UFC 200 Betting Odds on Daniel Cormier vs Anderson Silva

Earlier this week here at Mybookie.ag, I previewed the headline bout of an epic UFC 200 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night, a light-heavyweight title unification fight between arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA history, Jon Jones, and Daniel Cormier. I liked Jones to win the fight. However, in stunning news it was announced that Jones failed a drug test back in June and thus was pulled from the bout (why are we just hearing about this failed test now?). It was hugely embarrassing news for the UFC in the biggest event the organization has ever had. UFC President Dana White wanted to keep Cormier on the card and somehow White managed to find someone to step in on basically 48 hours’ notice: former middleweight champion Anderson Silva, who once was considered the baddest man on the planet. Cormier is a -410 favorite on betting lines for the now non-title bout with Silva at +315 and the over/under rounds at 2.5.

Here’s Our Look at the UFC 200 Betting Odds on Daniel Cormier vs. Anderson Silva

Jones says he didn’t take any performance-enhancing drugs and he has previously crusaded for stiffer testing in the UFC. But Jones also admitted he has been taking new supplements ahead of this fight and that he didn’t write down what they were. That’s frankly ridiculous and inexcusable. Any fighter is responsible for what goes into his body and to make sure it conforms to guidelines. Now Jones is facing a potential two-year automatic suspension.

The moment that Cormier was told the fight of his career was off actually was captured on video and you can see it here. Cormier was so frustrated that he offered to sign a release to fight Jones anyway just so he could be in the Octagon for the UFC’s signature event. The new main event of UFC 200 is a women’s bantamweight fight between champion Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes.

As for Silva (33-7-1), he once was great — at one time a 10-time defending middleweight champion who won a UFC record 16 straight fights at one point — but the 41-year-old Brazilian is way past his prime these days. He hasn’t won a fight since 2012. Silva did beat Nick Diaz at UFC 183 in January 2015, but that result was overturned when Silva failed multiple drug tests for steroids. Silva last was in the Octagon in February and lost by unanimous decision to Michael Bisping. Silva had to pull out of a fight against Uriah Hall this May to get gallbladder surgery. Over the past half-decade, Silva has struggled with numerous injuries and failed drug tests.

The fight with Cormier will be three rounds, White said, because Silva is fighting on two days’ notice. Silva was already going to be in Las Vegas to induct his mentor Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira into the UFC Hall of Fame on Sunday. Silva has fought three times at 205 pounds, defeating James Irvin in July 2008, Forrest Griffin in August 2009 and Stephan Bonnar in October 2012, all by first-round knockout. That Bonnar fight, for what it’s worth, was on short notice — although nothing like two days.

Silva, who called the UFC to ask for this fight once he heard the Jones news, said that he doesn’t believe Cormier is an easy opponent or that this stylistically favors him on such short notice. So it basically sounds as if he’s already conceding.

“I don’t want Daniel or anyone else to think I’m underestimating him or coming in here trying to challenge a champion. I’m not doing any of that,” Silva said. “I’m here to challenge myself and I think that I haven’t trained in a few months, but I think I’m in good condition to go in there and put on a good fight.”