This is not an attempt to suggest the rating system is more accurate than gambling odds. Gamblers can analyze each fight individually, while the rating system uses a variety of mathematical routines to supply a primary fighter rating that is focused on ranking recent achievement, with a secondary priority of gauging future expectation.
With that said, there are some caveats to using the rating vs. odds comparison straight-up — the “Gotcha” list:
- System inability to project the exact effects of a recent divisional change.
- System inability to project the exact effects of recent inactivity or short-notice.
- Poor matchmaking / limited careers / “changing of the guard”.
- Notable home advantage.
- System inability to project style differences.
- System inability to factor in bad judging or overturned decisions.
But this stuff (especially #5) is pretty much common sense. We try to partially factor in #1-#3 when we compute the ratings, but #5 and #6 is something that the human can factor in, that the system can’t. For the sake of these articles, we’ll attempt to factor in #4 when relevant. Home advantage can have a slight effect, but likely not enough to sway the “I’d bet on” decision.
Experienced gamblers know that it’s not about being right the most, it’s about making the most money. So in the usual table, I’ll add the “I’d bet on” column and analyze the rating/odds gap plus points #1-4 that I listed above. I’ll leave #5 and #6 to the fully subjective analyses — of which I’m sure there will be plenty.
The gotchas aren’t necessarily comprehensive, but I have noted them as I come across them and when they are considered in the decision.
Having said all that, let’s get started:
Ratings vs. Odds
| Fight | Odds Favorite | Rating Favorite | I’d bet on | “Gotchas” |
| Pierce vs. Mitchell | Pierce (-643 / Very Large) | Pierce (4.26x / Massive) | Pierce | |
| Baczynski vs. Melancon | Baczynski (-293 / Moderate) | Baczynski (3.30x / Very Large) | Baczynski | #2 |
| Barboza vs. Oliveira | Barboza (-586 / Very Large) | Barboza (1.45x / Small) | PASS | #2 |
| Gonzaga vs. Herman | Gonzaga (-243 / Moderate) | Gonzaga (2.24x / Large) | Gonzaga | |
| Parke vs. Tokudome | Parke (-199 / Moderate) | Tokudome (1.02x / Pick ‘Em) | Tokudome | |
| Craig vs. Leben | Craig (-152 / Small) | Leben (1.07x / Pick ‘Em) | Leben | |
| Swanson vs. Siver | Swanson (-234 / Moderate) | Siver (1.06x / Pick ‘Em) | Siver | |
| Munoz vs. Boetsch | Munoz (-128 / Very Small) | Boetsch (1.03x / Pick ‘Em) | Boetsch | |
| Gracie vs. Kennedy | Kennedy (-149 / Small) | Gracie (1.29x / Small) | Gracie | |
| Edgar vs. Oliveira | Edgar (-580 / Very Large) | Edgar (3.39x / Very Large) | PASS | |
| Silva vs. Weidman | Silva (-244 / Moderate) | Silva (2.54x / Large) | PASS | #3 |
The PASS suggests that the odds and ratings difference are nearly identical and/or there are too many gotchas, so neither fighter is a good bet.
Betting favorites to consider: Pierce, Baczynski, Gonzaga
Betting underdogs to consider:
- Tokudome over Parke
- Leben over Craig
- Siver over Swanson
- Boetsch over Munoz
- Gracie over Kennedy
All of the above betting underdogs are simply cases where the rating system disagrees with the odds as to who is the favorite, but the separation is small on all of them — they are all nearly 50/50 fights per the ratings.