Though we're just off the heels of a highly buzzworthy title fight that led to a shocking upset, it's clear that the hype behind the Conor McGregor-Jose Aldo rivalry is even greater than it was for Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm. And that should mean a lot of eyeballs on the Octagon come fight night.
Some fights are compelling for competitive reasons, others because opponents hate each other. The main event at UFC 194 will offer both. MMA fans will have plenty to appreciate leading up to that featherweight unification bout, with yet another title on the line in the middleweight division, plus a likely middleweight title eliminator bout just prior. If that's not enough, the fight card on Saturday night is so stacked that the pioneer crossover star of the smaller weight classes, Urijah Faber, is competing on the preliminary card before the pay-per-view even begins.
The odds are live, and they are super-tight for the main card matchups. Waves of Irish and Brazilian fans are making their way to Vegas for what could become a heated international rivalry and similarly heated action at the sportsbooks, and yet most of the main card fights are equally interesting from a competitive standpoint.
Let's check out the final three fights of the night, and explore where else we might find some betting value at UFC 194.
Middleweights: No. 2 Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza (-150) vs. No. 3 Yoel Romero (+130)
It's a former Olympic medalist in wrestling versus one of the more famous submission artists in MMA, and a fight that will likely determine the next contender at middleweight. But the window for that title shot is closing for both, as they are each on the wrong side of age 35, and a loss will delay another contender bout.