UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman
Arguably the greatest mixed martial arts practitioner in history returns to the Octagon Saturday against an opponent that most feel will be his toughest test to date – the undefeated Chris Weidman.
UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman
Date: July 6, 2013
Time: 10pm ET/7pm PT
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Broadcast: Pay-per-view, FX and Facebook prelims
UFC Odds From Bovada
MAIN CARD
(Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Champ Anderson Silva (33-4-0): -240
Chris Weidman (9-0-9): +190
Weidman is perceived as an absolute stylistic nightmare for the Spider but a look at his resume reveals the lack of true competition that the challenger has been in against – Mark Munoz is his toughest competitor to date – a far cry from what Weidman is about to see Saturday night.
We all know what Anderson Silva brings to the Octagon – the best standup game in the sport, good takedown defense, an unparalleled creativeness and a very underrated submission game. Simply put, Silva can beat you anywhere the fight happens to go. Silva will have the added motivation of a legion of fans that believe his status as the best that ever lived is overstated and that he is bound to lose at some time.
Weidman is the best ground fighter in the Middleweight division – hands down. He brings a wrestling ability second to almost none, a terrific submission game and a way of getting a fight to the ground and keeping it there. Weidman is a far better version of Chael Sonnen who was the closest man to defeating the legend. Long story short – Anderson’s weaknesses are Weidman’s strengths.
While you absolutely have to love Anderson Silva and what he did for the sport, you have to think that he may have met his match in Chris Weidman who matches up almost too well with the champ. Weidman is a smart guy (he has a degree in psychology) and will use that cerebral edge to study the things that Chael Sonnen did against Anderson. Nobody has been able to keep Weidman from taking them down and once on the ground this will be the challenger’s fight. Silva’s streak and reign as undisputed champ comes to an end Saturday!
Pick: Chris Weidman +190
Frankie Edgar (14-4-1): -550
Charles Oliveira (16-3-0): +375
Frankie Edgar will be looking to put an end to an uncharacteristic three fight losing streak Saturday night when he takes on Charles Oliveira. It’s not that Edgar has been bad – he’s lost to Benson Henderson and Jose Aldo, it’s just that he has come up a tad short against the best the sport has to offer.
Charles Oliveira ain’t quite the best the sport has to offer. Edgar is still one of the most talented, most dedicated and hardest working non-champions in the UFC right now. He may not quite be at that A+ level anymore but he is certainly an A- at worst. Oliveira is a B fighter at best. Oliveira finds out what it takes to be a Top 5 fighter as Edgar takes a lopsided unanimous decision.
Pick: Frankie Edgar -550
Roger Gracie (6-1-0): +125
Tim Kennedy (15-4-0): -155
Middleweights looking to jump into the top 10 in the division square off Saturday night when newcomer to the UFC Roger Gracie takes on former Green Beret Tim Kennedy who had two shots at the Strikeforce Middleweight Title and lost both in unanimous decisions – Kennedy certainly isn’t scared of the big stage!
Gracie will have the height and reach advantage as well as an edge on the ground but Gracie has shown to be vulnerable against strikers – something that Kennedy should be able to exploit. Kennedy’s submission defense will be the key here as well – I think it’s good enough. Kennedy’s striking advantage will lead to the necessary points to claim victory – Gracie won’t be able to handle the power nor the pressure of Mr. Kennedy.
Pick: Tim Kennedy -155
Dennis Siver (21-8-0): +190
Cub Swanson (19-5-0): -240
Featherweights looking for a shot at Jose Aldo will be looking to make a statement Saturday when Cub Swanson takes on Dennis Siver. Siver drops another weight class for this fight hoping to find a comfort zone. He does bring a varied skill set to the Octagon however – BJJ, Tae Kwon Do, Sambo, Kickboxing and Judo.
Swanson on the other hand looked very impressive in beating a very tough Dustin Poirier in his last bout. That makes him 4-0 in his last four fights with three KOs during that span. He is a very dangerous dude indeed.
Although I love Swanson’s aggressiveness, I think that it his undoing in this fight. At +190, I am willing to take a shot on an underdog who is more well rounded and has seen about everything there is to see in the world of fighting. In a coin flip, I’ll take the dog!
Pick: Dennis Siver +190
Tim Boetsch (16-5-0): +110
Mark Munoz (12-3-0): -140
Two of the top 10 fighters in the Middleweight Division do battle Saturday – both looking to rebound after a loss in their last fights. Munoz has not fought in over a year and there were whispers of him letting himself go physically and psychologically after his devastating loss to Chris Weidman. The question is – can he get back his mojo after seeming to lose his will? [ad-3573245]
Tim Boetsch hasn’t been all that impressive as of late either – a loss to Constantine Philippou last time out followed a rather unflattering win over Hector Lombard. Boetsch will have the striking edge in this one and perhaps the psychological advantage as well and I think that is where the fight will be won.
The wrestling chops between the two is awash, but Munoz’s sketchy chin will be tested and will eventually fail him again as Boetsch wins this one by TKO.
Pick: Tim Boetsch +110
PRELIMINARY CARD
(FX, 8 p.m. ET)
Andrew Craig (8-1-0): -145 vs. Chris Leben (22-9-0): +115
Pick: Andrew Craig -145
Norman Parke (17-2-0): -190 vs. Kazuki Tokudome (12-3-1): +155
Pick: Norman Parke -190
Edson Barboza (11-1-0): -600 vs. Rafaello Oliveira (16-5-0): +400
Pick: Edson Barboza -600
Gabriel Gonzaga (14-7-0): -240 vs. Dave Herman (21-5-0): +190
Pick: Dave Herman +190
PRELIMINARY CARD
(Facebook, 7 p.m. ET)
Seth Baczynski (18-9-0): -260 vs. Brian Melancon (6-2-0): +200
Pick: Seth Baczynski -260
David Mitchell (12-2-0): +350 vs. Mike Pierce (16-5-0): -500
Pick: Mike Pierce -500
