henry Cejudo (-285) vs. Sergio Pettis (+225), Justin Gaethje (-185) vs. Eddie Alvarez (+150) and Tecia Torres (-240) vs. Michelle Waterson (+190). Gaethje is a perfect 18-0 as a professional thus far, but this will be just his second fight in the UFC.
UFC 218 Betting Lines
Max Holloway (-305) vs. Jose Aldo (+235)
Francis Ngannou (-240) vs. Alistair Overeem (+190)
Henry Cejudo (-285) vs. Sergio Pettis (+225)
Justin Gaethje (-185) vs. Eddie Alvarez (+150)
Tecia Torres (-240) vs. Michelle Waterson (+190)