Point of interest: Odds and opinions
The oddsmakers and public seem to be favoring the promotional newcomer, listing Cyborg -410 and Budd +330 as of this writing.
Though this isn’t the widest spread we’ve seen for a Cyborg fight, I have to state that – despite my official pick – I strongly disagree with the direction of this betting line, as the proverbial “value” is on the current Bellator champ.
Budd is one of the most well-built and proven featherweights in the history of this division and offers a legitimate, well rounded skill set that could stymie her Brazilian foe (particularly inside of the clinch). In fact, I suspect that a surprising amount of this battle will end up taking place in close – subsequently slowing some fan-friendly action in the process.
For that reason, I’m siding with Cyborg to get this done on the scorecards in what I see being a competitive affair. Sure, the challenger could spark off a finish in classic Cyborg fashion; but if she doesn’t, then I think she’ll still be able to punctuate the exchanges with the sitting champion while defending Budd’s takedowns along the way.
Prediction: Cyborg by decision