UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch from Australia
The UFC presents their end of February 2011 card live from Sydney Australia. The main event for UFC 127 features Penn vs. Fitch. Two UFC veterans square off to determine who is next in line to challenge for the Welterweight Belt. Check out the latest UFC fight lines in our betting sportsbooks…
UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch
Date/Time: February 26, 2011 10PM ET/7PM PT
Venue: Acer Arena, Sydney, Australia
Broadcast: Pay-Per-View
Betting: Bet on UFC 127 at Sportsbook.com
Main Card
BJ Penn (16-7-1): +165
Jon Fitch (26-3-0, 1NC): -210
Two UFC veterans square off to determine who is next in line to challenge for the Welterweight Belt. Penn will be looking to challenge the title for the second time whole Fitch will be trying to attain Gold for the first time. It is a classic clash of styles – Fitch is a smothering wrestler and Penn does his best work with crisp boxing but also has a superb jiu-jitsu game.
Penn will have to keep this fight standing in order to secure victory and Fitch needs to take this fight to the ground. We have all seen the troubles that Penn has with relentless top notch wrestlers – Frankie Edgar beat him twice and Georges St. Pierre also beat him twice. Expect a similar outcome in this one – Pen just can’t hand with elite level wrestlers! Pick: Jon Fitch -200
Michael Bisping (19-3-0): -375
Jorge Rivera (18-6-0): +275
Two fighters looking to make some noise in the UFC Middleweight division meet on Saturday with the winner at least getting some consideration for the next title shot. Two strikers take to the Octagon with absolutely no love for each other – it should be a good one!
Rivera really wants this fight and sees it as a major opportunity to put himself on the Middleweight map. His style may just give Bisping fits. Bisping will use his superior footwork in this one to stay on the outside but if Rivera can catch up with him, Bisping could be in some trouble. I think Bisping’s cockiness and Rivera’s granite chin will be the difference in this one. Pick the upset! Pick: Jorge Rivera +275
Dennis Siver (17-7-0): +250
George Sotiropoulos (13-2-0): -350
Two Lightweight prospects tangle in what is an early favorite for Fight of the Night. George Sotiropoulos will try to make it eight straight wins against Mirko Cro-Cop’s mini-me Dennis Siver. Both men have fought and defeated some decent talent in recent fights and both will be looking to take that next step in the UFC.
Sotiropoulos is regarded as one of the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in the UFC who has worked hard on improving his wrestling and his striking. Siver is a former kick boxer who has an emerging grappling game.
I like the all around talents of Sotiropoulos in this fight. Not only does he have his eyes firmly fixed on a title shot, but he is battling in front of his home town crowd. Siver may get the better of the standup but eventually this fight is going to hit the mat. Once there, Sotiropoulos is absolutely lethal. Pick: George Sotiropoulos -350
Kyle Noke (18-4-1): -210
Chris Camozzi (14-3-0): +165
In a Middleweight battle between TUF 11 alums, hometown boy Kyle Noke takes on Chris Camozzi. Both men are well rounded and both have won two fights in a row since appearing on the reality show.
This fight is going to come down to who is better prepared and that distinction goes to Kyle Noke who is trained by the best in the business – Greg Jackson. Camozzi is good at every aspect of MMA but Noke is just a little better in the standup and on the ground. Pick: Kyle Noke -210
Brian Ebersole (46-14-1, 1 NC): +210
Chris Lytle (40-17-4): -280
This fight was supposed to be a battle between Carlos Condit and Chris Lytle but Condit injured his knee in training. Enter 67 fight veteran, Brian Ebersole. Who has won 11 of his last 12 fights but has yet to step inside a UFC Octagon.
Lytle is one of the toughest guys in the sport and should have his way with the fill-in Ebersole. Lytle is a world class grappler, has a great chin and good hands. Anywhere this fight goes; Lytle will have a distinct edge. Pick: Chris Lytle -280
Preliminary Card
Spencer Fisher (24-6-0): +155
Ross Pearson (11-4-0): -190
A battle of Lightweight strikers is on tap for Saturday night with Spencer Fisher and Ross Pearson looking to climb the ladder in their division. Fisher has had a tough time in recent fights but is coming off a win last time out while Pearson had won three straight before losing last time out to Cole Miller.
I like The Ultimate Fighter 9 winner to further Fisher’s misery in what could be his last fight in the UFC. Although Fisher has fought the best in the world, his time appears to be over. Pick: Ross Pearson -190
James Te Huna (13-4-0): +250
Alexander Gustafsson (10-1-0): -350
Two great strikers find themselves on the Preliminary Card of UFC 127 – both fighters will be looking for the performance that would put them on the Main Card of a future UFC event. James Te Huna is currently riding a six fight win streak against very tough Swedish fighter Alexander Gustafsson.
Both these fighters will look to strike their way to victory but if the fight happens to hit the mat, Gustafsson will have the distinct advantage. Te Huna is a tough guy but has never fought outside Australia. I think the limited top notch experience will be his undoing. Pick: Alexander Gustafsson -350
Nick Ring (8-0-0): +105
Riki Fukada (17-4-0): -135
Japanese MMA veteran Riki Fukada takes on undefeated Canadian Nick Ring in Middleweight action on Saturday. Fukada has beaten some quality fighters in his career – Murilo Rua and Ryuta Sakurai to name a couple while Nick Ring has fought some tough competition in his career too.
Fakuda is on a seven fight win streak and should be too much for Ring, who has been out of action for 18 months. Ring is good, but Octagon Rust will be the difference. Pick: Riki Fukada -135
Mark Hunt (5-7-0): +200
Chris Tuchscherer (18-3-0): -260
MMA legend Mark Hunt attempts to put an end to a brutal six fight losing streak when he takes on Brock Lesnar training partner Chris Tuchscherer in Heavyweight action. Hunt’s superb K-1 and Pride career hasn’t translated to success in the UFC quite yet.
Look for the methodical college wrestler Tuchscherer to put an end to Mark Hunt’s UFC career on Saturday – Tuchscherer is too much off a bull for Hunt to stop. Pick: Chris Tuchscherer -260
Tom Blackledge (10-6-0): -180
Anthony Perosh (10-6-0): +150
Tom Blackledge brings his up and down MMA career to the UFC in his debut fight on Saturday against second degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu Black Belt Anthony Perosh. Blackledge fights out of Wolfslair academy which means one thing – no ground game to speak of! Against a high level grappler like Perosh, this is not good news! Pick: Anthony Perosh +150
Maciej Jewtuszko (8-0-0): -140
Kurt Warburton (6-2-0): +110
In Featherweight action Maciej Jewtuszko makes his UFC debut against another Wolfslair Academy fighter Kurt Warburton who lost his UFC debut against Spencer Fisher. Jewtuszko was impressive in his WEC debut winning Knockout of the Night and has finished every fighter he’s been in the Octagon with – by strikes and by submission. I expect the role to continue! Pick: Maciej Jewtuszko -140
Tiequan Zhang (11-1-0): -300
Jason Reinhardt (20-1-0): +220
Chinese national Tiequan Zhang takes on Jason Reinhart in featherweight action as the first fight on the UFC 127 card. Reinhart has been out of action for over three years for various reasons while Zhang has compiled a decent recent resume. Pick: Tiequan Zhang -300
