It's sure been an interesting 48 hours in the UFC world, but we finally have a card set for tonight's action. Khabib Nurmagomedov will fight Al Iaquinta in the main event now, after Max Holloway was pulled from the fight. Rose Namajunas will fight Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the women's strawweight title.
Let's examine the betting lines for the top fights in UFC 223 and see where the value lies.
Note: All odds via Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, as of April 7. Raw data is provided by FightMetric.
Lightweight championship: No. 2 Khabib Nurmagomedov (-750) vs. No. 11 Al Iaquinta (+525)
Let's just all accept that the matchmaking shuffle for UFC 223 has been the most unique and complicated ever. Here we are with a potential New York-flavored Rocky story brewing, as Iaquinta jumps from the bottom of the heap after weigh-ins to take on one of the division's most feared contenders as a massive underdog. Hollywood would love it. But when the plot lines and matchmaking are done, two guys are still getting locked in a cage, and MMA never lacks in a return to harsh reality.