Dana White recently expressed his surprise after oddsmakers listed Justin Gaethje as the betting underdog for UFC 324. White pointed to Gaethje’s resume in the promotion and said oddsmakers appear misinformed.
Gaethje faces Paddy Pimblett in the main event, with the interim lightweight championship on the line. He has faced a who’s who of elite competition and remained a fixture in the title picture throughout his UFC tenure.
Despite his achievements and skill set, oddsmakers currently favor Pimblett to capture the interim lightweight title. They also expect the fight to end quickly rather being closely contested and going the distance.
The UFC CEO believes the odds do not accurately reflect the matchup.
Dana White Reacts to Oddsmakers Listing Justin Gaethje as Betting Underdog
Although Dana White found Justin Gaethje’s underdog status puzzling, he said it did not surprise him. According to the FanDuel Sportsbook, Gaethje enters UFC 324 as a +184 underdog, while Pimblett stands as a -230 favorite.
White referenced previous bouts in which Paddy Pimblett entered as an underdog and emphasized Gaethje’s well-rounded skill set.
“It’s absolutely fascinating. The oddsmakers never cease to amaze me. I mean, there’s been other fights where Paddy [Pimblett] is the underdog,” White said during an interview with Sportsnet‘s Diana Belbita. ” [Justin] Gaethje [has] 14 bonuses, 14 fights, knockout power in both hands, and unbelievable leg kicks. Yet, he’s the underdog in this fight.”
Gaethje Reacts to Oddsmakers Listing Him as Betting Underdog at UFC 324
There are several factors that influence betting odds. Those factors include age, current form, and skillset, which all influence who the oddsmakers will favor.
Gaethje, admittedly at the tail end of his career, has been in many grueling battles inside the octagon. He rebounded from a last-second knockout loss to Max Holloway with a unanimous decision victory over Rafael Fiziev. That win of Fiziev proved that ‘The Highlight’ is still among the top lightweights in the UFC.
Pimblett enters the fight with plenty of momentum, especially following his dominant win over former Bellator champion Michael Chandler. He has yet to suffer a loss in the octagon and has shown consistent improvements in each fight.
Despite the current betting odds, Gaethje made it clear that he is not bothered by it. He remains focused on defeating Pimblett to capture the interim lightweight title, while once again proving oddsmakers wrong.
Gaethje pointed out that he has historically thrived when oddsmakers listed him as a betting underdog. He believes that trend will continue against Pimblett at UFC 324 tomorrow night.
“I love being the underdog. I’m 8-2, so out of my 14 [UFC] fights, I’ve been the underdog 10 times, and I have won eight and lost two,” Gaethje told Sportsnet’s Diana Belbita. “I’ve always fought the toughest competition and I wouldn’t have it no other way.”
He added:
“I’m still one of the best in the world and I want to fight Ilia Topuria. And, I have lost no hunger on this journey. I committed my whole life to this, so [Pimblett] is going to get the best [version of] me.”
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