Despite submission loss, Conor McGregor is a betting favourite over Nate Diaz in potential rematch

Sometimes, the MMA world is a little counter-intuitive.

One might expect Conor McGregor to open up as betting underdog in the oft-discussed rematch with Nate Diaz, who beat the Irishman via rear naked choke in the second round of UFC 196 earlier this month. But that's not the case. With the circulating rumours that McGregor vs. Diaz II is going to be the main event of UFC 200 continuing to gather momentum, bookmakers are beginning to formulate odds for the fight. And according to Vegas odds, as highlighted by bestfightodds.com, McGregor is expected to avenge the March 5 defeat once he gets back into the Octagon with Diaz. McGregor is considered a -170 (3/5) favourite to beat Diaz in a rematch while the Stockton fighter has opened as a +140 (7/5) underdog to go 2-0 against McGregor. As proven in their initial meeting, odds mean very little once the cage door slams shut but it is certainly interesting to note that McGregor's first promotional defeat has done very little to take the shine off of his air of invincibility.