MMA Affliction Free Picks + Betting Odds

[Qbins Missile Crisis]

MMA Betting - Dipping Into the Affliction Undercard

Donald Trump is at it again, taking yet another leap of business faith, this time into the overly-crowded MMA pool. Affliction has been dominating the fight gear game for some time now, and its vast name recognition made a transition into the fight promotion game a very plausible one. With the backing of Trump and his deep pockets, the new promotion presents a fantastic online gambling, money-making opportunity for fighters and the MMA wagering community alike.



One of the main reasons Affliction may turn out to be a gold mine for MMA betting enthusiasts is the sheer hype surrounding their fighters. Trump and the boys seem to be taking the opposite approach of the UFC, who like to bill the spectacle and the promotion as a whole as the draw--not the individual fighters. Those who have disagreed with that theory--Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, and now Tim Sylvia who headlines "Banned"--have been unceremoniously ousted by head-honcho Dana White. Saturday's card at the Honda Center is a very heavyweight-centric bill, featuring former champions from the UFC, PRIDE and the IFL to spice it up.

Sylvia, of course, is receiving most of the attention this week, as he takes on Fedor Emelianenko, who is widely regarded as the best fighter on planet earth. Last month, MMA expert Charles Jay explained quite eloquently why he believes "The Last Emperor" will wipe the mat with the UFC cast-off, so we'll take a look at a couple other money-maker heavyweight fights for those betting on Affliction this Saturday.

Aleksander "The Grim Reaper" Emelianenko (-350) vs. Paul "Headhunter" Buentello (+275)

Yes, that's Fedor's brother. The highly talented and heavily tattooed Russian might not be as good as his relative, but most still consider him a top 10 heavyweight nonetheless. However, standing across the ring from him is a former perennial contender, Buentello, who has been on a bit of a roll since a shocking 15 second loss to Andrei Arlovski in their 2005 UFC Heavyweight Title bout.

This may be a perfect chance to cash in on an underdog.

Aleksander hasn't exactly fought the stiffest of competition as of late (Silvao Santos, Dan Bobish, Jessie Gibson...see anyone you know yet?), which means a reputable fighter like Buentello may startle him. Both combatants are prone to slugging it out--only five of The Headhunter's 23 wins have come via submission, and three of those came in the 90s. Emelianenko is more well-versed on the mat, as a former SAMBO champion, however the majority of his wins have come via KO or TKO as well. Buentello is an accomplished kickboxer however, so if "The Grim Reaper" sticks to his ways and opts for the stand-up game, the more experienced American might just pull out an upset. Remember, any time two heavy-hitters step in the ring, anything can happen.

The Edge: Don't go crazy, but sprinkle a bit on Buentello.

Josh "The Babyface Assassin" Barnett (-400) vs. Pedro "The Rock" Rizzo (+300)

At first glace, the MMA wagering community should see this is as an outright mismatch. In one corner, we have Josh Barnett, one of the most decorated and successful fighters in North America and Japan. Contrarily, Pedro Rizzo appears to be well past his prime and has shown himself to be nothing more than a .500 fighter as of late.

Please, go with your instincts!

While this fight may be billed as a "rematch," neither fighter is what they were back in 2001 when Rizzo handed Barnett the only knockout loss of his career at UFC 30. The Brazilian can sure pack a punch--but The Babyface Assassin isn't going to walk into one this time around. Barnett is one of the most well-rounded and intelligent fighters in the world, one of few who can lay claim to winning the Pancrase and UFC Championships, putting him in elite company with legends such as Bas Rutten and Ken Shamrock. After being inactive from MMA in 2007, the Seattle native has won two fights in 2008 already. Rizzo, meanwhile, has only fought on two Art of War cards since 2006, and has continued to demonstrate an absolutely inability to work on the mat.

The Edge: Pound Barnett as hard as he will pound Rizzo into the canvas.

BetUS is your source for UFC betting lines, UFC odds, MMA betting, fight articles and free picks. Join BetUS today