Jake Shields and Nick Diaz (+2000)
“These guys are former GSP opponents with big names. Both have fought GSP, and both of them also have that grappling background. Both are given a price of 20/1, big longshots. We just saw Nick Diaz compete in MMA, and it doesn’t look like combat sports are his priority. I think it would be more of him getting talked into it, and I don’t think that’s what it’s about. I added him to the list because he’s a former opponent and someone everyone is talking about. But as a sports bettor, I would say that the probabilities are extremely low. I just think that Georges is taking this more seriously, and wanting to compete, and I don’t think that Nick Diaz is still in that space.”
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Andre Galvalo, Craig Jones, Mason Fowler (+1250)
“I have three names from the BJJ and submission grappling world that I think make sense, and I made each of them +1250. At number one is Andre Galvalo. He’s inactive, but a legend of the sport. If anyone could bring him out it would be GSP, and it would make sense. GSP would want to take on a legend of submission grappling. Another name in there is Craig Jones. He beat Cerrone, he has that history of the Fight Pass Invitational, and is a leg lock specialist. The last one is Mason Fowler. He’s got championships in BJJ and submission grappling. He’s huge in that world. I think all three of them are in that +1250 range.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov (+250)
“Khabib, obviously, where there’s smoke there’s fire. I’m a huge, huge fan of that cliché. I just keep hearing that more and more and more. In the sports betting industry, whenever you hear the name, but then you’re hearing doubts like ‘that’s not even an option,’ but it continues to be passed around, you have to know it’s up there at the top. Honestly, I’ve done this long enough where he wouldn’t even be mentioned if he wasn’t near the top. We’re going to put him at +250.”
Gordon Ryan (+160)
“The favorite is Gordon Ryan at +160. Again, the biggest name in submission grappling facing arguably the biggest name in MMA. You can’t even create a bigger spectacle than that except for Khabib. I think everybody wants to see it. Gordon Ryan’s huge, so obviously there’s an issue there, but just speculation out here is that GSP is going to demand that kind of name if it’s going to come from the BJJ, submission grappling world. That’s why I think it has to be Gordon Ryan. No disrespect to the Jones’ and the Fowlers of the world, but I just think that GSP has such name recognition, and fan base, and just given the anticipation for him to return, it’s got to be a grand slam. Not a home run. Bases have to be loaded when he comes to bat, or he would not come to bat. I would say that for the last four. I would not be surprised if you saw an Usman, Silva, Khabib, or Ryan. Those top four guys, I think are live.”
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