Now’s the Perfect Time to Bet on BJ Penn vs. Yair Rodriguez

One of the UFC’s living legends returns to the octagon in less than two weeks. Let’s take a look at the odds to bet on BJ Penn vs. Yair Rodriguez set by Intertops.

BJ Penn hasn’t found much success over the years. His decline began in April of 2010 when relative newcomer Frankie Edgar pulled off the upset and beat Penn by unanimous decision. Since that time he’s won just one fight, a first round KO over equally legendary fighter Matt Hughes.

Despite his recent skid, Penn is still one of the most respected fighters in the world, and is one of only 3 fighters to ever make US gambling news by holding UFC championships in 2 different weight classes. He is taking his second career fight at 145 pounds on January 15th, and is facing one of the brightest prospects in the sport.

Standing across the cage from Penn will be Yair Rodriguez, a 24 year old phenom with 5 straight victories in the UFC. The Mexican kick boxer is seen by many as the future of the division, as he continues to improve with every fight and has one of the most unorthodox and effective styles below 170 pounds. This is no easy fight for both men, which makes a bet on BJ Penn vs. Yair Rodriguez one of the toughest fights to predict in recent memory.

BJ Penn vs. Yair Rodriguez betting odds

It shouldn’t come as a major surprise that BJ Penn is entering into this fight as a considerable underdog according to most online sportsbooks in the US. The Hawaiian MMA legend is 1-1-5 in his past seven fights, and has taken some hellacious beatings over the years from much larger fighters like Nick Diaz and Rory MacDonald. Intertops currently list Penn’s odds to win at 4.20. He is certainly a long shot, but it’s not like betting Tanzania wins the World Cup; Penn is still one of the best fighters in the world.

Rodriguez is in an entirely different realm of his career, and comes into this fight as a massive favorite with odds of 1.22. Penn is no pushover, however, and the fact that Yair struggled to get past Alex Caceres this past August might indicate he’s not quite ready to face the elite of the elite at 145 pounds. There’s no denying that those looking to bet on BJ Penn vs. Yair Rodriguez will likely be safer going with the favorite here, but it remains to be seen just how good both men are right now.

One of the biggest talking points here is that BJ Penn has finally joined a major fight camp, and perhaps the best one in the world at that. His training at Jackson-Winklejohn will surely help him to evolve his game, and we may very well see the best BJ Penn ever next Sunday.

Are you planning to bet on BJ Penn vs. Yair Rodriguez? Who do you think wins? Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below, and make sure to check out Intertops to find a full list of UFC betting odds.