The Insane Prop Bets of UFC 230

UFC 230 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York saw another run of upsets go down, and whenever that happens, more than often there are a number of crazy prop bets that cash. Below are five of the most insane prop bets to come through for big money at UFC 230:

Ronaldo Souza Wins in Round 3 (+1450)

One of the craziest moments of the event took place in the co-headliner, as Souza brutally knocked out Chris Weidman in a win that might earn him an elusive shot at the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title. Souza was counted out by many despite his being an elite fighter at 185 pounds, and he showed once again that he has more than just world-class grappling skills at his disposal. It was an outcome few expected, but it paid off handsomely for anyone who bet on it. The prop on Souza taking care of business by knockout was +502, but the most insane prop of all was “Jacare” winning in the third round, which was sitting out there at a robust +1450.

Jared Cannonier Wins in Round 2 (+1275)

One of the more shocking results from UFC 230 saw Jared Cannonier finish David Branch with strikes in the second round. Branch had the advantage early on, but Cannonier managed to weather the storm and close out the former two-division World Series of Fighting champion with ground-and-pound. Despite taking the fight on short notice and moving down a weight class, Cannonier emerged as one of the big winners at the event. The prop on Cannonier winning by knockout cashed at +590, and even better, the prop on him winning in Round 2 hit at +1275.

Lando Vannata-Matt Frevola Results in a Draw (+8000)

The biggest prop bet to cash on the card by far was Vannata-Frevola ending in a draw. Considering the finishing ability both men wield and considering the back-and-forth nature of the fight, it was surprising it went the full three rounds. What was even more surprising was the judges scoring it a draw, making it just the second deadlock of the year in the UFC. Draws are extremely rare inside the Octagon, so the odds on Vannata and Frevola fighting to a stalemate was available at +8000. It seems doubtful anyone out there could have predicted that outcome before the fight, but it serves as just another example of the sport’s unpredictability.

Shane Burgos Wins by Submission (+1050)

Another crazy prop that cashed was Shane Burgos tapping Kurt Holobaugh. For a time, it did not look like this prop had any prayer in the world to cash. Holobaugh dropped Burgos early in the fight and appeared as though he might have the upper hand in the bout. However, out of nowhere, Burgos managed to latch an armbar and become the first man to tap Holobaugh in MMA. It was the first submission win for Burgos since 2014 and could not have happened at a better time for the Team Tiger Schulmann rep. The prop on Burgos winning by submission hit at +1050.

Marcos Rogerio de Lima Wins by Decision (+1078)

One of the top prop bets on the whole card to cash actually came through in the first fight, as de Lima took a unanimous decision from Adam Wieczorek. Most of de Lima’s victories have come by stoppage, as have most of his losses, so it was quite surprising to see this fight go the full three rounds. The prop on de Lima taking home his first decision victory since 2010 was available at astounding +1078 odds.

Adam Martin is a mixed martial arts journalist who has been covering the sport since 2011. He is currently the lead odds analyst for Sherdog.com, as well as the lead staff writer for MMAOddsbreaker.com. Adam is also the co-host of “The Parting Shot Podcast” on iTunes. His favorite fight of all-time is Dan Henderson-Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and he wishes Pride Fighting Championships never died. Adam is based out of Toronto, and he is a graduate of the University of Toronto and Centennial College. Get in touch with him on Twitter at @MMAdamMartin.