Valentina Shevchenko, Jon Jones open as overwhelming favorites in newly-booked title bouts

Oddsmakers aren’t putting much faith into Jessica Eye or Thiago Santos following the UFC’s latest round of championship bookings.

Both Eye and Santos opened as massive betting underdogs on Thursday for their respective title bouts against UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at UFC 238 and UFC 239. Eye opened as more than an 8-to-1 underdog (+825) opposite Shevchenko (-1250), while Santos opened as nearly a 6-to-1 underdog (+575) opposite Jones (-800), per internet bookmaker BetOnline.

The figures represent the most one-sided opening odds of Shevchenko’s career, and likewise of Jones since his 2012 battle against Vitor Belfort.

UFC 238 takes place June 8 at the United Center in Chicago, IL.

UFC 239 takes place July 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

Both events are headlined by a championship double-header, with Henry Cejudo vs. Marlon Moraes and Shevchenko vs. Eye leading UFC 238, and Jones vs. Santos and Amanda Nunes vs. Holly Holm leading UFC 239.

Cejudo, the current UFC flyweight champion, opened as a slight betting underdog (+155) to Moraes (-180) in UFC 238’s clash for the vacant bantamweight title.

Nunes, the UFC’s first-ever two-division women’s champion, opened as a healthy favorite (-320) to defend her bantamweight title against former titleholder Holm (-260).

A complete listing of opening betting odds for UFC 238 and UFC 239’s title bouts can be found below.

UFC 238

Henry Cejudo vs. Marlon Moraes
Henry Cejudo: +155 (31/20)
Marlon Moraes: -180 (5/9)

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Eye
Jessica Eye: +850 (17/2)
Valentina Shevchenko: -1250 (2/25)

UFC 239

Jon Jones vs. Thiago Santos
Jon Jones: -800 (1/8)
Thiago Santos: +575 (23/4)

Amanda Nunes vs. Holly Holm
Amanda Nunes: -320 (5/16)
Holly Holm: +260 (13/5)