Event: UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard 3
In the third installment of the Edgar/Maynard war, Frankie Edgar will once again try to avenge the only loss of his career.
Date/Time: Saturday, October 8, 2011, 9pm ET/6pm PT
Location: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Broadcast: Pay-per-view/ Spike TV
Main card:
Frankie Edgar (13-1-1): -150
Gray Maynard (10-0-1, 1 NC): +120
Betting: Bet on UFC 136 at BetOnline.com
Each fighter knows each other very well. Maynard will look to use his dominant wrestling while Edgar, no slouch in the wrestling game himself will try to use his emerging standup game to set up his fight plan. I see this fight going the same way as their draw – very, very close. But Edgar’s focus on his stand up will be the difference. Maynard is fairly predictable, Edgar is not so much!
Pick: Frankie Edgar -150
Jose Aldo (19-1): -290
Kenny Florian (15-5): +230
Jose Aldo will put an incredible 12 fight win streak on the line against possibly his toughest competition, the extremely well rounded Kenny Florian. Aldo will try to use his out of this world striking and relentless pace as per usual while Florian will likely try to take this fight to the ground where Aldo is slightly less effective. Florian will have a decided size advantage in this fight – a 3 inch height and 4 inch reach. Florian’s size will be too much for Aldo to handle.
Pick: Kenny Florian +230
Chael Sonnen (25-11-1): -280
Brian Stann (11-3): +220
Brian Stann asked for this fight but after Saturday night, he may wish that he didn’t. This fight has hate and title implications as well. The winner of this fight will likely get a title shot at Anderson Silva – you don’t think that Sonnen wants another crack? Sonnen is predictable but his take down and top game is absolutely top notch. Stann’s weak takedown defense will be a major hindrance as Sonnen dominates.
Pick: Chael Sonnen -280
Melvin Guillard (29-8-2): -300
Joe Lauzon (20-6): +240
Melvin Guillard is still waiting for some respect and ultimately his title shot. After Saturday, he just may get it. Guillard has been a different fighter since joining Greg Jackson’s training camp. His pace, his power and his “fight smarts” have been highlighted by his coach. Joe Lauzon is a tough guy but he, like so many others in the past few years is no match for Guillard.
Pick: Melvin Guillard -300
Leonard Garcia (15-7-1): +155
Nam Phan (16-9): -185
Some unfinished business will be resolved on Saturday when Nam Phan tries to avenge a loss to Leonard Garcia at the TUF 12 finale in a fight that Phan obviously won! Garcia has gotten by because of an aggressive style – the judges simply love his pace and the show he puts on. Nam Phan is a jiu-jitsu Black Belt – he needs to get this fight to the ground in order to get his first win in the UFC. Garcia’s fight plan won’t change, Phan’s has to. I like Garcia to get it done in impressive style on Saturday – Phan has been less than impressive so far on the big stage. [ad-3573245]
Pick: Leonard Garcia +155
Spike TV card:
Demian Maia (14-3): -280
Jorge Santiago (23-9): +220
Jorge Santiago comes into Saturday’s contest having finished 21 of 23 of his opponents but Demian Maia is a totally different kettle of fish. Maia will be motivated by his recent decision loss to mark Munoz. Maia’s world championship caliber jiu-jitsu and his experience will be enough for Maia to come out on top. His emerging stand up game and the fact that he has never been submitted are other reasons to take Maia.
Pick: Demian Maia -280
Anthony Pettis (13-2): -290
Jeremy Stephens (20-6): +230
Anthony Pettis brings his unorthodox style and his willingness to do whatever it takes to the Octagon Saturday. Jeremy Stevens has not shied away from tough competition – he is 4-1 against the best that the UFC has to offer (his only loss during that span was to Melvin Guillard). Clay Guida showed that there is a blueprint for defeating Pettis – you can count on the fact that Stevens watched that tape over and over!
Pick: Jeremy Stevens +230
Preliminary card:
Joey Beltran (13-5): +170
Stipe Miocic (6-0): -210
Stipe Miocic makes his UFC debut on Saturday but he is no stranger to the fight game. Miocic is a former NCAA Div I wrestler and is a former Golden Gloves champ. He will have to weather a storm against the notoriously tough Joey Beltran but once he does that I like him to finish Mr. Beltran.
Pick: Stipe Miocic -210
Darren Elkins (12-2): -105
Tiequan Zhang (15-1): -125
Incredibly well rounded Tiequan Zhang will try to do what he has done to so many others – submit Darren Elkins on his way to victory. It will be Elkins’s second fight at Featherweight and if he can impose his better wrestling, he may have a chance in this fight. That, however, is highly unlikely.
Pick: Tiequan Zhang -125
Eric Schafer (12-5-2): +265
Aaron Simpson (10-2): -340
Dominant wrestler Aaron Simpson will try to continue Eric Shafer’s misery against top notch wrestlers on Saturday night. Schafer has recently lost to Ryan Bader and Jason Brilz – Simpson is in their category.
Pick: Aaron Simpson -340
Steve Cantwell (7-4): -160
Mike Massenzio (12-5): +130
Mike Massenzio welcomes Steve Cantwell to the Middleweight division after Cantwell lost three straight at Light Heavyweight. Massenzio is a proven Middleweight – Cantwell is not. The weight cut will be a huge factor in this fight – Cantwell won’t be able to handle it!
Pick: Mike Massenzio +130
