Last week we saw Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone further prove why he is one of the must-watch fighters of the era. He is a fighter who is never intimidated and always game, despite being a frequent underdog. Watching the trajectory and soft-spoken poise of Rose Namajunas, we could be seeing a future legend in the making, thanks to many similarities to Cerrone.
Unfortunately for "Thug" Rose -- despite twice defeating the seemingly unbeatable former champ, Joanna Jedrzejczyk -- she must now defend her title in an away match in Brazil on Saturday night. She's taking on a worthy No. 1 contender in Jessica Andrade and must also deal with the difficulties of a rowdy crowd in Rio de Janeiro. It will be a daunting challenge for the champion, but that's also how MMA legends are made.
Let's examine the UFC 237 main event and find some betting value elsewhere on the card.
Strawweight title matchup: Champion Rose Namajunas (+100) vs No. 1 Jessica Andrade (-120)
Namajunas is again on pace to be a rare champion underdog heading into her third consecutive title fight, at plus money. While we already know that underdog champs make for a good bet, we're not accounting for Andrade's home advantage. It's more interesting that while the market has usually loved Andrade, it hasn't always respected Namajunas.