SAN DIEGO – Brent Primus is out to prove the oddsmakers wrong at Bellator 300.
Primus (12-3 MMA, 10-3 BMMA) meets lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov (17-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) in the grand prix semifinals Saturday at Pechanga Arena. The main card, which features three title fights, airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Undefeated Nurmagomedov has lived up to the hype since joining the Bellator roster, and has been pegged as a massive favorite to beat Primus. A former Bellator lightweight titleholder, Primus is confident he can not only spoil the party, but finish Nurmagomedov.
“I know he’s a tough opponent,” Primus told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “I prepared really well for this fight and I’m ready for anything. I’m going to shock everybody and he’s going to be 17-1 after Saturday.”
According to BetMGM, Primus is a whopping +1050 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the challenger would net a $1050 profit. Nurmagomedov is a -2500 favorite, meaning a $2500 bet would be needed on the champion to return $100 profit.
Considering that Primus is a former champion, the lopsided odds could be viewed as offensive. But, the 38-year-old veteran is embracing that role.
“I like being the underdog,” Primus said. “I feel like I do better when I’m the underdog. I don’t like it when people are like, ‘Oh, you’re going to win, you’re going to go out there and kill it.’ I like being the underdog, I’ve been the underdog a lot, and I’ve proven a lot of people wrong. So, let’s go. I’m going to shock everybody like I said and this is exactly where I want to be.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 300.
