The UFC arguably has a lot at stake Saturday night. In Jon Jones, they have the next great marketable superstar. He’s young, he’s athletic, he’s confident and he’s creative. He’s quite possibly the guy who will lead MMA to a new level of popularity. But the UFC is taking a big risk by giving him a title shot – arguably early – this Saturday against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
After a controversial card last Saturday that featured a draw in the main event and an illegal knee in the other top fight, the UFC hopes to make amends with a freebie on Versus this Thursday. Welterweight contenders Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann meet in the main event.
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…
While UFC 127 lacks the allure of a title fight, its main event has title implications. The winner of BJ Penn vs Jon Fitch will likely meet the winner of Georges St-Pierre and Jake Shields or, if GSP wins and moves up a weight class, will battle for the vacated welterweight belt.
The UFC presents their February 2011 card live from Las Vegas Nevada. The main event for UFC 126 features Anderson Silva (27-4) vs Vitor Belfort (19-8). Check out the latest UFC fight lines in our betting sportsbooks…
Saturday should be a doozie for both diehard UFC betting fans and casual fight fans. The three star-studded main matchups are the types that could turn non-UFC believers into believers. If you’re trying to convert any of your friends, UFC 126 is the card to do it. Let’s make some picks.
There’s something about fighting in front of the U.S. troops that gets mixed martial artists fired up. The last time the UFC hosted a Fight for the Troops, the card was particularly wild and bloody, with several fighters hospitalized.
The UFC presents their annual New Year’s card live from Las Vegas Nevada. The main event for UFC 125 features Gray Maynard taking on lightweight champion Frankie Edgar for the UFC title. Check out the latest UFC fight lines in our betting sportsbooks…
2010 was Frankie Edgar’s year in the UFC. Can the lightweight champion of the world start 2011 on a similar high note? Or will the New Year belong to challenger Gray Maynard, the only man ever to beat Edgar? Time to make a pick on the main event for Saturday’s UFC 125 plus some other bouts on the card.
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UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck II goes down this Saturday night, the fight we’ve been waiting to see ever since the first episode of The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 aired. On the line is the Welterweight Championship, a belt that Georges St. Pierre has been holding since UFC 83 when he won the belt back from Matt Serra. Looking to bet on UFC matchups?
The UFC travels to Montreal this weekend for a welterweight title fight that was a long time coming. After coaching the Ultimate Fighter against each other this fall, Georges St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck will finally have their rematch. Will cocky Koscheck slay the champ and get his revenge? Or is this another beatdown waiting to happen?
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This year’s season of the Ultimate Fighter, featuring Georges St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck as coaches, was perhaps the best yet – not because of the typical reality TV trapping but because the actual fights were so outstanding. That means we should be treated to a fun finale.
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Quinton Jackson is back in action on Saturday night, this time against one of the two or three best Light Heavyweights in the world. Looking to bet on UFC matchups?
UFC 123 has two Amazing tilts on the card, and a slew of other great matchups…
After a free-TV UFC 122 that lacked star power, the UFC bounces back with some very big names on the UFC 123 card. Here are my picks for the two main bouts – both of which feature former champs looking to climb back into their respective title pictures.
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UFC 122 is on the horizon and it offers some quality bouts that span the UFC weight classes. There are veterans hoping to reenter their respective title pictures, legitimate studs biding their time for a title shot and MMA prospects looking to make a name for themselves inside the Octagon.
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Event: UFC 122: Nate Marquardt vs. Yushin Okami
Date: November 13, 2010
Time: 10PM ET/7PM PT
Location: König Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
Broadcast: Spike TV (tape-delay) & PPV
Betting: Bet on UFC 122
Nate Marquardt (33-9-2): -220
Yushin Okami (26-5-0): +175
This is a crucial fight in which the winner will likely be in line for the next Middleweight Title shot. Both men come into the fight with a wealth of experience and both have had their Title aspirations derailed by the same man – Chael Sonnen.
While Okami’s style is a matchup nightmare for many UFC fighters, he has had troubles with good strikers and wrestlers in the past. Marquart fits both of those categories. If this fight stays standing, then Marquart’s technical striking ability will prevail but I have a feeling that this fight will end up on the mat. Okami moved his training to Oregon to train with the only fighter to beat him in the last six fights (the same fighter that beat up Marquart for his only defeat in his last five fights). I think that Sonnen’s influence on Okami will be the difference in this fight. Pick: Yushin Okami +175
Jorge Rivera (18-7): -120
Alessio Sakara (19-7): -110
Two UFC veterans meet in the second last fight of the evening. TUF 4 veteran Jorge Rivera will try to build off a recent hot streak when he takes on another winner of three straight bouts, Italian Alessio Sakara. The winner of this fight may be in line for a Title shot in the 185 pound division down the line.
Both of these fighters have decent striking ability – Rivera is a Muay Thai practitioner and Sakara is a former Pro Boxer. In a striker’s battle, I like the more powerful of the two. Pick: Jorge Rivera -120
Dennis Siver (16-7): -140
Andre Winner (12-4-1): +110
Home town boy, Dennis Siver looks to stay relevant in the Lightweight division while Andre Winner will be looking to bounce back into the win column on Saturday night. Siver is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is widely considered to be one of the most dangerous strikers in the Lightweight division, with power in both hands and both feet.
Winner has shown some promise and is a relatively good striker himself. However, Winner lacks the type of power necessary to deter Siver from barging in and doing damage. I like the well rounded home town boy in this one. Pick: Dennis Siver -140
Amir Sadollah (4-2): -300
Peter Sobotta (8-3): +220
TUF 7 winner, Amir Sadollah takes on another German fighter, Peter Sobotta on Saturday night. Both fighters are coming off tough losses – Sadollah to Dong Hyun Kim and Sadollah to James Wilks.
Sadollah is the emerging star of the two – his stand up and take down defense have grown light years since his time on the show. Sabotta has decent stand up and a good judo background but will be no match for the hungrier, more desperate prospect. Pick: Amir Sadollah -300
Krzysztof Soszynski (20-11-1): -115
Goran Reljic (8-2): -115
Two fighters that desperately need a win do battle on Saturday night. Soszynski is a TUF 8 semi-finalist has been up and down in his UFC career while Reljic has lost two straight fights himself. Soszynski will have the size advantage but his defensive deficiencies will be a boon for the Brazilian jiu-jitsu Brown Belt and heavy handed Reljic. Pick: Goran Reljic -115
Kyle Noke (17-4-1): -240
Rob Kimmons (23-5): +190
Two submission style fighters meet in the Middleweight division on Saturday night. Kyle Noke, a TUF 11 veteran, has won three of his last four fights while Kimmons has been inconsistent in his recent MMA career. Noke is the better rounded fighter, has better standup and maybe has the edge on the ground. Noke is better conditioned and trains a superior camp. Pick: Kyle Noke -240
Vladimir Matyushenko (24-5): -300
Alexandre Ferreira (18-6): +220
Former Light Heavyweight contender Vladamir Matyushenko takes on a UFC newcomer in attempts to once again climb the UFC ladder. Alexandre Ferreira is another MMA veteran who has a very good ground game in is currently on a seven fight win streak. Matyushenko is too rugged and too hungry to be denied in this one. Pick: Vladamir Matyushenko -300
Pascal Krauss (9-0): -220
Mark Scanlon (7-0): +175
Two unbeaten newcomers try to make a name for themselves in the UFC German born Pascal Krauss takes on submission specialist Mark Scanlon. Both fighters will look to take this fight to the ground but I like the ruggedness of Scanlon and the fact that he has fought and has been successful in better organizations in this fight. Pick: Mark Scanlon +175
Duane Ludwig (27-11): +200
Nick Osipczak (5-3): -260
Two fighters on two fight losing streaks will be fighting for their UFC lives on Saturday. Ludwig is a striker who has beaten the likes of Jens Pulver and Jonathan Goulet while Osipczak`s unorthodox style have given his competition fits in the past. Osipszak has all the tools but has been unable to put it all together – he is in deep in this contest. Pick: Duane Ludwig +200
Seth Petruzelli (14-6): -115
Karlos Vemola (8-1): -115
Seth Petruzelli is best known as the fighter that knocked out Kimbo Slice in 14 seconds but he is a decent all around fighter. Karlos Vemola was smothered by Jon Madsen in his last fight and ran out of gas along the way. Petruzelli should be able to employ his good footwork, punches and kicks on his way to an easy victory. Pick: Seth Petruzelli -115
Kris McCray (6-1): -110
Carlos Eduardo Rocha: (8-0): -120
Kris McCray, the TUF 11 runner-up will be looking for his first UFC win against newcomer and jiu-jitsu practitioner Carlos Rocha. McCray is a tough guy who should be able to use his good wrestling and takedown game to overwhelm the overmatched Rocha. Pick: Kris McCray -110
Admittedly, the fight card for UFC 122 in Germany is as weak on paper as any I can remember. But we know the rule by now: the cards with the fewest big names are often the most entertaining since the fighters on those cards have more to prove. So don’t be surprised if the free-TV event this Saturday treats us to some wars.
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