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The Ultimate Fighting Championship's international expansion has a new destination. Macau, a special administrative region of China known for tourism and gambling, is expected to host a UFC event "very soon," said Dana White, president of UFC parent Zuffa.
"It will happen this year," White told MMAjunkie-com. "We're this close. We are going to do a fight in China."
China has never hosted a UFC event, though it's long been on the organization's radar. As the only area in China with legal gambling, Macau generates more revenue from that industry than any other city in the world, including Las Vegas and Singapore.
Read More; UFC heading for Macau 'very soon' ? USATODAY-com
"It will happen this year," White told MMAjunkie-com. "We're this close. We are going to do a fight in China."
China has never hosted a UFC event, though it's long been on the organization's radar. As the only area in China with legal gambling, Macau generates more revenue from that industry than any other city in the world, including Las Vegas and Singapore.
Read More; UFC heading for Macau 'very soon' ? USATODAY-com
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Online gambling group 888 have signed MMA world champion Georges St-Pierre as a global brand ambassador.
St-Pierre, who has 22 career wins to his name, has agreed a year-long deal that commenced in March 2012.
The arrangement will see the French Canadian fighter become a member of Team 888poker, playing in the Main Event at the 2012 World Series of Poker as well as at a number of other live events. He will also be playing online at 888poker.com, partaking in special promotions which will help raise funds for anti-bullying charities.
Known as GSP, the 30-year-old fighter holds the record for the most consecutive welterweight title defences.
St-Pierre said: "I am very excited to become a global brand ambassador for Team 888poker. I have wanted to play poker for a while now as it is a great game of skill. It is not just your cards versus my cards, it is you versus your opponent.
“However, the most important aspect of my partnership with 888poker is that we are going to generate a great deal of money for my foundation that dedicates its efforts towards anti-bullying causes.”
St-Pierre, who has 22 career wins to his name, has agreed a year-long deal that commenced in March 2012.
The arrangement will see the French Canadian fighter become a member of Team 888poker, playing in the Main Event at the 2012 World Series of Poker as well as at a number of other live events. He will also be playing online at 888poker.com, partaking in special promotions which will help raise funds for anti-bullying charities.
Known as GSP, the 30-year-old fighter holds the record for the most consecutive welterweight title defences.
St-Pierre said: "I am very excited to become a global brand ambassador for Team 888poker. I have wanted to play poker for a while now as it is a great game of skill. It is not just your cards versus my cards, it is you versus your opponent.
“However, the most important aspect of my partnership with 888poker is that we are going to generate a great deal of money for my foundation that dedicates its efforts towards anti-bullying causes.”
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Fan favorite Brian Stann returns to the Octagon this weekend as a big favorite against Alessio Sakara. This fight promises to be an entertaining matchup on the UFC on Fuel TV main card as both fighters are coming off losses and need a victory to remain in the mix in the UFC Middleweight division. Get your UFC odds for the bout at Bovada.
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Six months ago Stann was fighting Chael Sonnen for an opportunity at the UFC Middleweight title. That didn’t work out in Stann’s favor, as Sonnen out-wrestled him for a submission finish. But against Sakara the former war hero will be in the Octagon against a stand-up fighter, and as we’ve seen in the past Stann’s striking power is some of the best in the division.
Currently oddsmakers at Bovada have Stann as a -380 favorite on the UFC betting lines to beat Sakara and that price will likely climb as fight time approaches. The former Marine has only had trouble against elite wrestlers and will be out to put Sakara away as soon as possible.
Sakara is coming off a layoff of more than a year following a knee injury. Before meeting up with undefeated Chris Weidman on short notice Sakara was on a three-fight win streak that included victories over James Irvin and Thales Leites.
Bovada has +330 underdog MMA odds on Sakara to upset Stann this weekend. That’s a pretty nice payout on a fighter with a professional boxing record of 8-1 in a fight that’s almost sure to remain standing for the duration.
If Sakara can keep his distance and stick and move against Stann he could win via decision. If he can’t find a safe range and finds himself at the end of one of Stann’s heavy shots it will most likely be lights out for the night and perhaps his UFC career.
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Six months ago Stann was fighting Chael Sonnen for an opportunity at the UFC Middleweight title. That didn’t work out in Stann’s favor, as Sonnen out-wrestled him for a submission finish. But against Sakara the former war hero will be in the Octagon against a stand-up fighter, and as we’ve seen in the past Stann’s striking power is some of the best in the division.
Currently oddsmakers at Bovada have Stann as a -380 favorite on the UFC betting lines to beat Sakara and that price will likely climb as fight time approaches. The former Marine has only had trouble against elite wrestlers and will be out to put Sakara away as soon as possible.
Sakara is coming off a layoff of more than a year following a knee injury. Before meeting up with undefeated Chris Weidman on short notice Sakara was on a three-fight win streak that included victories over James Irvin and Thales Leites.
Bovada has +330 underdog MMA odds on Sakara to upset Stann this weekend. That’s a pretty nice payout on a fighter with a professional boxing record of 8-1 in a fight that’s almost sure to remain standing for the duration.
If Sakara can keep his distance and stick and move against Stann he could win via decision. If he can’t find a safe range and finds himself at the end of one of Stann’s heavy shots it will most likely be lights out for the night and perhaps his UFC career.
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Alexander Gustafsson will be looking to record his fifth straight win in the UFC when he steps into the Octagon against former contender Thiago Silva at UFC on Fuel TV this weekend. Gustafsson will get that chance in front of a hometown crowd in the first UFC event ever held in his native Sweden. Get your UFC betting line for the event at Bovada.
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The Light Heavyweight up-and-comer will look to utilize his boxing skills and reach advantage to wear down Silva for the victory; oddsmakers at Bovada currently have Gustafsson listed as a -230 favorite. (Check out the UFC odds now).
A win will put the Swede in a good position in the UFC Light Heavyweight title contention picture. If Jon Jones beats Rashad Evans, and Gustafsson gets past Silva in spectacular fashion, he could find himself next in line for a title shot.
Silva is returning to action following a year-long suspension for submitting tainted urine samples following his fight against Brandon Vera. That year off has also given Silva the opportunity to heal an injured neck that has been nagging him since 2009.
If Silva is able to regain the form he had three years ago before the neck injury Gustafsson could be in for a battle. Silva comes with heavy hands and pure aggression, and if he can get inside his opponent’s range he has the ability to stop any fighter at 205 pounds.
The upset line on Silva is currently worth +180 at Bovada. That payout has dropped slightly from the initial +190 line as more of the action thus far has opted for the upset chances in this fight.
What we do know is that Silva will not be affected by the hostile crowd or the hype surrounding his highly-touted opponent. The Brazilian will step into the Octagon throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of a KO victory.
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The Light Heavyweight up-and-comer will look to utilize his boxing skills and reach advantage to wear down Silva for the victory; oddsmakers at Bovada currently have Gustafsson listed as a -230 favorite. (Check out the UFC odds now).
A win will put the Swede in a good position in the UFC Light Heavyweight title contention picture. If Jon Jones beats Rashad Evans, and Gustafsson gets past Silva in spectacular fashion, he could find himself next in line for a title shot.
Silva is returning to action following a year-long suspension for submitting tainted urine samples following his fight against Brandon Vera. That year off has also given Silva the opportunity to heal an injured neck that has been nagging him since 2009.
If Silva is able to regain the form he had three years ago before the neck injury Gustafsson could be in for a battle. Silva comes with heavy hands and pure aggression, and if he can get inside his opponent’s range he has the ability to stop any fighter at 205 pounds.
The upset line on Silva is currently worth +180 at Bovada. That payout has dropped slightly from the initial +190 line as more of the action thus far has opted for the upset chances in this fight.
What we do know is that Silva will not be affected by the hostile crowd or the hype surrounding his highly-touted opponent. The Brazilian will step into the Octagon throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of a KO victory.
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The future of the UFC will be on display this weekend at UFC 145 when rising Canadian MMA star Rory MacDonald returns to the Octagon to face U.K. prospect Che Mills. Get your betting lines for UFC 145 today.
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MacDonald has been a wrecking machine in the UFC and is already considered to be one of the best Welterweights in the world at the tender age of 22. His only blemish was a KO loss to current UFC Welterweight Interim champion Carlos Condit with only seven seconds remaining in the third round, and he was winning that fight on all cards before Condit landed a lucky shot to steal the win.
Oddsmakers at Bovada currently have MacDonald as a heavy -500 favorite to beat Mills, and even that price looks like a bargain. The Canadian should be fighting top-ranked competition, but at his age there’s still no reason to push him into the limelight just yet. The one thing that could come into play against MacDonald is if he underestimates his opponent and gets too comfortable.
MMA fans first saw Che Mills on the Ultimate Fighter U.K vs. U.S. season. An early round loss to the eventual winner James Wilks knocked him out of the show, but he has managed to string together five straight wins including a 40-second KO win over Chris Cope in his UFC debut.
Oddsmakers at Bovada have Mills handicapped as a +350 favorite to beat MacDonald, which is a good price on a fighter who has shown that he has the power to stop anyone at 170 pounds. He won’t be able to match technique with the Canadian, and will likely need that power to win the fight, but at that big of a payout he may be worth the risk.
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MacDonald has been a wrecking machine in the UFC and is already considered to be one of the best Welterweights in the world at the tender age of 22. His only blemish was a KO loss to current UFC Welterweight Interim champion Carlos Condit with only seven seconds remaining in the third round, and he was winning that fight on all cards before Condit landed a lucky shot to steal the win.
Oddsmakers at Bovada currently have MacDonald as a heavy -500 favorite to beat Mills, and even that price looks like a bargain. The Canadian should be fighting top-ranked competition, but at his age there’s still no reason to push him into the limelight just yet. The one thing that could come into play against MacDonald is if he underestimates his opponent and gets too comfortable.
MMA fans first saw Che Mills on the Ultimate Fighter U.K vs. U.S. season. An early round loss to the eventual winner James Wilks knocked him out of the show, but he has managed to string together five straight wins including a 40-second KO win over Chris Cope in his UFC debut.
Oddsmakers at Bovada have Mills handicapped as a +350 favorite to beat MacDonald, which is a good price on a fighter who has shown that he has the power to stop anyone at 170 pounds. He won’t be able to match technique with the Canadian, and will likely need that power to win the fight, but at that big of a payout he may be worth the risk.
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The Ultimate Fighting Championship sees no humor in a mixed martial arts website's joke about betting on light-heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones.
UFC and its president, Dana White, got a retraction from CagePotato-com this week after the site on Saturday posted a picture of him and Jones with the caption:
"Not only am I paying Bones to wear UFC logos on his walkout gear next weekend, I also placed a $500,000 bet that he'd beat Rashad. Oh s---. I guess I shouldn't have said that out loud."
Read More: UFC demands retraction from website
UFC and its president, Dana White, got a retraction from CagePotato-com this week after the site on Saturday posted a picture of him and Jones with the caption:
"Not only am I paying Bones to wear UFC logos on his walkout gear next weekend, I also placed a $500,000 bet that he'd beat Rashad. Oh s---. I guess I shouldn't have said that out loud."
Read More: UFC demands retraction from website
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Bet on Torres and McDonald at UFC 145 (Flickr Creative Commons)
MMA betting fans have a rare opportunity this weekend as one of the best Bantamweight fighters in the world will come at an inexpensive price at UFC 145.
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Former WEC Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres will face highly-touted up-and-comer Michael McDonald, with the winner climbing higher in the Bantamweight contender rankings.
Oddsmakers at Bovada currently have the fight handicapped nearly even with Torres as the slim -120 favorite. Action on Torres usually costs much more than that, especially against opponents that are not considered Top 10 competition. Torres has fought in some of the biggest fights in the history of the WEC, and the scope of this important fight will be nothing new to him.
McDonald will be taking the biggest step up in class of his career when he faces Torres at UFC 145. This will also be his first time on the main card of a stacked UFC pay-per-view, all things that can come into play for a young fighter on the edge of breaking into the elite of his weight class. Get your UFC odds for the bout today.
McDonald looked impressive in his last fight, knocking out Alex Soto inside of the first minute of the first round. Oddsmakers at Bovada are giving him a good chance to win and currently have him handicapped a slight -110 underdog.
Keys to victory for Torres will be to keep a proper distance and land strikes from the outside. He will need to utilize the clinch as he always does, and if possible get the fight to the ground where his elite submission skills can end the bout in an instant.
McDonald will need to land heavy shots and counter-punch Torres’ aggression when possible. The one thing that he does not want to do is take the fight to the ground, where he will likely get submitted in short order.
MMA betting fans have a rare opportunity this weekend as one of the best Bantamweight fighters in the world will come at an inexpensive price at UFC 145.
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Former WEC Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres will face highly-touted up-and-comer Michael McDonald, with the winner climbing higher in the Bantamweight contender rankings.
Oddsmakers at Bovada currently have the fight handicapped nearly even with Torres as the slim -120 favorite. Action on Torres usually costs much more than that, especially against opponents that are not considered Top 10 competition. Torres has fought in some of the biggest fights in the history of the WEC, and the scope of this important fight will be nothing new to him.
McDonald will be taking the biggest step up in class of his career when he faces Torres at UFC 145. This will also be his first time on the main card of a stacked UFC pay-per-view, all things that can come into play for a young fighter on the edge of breaking into the elite of his weight class. Get your UFC odds for the bout today.
McDonald looked impressive in his last fight, knocking out Alex Soto inside of the first minute of the first round. Oddsmakers at Bovada are giving him a good chance to win and currently have him handicapped a slight -110 underdog.
Keys to victory for Torres will be to keep a proper distance and land strikes from the outside. He will need to utilize the clinch as he always does, and if possible get the fight to the ground where his elite submission skills can end the bout in an instant.
McDonald will need to land heavy shots and counter-punch Torres’ aggression when possible. The one thing that he does not want to do is take the fight to the ground, where he will likely get submitted in short order.
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Brendan Schaub and Ben Rothwell are both coming off tough losses in their last UFC fights and will need a victory if they hope to stay in the Heavyweight picture. They meet this weekend at UFC 145, and oddsmakers at Bovada are currently handicapping the fight in Schaub’s favor. Weigh in on the MMA betting lines today.
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It’s not a surprise that Schaub is the Bovada favorite in this matchup, but it is a bit of a surprise that he’s currently a -270 favorite. Despite beating names like Gabriel Gonzaga and Mirko Filipovic, it’s no secret that the chin of Schaub isn’t exactly made of granite. As well, with only 10 fights thus far in his pro career it’s safe to say that he still has a few years of developing ahead of him.
Rothwell’s fight record is an impressive resume of battles against many of the best Heavyweights in the sport. He will bring a vast amount of experience with him to the Octagon on Saturday night, yet oddsmakers at Bovada have him handicapped as the +210 underdog. That payout looks like a real bargain considering his experience and power.
Keys to victory for Schaub will consist of utilizing his athleticism and footwork to beat Rothwell to the punch and hurt him from outside. Schaub will need to stay away from slugging it out and getting pinned on the cage, where Rothwell can use his size and wrestling skills.
Rothwell will need to get his hands on Schaub and use his size and strength to control and wear down his younger opponent. Big Ben has the power to end the fight at any point if he lands a big shot, but he’d need to find a way to get close enough to pull that off.
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It’s not a surprise that Schaub is the Bovada favorite in this matchup, but it is a bit of a surprise that he’s currently a -270 favorite. Despite beating names like Gabriel Gonzaga and Mirko Filipovic, it’s no secret that the chin of Schaub isn’t exactly made of granite. As well, with only 10 fights thus far in his pro career it’s safe to say that he still has a few years of developing ahead of him.
Rothwell’s fight record is an impressive resume of battles against many of the best Heavyweights in the sport. He will bring a vast amount of experience with him to the Octagon on Saturday night, yet oddsmakers at Bovada have him handicapped as the +210 underdog. That payout looks like a real bargain considering his experience and power.
Keys to victory for Schaub will consist of utilizing his athleticism and footwork to beat Rothwell to the punch and hurt him from outside. Schaub will need to stay away from slugging it out and getting pinned on the cage, where Rothwell can use his size and wrestling skills.
Rothwell will need to get his hands on Schaub and use his size and strength to control and wear down his younger opponent. Big Ben has the power to end the fight at any point if he lands a big shot, but he’d need to find a way to get close enough to pull that off.
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One of the best fighters outside of the UFC will be in action this Friday night when former Bellator Lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez returns to the cage against former Dream Lightweight champion Shinya Aoki. Get your MMA betting line for the fight at Bovada.
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These two met back in 2008 at Dynamite 8 where Aoki cinched in a heel-hook for a first-round submission victory. Despite that victory, oddsmakers at Bovada currently have Aoki handicapped as the +190 underdog while action on Alvarez currently costs -240.
Both fighters have compiled impressive records since they last met; Aoki has gone 11-2, while a seven-fight win streak for Alvarez was snapped when Michael Chandler took away his Bellator Lightweight championship his last time in the cage.
Of the two it has been Alvarez who’s been fighting the tougher competition over that period of time. Victories over fighters like Toby Imada, Josh Neer, Roger Huerta, and Pat Curran are far more impressive than the wins Aoki has compiled fighting in Japan.
Aoki has had two fights in North America for Strikeforce, going 1-1. Granted his lone loss was to pound-for-pound Top 10 Strikeforce Lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez, so fighting a big name in America will not be a completely new experience for the Japanese MMA legend.
Alvarez will be looking to get back on track in pursuit of his title as well as avenging an old loss. He will likely test out his boxing skills in an attempt to wear down his opponent, eventually taking the fight to the ground to utilize a ground-and-pound attack.
Aoki will want to close the distance early in the fight and use his judo skills to take down Alvarez to utilize a submission attack with his jiu-jitsu skills. He will be most dangerous on the ground, where he will be able to end the fight at any moment with world-class unpredictable submissions.
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These two met back in 2008 at Dynamite 8 where Aoki cinched in a heel-hook for a first-round submission victory. Despite that victory, oddsmakers at Bovada currently have Aoki handicapped as the +190 underdog while action on Alvarez currently costs -240.
Both fighters have compiled impressive records since they last met; Aoki has gone 11-2, while a seven-fight win streak for Alvarez was snapped when Michael Chandler took away his Bellator Lightweight championship his last time in the cage.
Of the two it has been Alvarez who’s been fighting the tougher competition over that period of time. Victories over fighters like Toby Imada, Josh Neer, Roger Huerta, and Pat Curran are far more impressive than the wins Aoki has compiled fighting in Japan.
Aoki has had two fights in North America for Strikeforce, going 1-1. Granted his lone loss was to pound-for-pound Top 10 Strikeforce Lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez, so fighting a big name in America will not be a completely new experience for the Japanese MMA legend.
Alvarez will be looking to get back on track in pursuit of his title as well as avenging an old loss. He will likely test out his boxing skills in an attempt to wear down his opponent, eventually taking the fight to the ground to utilize a ground-and-pound attack.
Aoki will want to close the distance early in the fight and use his judo skills to take down Alvarez to utilize a submission attack with his jiu-jitsu skills. He will be most dangerous on the ground, where he will be able to end the fight at any moment with world-class unpredictable submissions.
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UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones had arguably the best year of any MMA fighter ever in 2011. He won four fights, including beating three former UFC champions, to become the organization’s youngest title-holder. But perhaps Jones’ toughest test to date comes Saturday night at UFC 145 in Atlanta when he faces former friend and sparring partner Rashad Evans. Jones is the -450 favorite with Evans at +300 on Bovada’s MMA odds.
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Jones and Evans are former friends and training partners. However, their relationship fell apart when Evans was injured last February while training for a title shot at UFC 128 against then-champion Mauricio Rua. Jones replaced Evans and stopped Rua in the second round to win the title. Evans had said he would never fight his good friend Jones, but after beating Rua Jones said he would get into the octagon if UFC boss Dana White ordered him to. That offended Evans and he left for another training facility in Florida.
Jones and Evans have had a very public war of words since. "This fight, it has been referred to on several occasions as the Ali vs. Frazier of our sport and of our time,” Jones recently said. He and Evans are very familiar with one another in a way that few opponents can imagine. Evans would take on the role of Jones’ opponent during training camp and vice versa.
Some consider Jones (15-1) the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The 24-year-old has defended his light-heavyweight belt twice with stoppages of former champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Evans (17-1-1) beat former champion Tito Ortiz on Aug. 6 and previously unbeaten contender Phil Davis on Jan. 28 to get his title shot. Evans and Jones have fought three common opponents: Both have beaten Jackson and Stephan Bonnar. But Evans suffered a 2009 knockout loss to Machida, whom Jones beat via submission last December.
Jones will have a five-inch height advantage and a nearly 10-inch reach advantage. Evans, 32, has landed 48 takedowns landed in his 14 UFC fights, the most in the organization's history among light heavyweights and tied for sixth place among all fighters. But Jones has never been taken down in his 10-fight UFC career and has been on his back for just 12 seconds all-time.
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Jones and Evans are former friends and training partners. However, their relationship fell apart when Evans was injured last February while training for a title shot at UFC 128 against then-champion Mauricio Rua. Jones replaced Evans and stopped Rua in the second round to win the title. Evans had said he would never fight his good friend Jones, but after beating Rua Jones said he would get into the octagon if UFC boss Dana White ordered him to. That offended Evans and he left for another training facility in Florida.
Jones and Evans have had a very public war of words since. "This fight, it has been referred to on several occasions as the Ali vs. Frazier of our sport and of our time,” Jones recently said. He and Evans are very familiar with one another in a way that few opponents can imagine. Evans would take on the role of Jones’ opponent during training camp and vice versa.
Some consider Jones (15-1) the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The 24-year-old has defended his light-heavyweight belt twice with stoppages of former champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Evans (17-1-1) beat former champion Tito Ortiz on Aug. 6 and previously unbeaten contender Phil Davis on Jan. 28 to get his title shot. Evans and Jones have fought three common opponents: Both have beaten Jackson and Stephan Bonnar. But Evans suffered a 2009 knockout loss to Machida, whom Jones beat via submission last December.
Jones will have a five-inch height advantage and a nearly 10-inch reach advantage. Evans, 32, has landed 48 takedowns landed in his 14 UFC fights, the most in the organization's history among light heavyweights and tied for sixth place among all fighters. But Jones has never been taken down in his 10-fight UFC career and has been on his back for just 12 seconds all-time.
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The Bellator Fighting Championships will be back in Orillia, Ontario, Canada this weekend for Bellator 67 and will feature a non-title fight between Bellator Lightweight champion Michael Chandler and Akihiro Gono. Get your MMA betting lines from Bovada.
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As one of Bellator’s “keep the champ active until his end-season title defense” fights, MMA bettors can get action on a headliner matchup that offers an above-average favorite price and underdog payout.
At odds of -900 at Bovada, Chandler is expected to have his way with former Pride Fighting veteran Gono. The 26-year-old undefeated champion is coming off a submission win over Eddie Alvarez and has shown dominant wrestling skills in all of his fights thus far.
This fight only exists to keep Chandler active until his next title defense, and it’s tough to imagine a scenario where he loses this fight. The champ will most likely take down and wear-down his opponent with his superior strength for a submission or KO win.
But when it comes to MMA upsets are possible regardless of the odds. Gono is currently a Bovada +550 underdog to beat Chandler and will need to sink a slick submission or land a big knee to Chandler’s face to win the fight.
At 32 years old Gono’s best days in the cage are behind him and he’s coming into this fight following two straight losses to unranked fighters in Japanese promotions.
The one thing that Gono has going for him is his experience. Chandler has only nine MMA fights in his career and has likely not seen some of the aggressive submission tactics that are more commonplace in Japanese MMA action. If he has a good game plan to combat Chandler’s wrestling skills, a little bit of action on the upset line could turn into a big payday.
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As one of Bellator’s “keep the champ active until his end-season title defense” fights, MMA bettors can get action on a headliner matchup that offers an above-average favorite price and underdog payout.
At odds of -900 at Bovada, Chandler is expected to have his way with former Pride Fighting veteran Gono. The 26-year-old undefeated champion is coming off a submission win over Eddie Alvarez and has shown dominant wrestling skills in all of his fights thus far.
This fight only exists to keep Chandler active until his next title defense, and it’s tough to imagine a scenario where he loses this fight. The champ will most likely take down and wear-down his opponent with his superior strength for a submission or KO win.
But when it comes to MMA upsets are possible regardless of the odds. Gono is currently a Bovada +550 underdog to beat Chandler and will need to sink a slick submission or land a big knee to Chandler’s face to win the fight.
At 32 years old Gono’s best days in the cage are behind him and he’s coming into this fight following two straight losses to unranked fighters in Japanese promotions.
The one thing that Gono has going for him is his experience. Chandler has only nine MMA fights in his career and has likely not seen some of the aggressive submission tactics that are more commonplace in Japanese MMA action. If he has a good game plan to combat Chandler’s wrestling skills, a little bit of action on the upset line could turn into a big payday.
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Bet on UFC on Fox 3 (Flickr Creative Commons)
UFC betting is back this weekend and Bovada is already offering action on six UFC on Fox 3 fights. Pat Barry will be looking to keep his new momentum going against Lavar Johnson in a Heavyweight matchup with both fighters needing a win to remain relevant in the division.
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Barry suffered losses to Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve in 2011 but was able to rebound with a first-round KO win over Christian Morecraft his last time in the Octagon. Now he faces kick-boxer Johnson in what should be an entertaining fight that will likely end in quick fashion.
Oddsmakers at Bovada currently have Barry as a -210 favorite to beat Johnson, mainly because his kick-boxing skills are at a very high level. That equates to Barry being better at what Johnson is best at, and that gives him a big edge in the fight.
Barry will look to get inside Johnson’s kicks and punches and land heavy shots from close range. He only needs one good shot to land to change the fight, and he always has the option to take the fight to the ground where he will also hold an advantage and will likely expose Johnson’s one-dimensional approach to MMA.
Like Barry, Johnson got his fighting career back on track following two losses with a first-round KO win over Joey Betran. He will be looking to land strikes from the outside and stay away from Barry’s power. As a Bovada +170 underdog in a fight with two Heavyweight kick-boxers swinging for the fences, there has to be some value in the upset line.
This fight will come down to which fighter lands the first big solid shot, and it could very well end up being Johnson.
UFC betting is back this weekend and Bovada is already offering action on six UFC on Fox 3 fights. Pat Barry will be looking to keep his new momentum going against Lavar Johnson in a Heavyweight matchup with both fighters needing a win to remain relevant in the division.
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Barry suffered losses to Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve in 2011 but was able to rebound with a first-round KO win over Christian Morecraft his last time in the Octagon. Now he faces kick-boxer Johnson in what should be an entertaining fight that will likely end in quick fashion.
Oddsmakers at Bovada currently have Barry as a -210 favorite to beat Johnson, mainly because his kick-boxing skills are at a very high level. That equates to Barry being better at what Johnson is best at, and that gives him a big edge in the fight.
Barry will look to get inside Johnson’s kicks and punches and land heavy shots from close range. He only needs one good shot to land to change the fight, and he always has the option to take the fight to the ground where he will also hold an advantage and will likely expose Johnson’s one-dimensional approach to MMA.
Like Barry, Johnson got his fighting career back on track following two losses with a first-round KO win over Joey Betran. He will be looking to land strikes from the outside and stay away from Barry’s power. As a Bovada +170 underdog in a fight with two Heavyweight kick-boxers swinging for the fences, there has to be some value in the upset line.
This fight will come down to which fighter lands the first big solid shot, and it could very well end up being Johnson.
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Josh Koscheck has fought his way to two UFC Welterweight title shots in his career and continues to be one of the top-ranked fighters in the division. Koscheck will face Johny Hendricks at UFC on Fox 3 in a fight that could have title-shot potential, especially if one of them finishes in spectacular fashion. Get your UFC odds for the bout at Bovada.
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Unable to beat Georges St-Pierre, Koscheck has recently contemplated a stint in the Middleweight division - but with recent developments in the 170-pound weight class he’s decided to refocus his efforts and take one more run at the title. He had a lackluster performance in his last fight against Mike Pierce and suddenly questions about the 36-year-old contender’s age becoming a factor in his performance have begun to surface.
Despite a long list of wins over some of the best in the division, and two title shots, oddsmakers at Bovada still have Koscheck as the underdog against Hendricks. Currently the price on Koscheck sits at -110, while action on the favored Hendricks comes at -125.
Hendricks has a few wins against decent UFC Welterweights but it’s his 12-second KO win over Jon Fitch that has landed him another fight against a top-ranked 170-pounder. With only a decision loss to Rick Storey on his record, a win over Koscheck would vault him into the elite in the division where the paychecks get a lot bigger.
Both of these fighters are solid wrestlers who have developed their striking skills enough to pose a threat to anyone they face. As the lines indicate this one could go either way. Hendricks has a youth edge, while Koscheck has far more experience in big fights that matter.
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Unable to beat Georges St-Pierre, Koscheck has recently contemplated a stint in the Middleweight division - but with recent developments in the 170-pound weight class he’s decided to refocus his efforts and take one more run at the title. He had a lackluster performance in his last fight against Mike Pierce and suddenly questions about the 36-year-old contender’s age becoming a factor in his performance have begun to surface.
Despite a long list of wins over some of the best in the division, and two title shots, oddsmakers at Bovada still have Koscheck as the underdog against Hendricks. Currently the price on Koscheck sits at -110, while action on the favored Hendricks comes at -125.
Hendricks has a few wins against decent UFC Welterweights but it’s his 12-second KO win over Jon Fitch that has landed him another fight against a top-ranked 170-pounder. With only a decision loss to Rick Storey on his record, a win over Koscheck would vault him into the elite in the division where the paychecks get a lot bigger.
Both of these fighters are solid wrestlers who have developed their striking skills enough to pose a threat to anyone they face. As the lines indicate this one could go either way. Hendricks has a youth edge, while Koscheck has far more experience in big fights that matter.
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One intriguing matchup on the MMA betting line for the UFC on Fox 3 card is the Rousimar Palhares vs. Alan Belcher fight. Both fighters have had an up-and-down run in the UFC and have shown recent improvement. The winner of this bout should get a fight against a top contender next, so plenty will be on the line for both participants.
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When first-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Palhares steps into the Octagon his opponents know they’re competing against a very dangerous fighter who has the ability to end the bout with numerous submissions. He’s on a three-fight win streak and is currently handicapped as a -310 favorite over Belcher on Bovada's UFC odds.
Keys to victory for Palhares will be as they always are - he will need to get the fight to the ground and sink in one of his lethal submissions for the win. He also has the potential to land a big shot while his opponent is concentrating on a takedown defense.
Belcher is on a three-fight win streak of his own and will be looking to keep the fight standing against Palhares as much as possible. If he can land some good strikes before getting taken down he will have a real chance to stop Palhares for the upset victory.
Oddsmakers at Bovada have Belcher as a +240 underdog mainly because his strengths are Brazilian jiu-jitsu and his opponent is one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners in the world at 185 pounds. If the fight goes to the ground Belcher will be in a lot of trouble and will need to get back on his feet before his opponent locks up one of his legs to end it.
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When first-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Palhares steps into the Octagon his opponents know they’re competing against a very dangerous fighter who has the ability to end the bout with numerous submissions. He’s on a three-fight win streak and is currently handicapped as a -310 favorite over Belcher on Bovada's UFC odds.
Keys to victory for Palhares will be as they always are - he will need to get the fight to the ground and sink in one of his lethal submissions for the win. He also has the potential to land a big shot while his opponent is concentrating on a takedown defense.
Belcher is on a three-fight win streak of his own and will be looking to keep the fight standing against Palhares as much as possible. If he can land some good strikes before getting taken down he will have a real chance to stop Palhares for the upset victory.
Oddsmakers at Bovada have Belcher as a +240 underdog mainly because his strengths are Brazilian jiu-jitsu and his opponent is one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners in the world at 185 pounds. If the fight goes to the ground Belcher will be in a lot of trouble and will need to get back on his feet before his opponent locks up one of his legs to end it.
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UFC returns to “free” national television on Saturday with UFC on Fox 3 from East Rutherford, N.J., with the main event featuring lightweight contenders Jim Miller and Nate Diaz. Miller is the -230 favorite on Bovada’s mixed martial arts odds. The event's main card airs live on Fox while preliminary-card fights air on Fuel TV. Bet on UFC with Bovada.
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The current lightweight champion is Benson Henderson, who beat Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision at UFC 144 in February. But those two will fight again this summer because the first fight was so close. The Miller-Diaz winner then would be in line for a title shot against the winner of that rematch likely this fall, according to UFC boss Dana White.
Miller (21-3) has won eight of his last nine fights to climb the lightweight ladder. In his most recent outing on Jan. 20, he submitted Melvin Guillard with a rear-naked choke in the first round. In his previous bout, Miller was beaten by Henderson via unanimous decision last August.
Diaz (15-7) has won two straight since returning to 155-pound from the welterweight division (where he was just 2-2). In his last bout, at UFC 141 in late December, the former Strikeforce welterweight champion took a unanimous decision over Donald Cerrone. Last year Diaz cost himself a UFC title shot when he skipped out on two press conferences.
Miller and Diaz have combined to stop 60 percent of their opponents and have won 13 end-of-the-night bonuses in the UFC. Both Miller and Diaz are black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Nick Diaz will be in his brother Nate's corner on Saturday. Nick Diaz is currently under temporary suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission after testing positive for marijuana metabolites following his fight against Carlos Condit at UFC 143.
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The current lightweight champion is Benson Henderson, who beat Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision at UFC 144 in February. But those two will fight again this summer because the first fight was so close. The Miller-Diaz winner then would be in line for a title shot against the winner of that rematch likely this fall, according to UFC boss Dana White.
Miller (21-3) has won eight of his last nine fights to climb the lightweight ladder. In his most recent outing on Jan. 20, he submitted Melvin Guillard with a rear-naked choke in the first round. In his previous bout, Miller was beaten by Henderson via unanimous decision last August.
Diaz (15-7) has won two straight since returning to 155-pound from the welterweight division (where he was just 2-2). In his last bout, at UFC 141 in late December, the former Strikeforce welterweight champion took a unanimous decision over Donald Cerrone. Last year Diaz cost himself a UFC title shot when he skipped out on two press conferences.
Miller and Diaz have combined to stop 60 percent of their opponents and have won 13 end-of-the-night bonuses in the UFC. Both Miller and Diaz are black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Nick Diaz will be in his brother Nate's corner on Saturday. Nick Diaz is currently under temporary suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission after testing positive for marijuana metabolites following his fight against Carlos Condit at UFC 143.
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Dustin Poirier has racked up four straight UFC wins since going down to Featherweight and is rapidly climbing up the divisional rankings. Now he will headline a UFC card against another rising UFC Featherweight star in Chan Sung Jung. The winner will put themselves into title contention position and a potential shot at Jose Aldo’s UFC Featherweight title in the near future. Get UFC odds for the tilt at Bovada.
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Poirier will be coming off an impressive first-round submission win over Max Holloway at UFC 143 and now hopes to show MMA betting fans that Chan Sung Jung’s win over Mark Hominick was just a fluke. Poirier will bring a torrid attack that could end the fight standing or on the ground at any point.
As the current -350 favorite at Bovada, Poirier is expected to control where the fight is fought with his wrestling skills and aggressive striking. He should be able to stay away from Jung’s power shots but will need to be careful of getting into a brawl.
Chan Sung Jung was a huge underdog against Mark Hominick in his UFC debut and will be looking to beat the odds again as the Bovada +265 underdog. He has a puncher’s chance to win but will likely be trying to defend the takedown for most of the fight, in between eating combinations from Poirier’s strikes.
If Poirier makes one mistake the counter-punching ability of the Korean Zombie could shock the still relatively inexperienced Poirier. At those odds the upset bet has some value because we really don’t know how Jung stacks up against UFC-level opponents yet. His seven-second win in his UFC debut is no indication of how he will do against the pace that a skilled UFC fighter like Dustin Poirier will bring.
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Poirier will be coming off an impressive first-round submission win over Max Holloway at UFC 143 and now hopes to show MMA betting fans that Chan Sung Jung’s win over Mark Hominick was just a fluke. Poirier will bring a torrid attack that could end the fight standing or on the ground at any point.
As the current -350 favorite at Bovada, Poirier is expected to control where the fight is fought with his wrestling skills and aggressive striking. He should be able to stay away from Jung’s power shots but will need to be careful of getting into a brawl.
Chan Sung Jung was a huge underdog against Mark Hominick in his UFC debut and will be looking to beat the odds again as the Bovada +265 underdog. He has a puncher’s chance to win but will likely be trying to defend the takedown for most of the fight, in between eating combinations from Poirier’s strikes.
If Poirier makes one mistake the counter-punching ability of the Korean Zombie could shock the still relatively inexperienced Poirier. At those odds the upset bet has some value because we really don’t know how Jung stacks up against UFC-level opponents yet. His seven-second win in his UFC debut is no indication of how he will do against the pace that a skilled UFC fighter like Dustin Poirier will bring.
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Donald Cerrone’s star was one of the brightest in the UFC Lightweight division in 2011. He had four straight wins and was likely one win against Nate Diaz away from getting a shot at the UFC Lightweight title. However, Diaz dominated Cerrone for a unanimous one-sided decision and now The Cowboy must earn his way back to the top of the Lightweight rankings. Bet on the UFC with Bovada today.
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Jeremy Stephens has been a fixture of the UFC Lightweight division for five years and has had a roller coaster career to date. Only 25 years old, Stephens continues to develop and learn the MMA game the hard way, by fighting the top fighters in the division one after another.
Though both are well-rounded MMA fighters, Cerrone will hold a definite edge in the stand-up portion of the fight; for this reason he is currently a Bovada -280 favorite to beat-down or win a lopsided decision over Stephens. If he can keep the fight standing it should be an easy win for the Cowboy. For more MMA betting lines, check out the online sportsbook.
For Stephens to have success he will need to get the fight to the ground where he can utilize his wrestling skills to control his opponent from the top. As the Bovada +220 underdog Stephens will still need to be wary of Cerrone’s submission skills if they end up on the ground - and will not want to end up on his back at any point in the fight.
Both fighters will be looking to post an impressive win which means this fight has the potential for Fight of the Night honors. Stephens will likely be willing to stand and bang with Cerrone, at least for awhile, which could produce early fireworks until one fighter gets the best of the other and things go to the ground.
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Jeremy Stephens has been a fixture of the UFC Lightweight division for five years and has had a roller coaster career to date. Only 25 years old, Stephens continues to develop and learn the MMA game the hard way, by fighting the top fighters in the division one after another.
Though both are well-rounded MMA fighters, Cerrone will hold a definite edge in the stand-up portion of the fight; for this reason he is currently a Bovada -280 favorite to beat-down or win a lopsided decision over Stephens. If he can keep the fight standing it should be an easy win for the Cowboy. For more MMA betting lines, check out the online sportsbook.
For Stephens to have success he will need to get the fight to the ground where he can utilize his wrestling skills to control his opponent from the top. As the Bovada +220 underdog Stephens will still need to be wary of Cerrone’s submission skills if they end up on the ground - and will not want to end up on his back at any point in the fight.
Both fighters will be looking to post an impressive win which means this fight has the potential for Fight of the Night honors. Stephens will likely be willing to stand and bang with Cerrone, at least for awhile, which could produce early fireworks until one fighter gets the best of the other and things go to the ground.
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When the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix began a year and three months ago it shaped up to be the biggest MMA tournament in the history of the sport. However, Zuffa seized an opportunity to buy out the promotion and has since brought much of the talent from the tournament over into the UFC ranks.
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The two big names that remain in Strikeforce will fight for the Grand Prix championship this Saturday night, and more than just the Grand Prix trophy will be on the line. Josh Barnett will face alternate replacement Daniel Cormier in what promises to be a hard-fought battle, and the Grand Prix winner will also surely get an invite into the UFC and put on the fast-track to a title contender fight. Get your MMA odds for the tilt today.
Barnett has only lost to three men in a 36-fight career and is currently on an eight-fight win streak. If he hopes to find himself in the UFC he needs a win over Cormier to solidify a spot. Oddsmakers at Bovada currently have Barnett handicapped as the -130 favorite. That price is down from the initial -145 line, which looks like a great bargain on one of the best Heavyweights in the history of the sport.
Cormier is an undefeated decorated wrestler with heavy hands and elite athleticism. He may be taking a huge step up in class against Barnett, but if he lands one big shot it could turn the fight in his favor where his grappling skills could be enough to control and wear down his aging opponent.
As the Bovada +100 underdog Cormier could be a good bet if he can take the fight into the later rounds where Barnett should be slowing down. The only way he’ll be able to get there will be to utilize his wrestling skills for the first couple of rounds.
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The two big names that remain in Strikeforce will fight for the Grand Prix championship this Saturday night, and more than just the Grand Prix trophy will be on the line. Josh Barnett will face alternate replacement Daniel Cormier in what promises to be a hard-fought battle, and the Grand Prix winner will also surely get an invite into the UFC and put on the fast-track to a title contender fight. Get your MMA odds for the tilt today.
Barnett has only lost to three men in a 36-fight career and is currently on an eight-fight win streak. If he hopes to find himself in the UFC he needs a win over Cormier to solidify a spot. Oddsmakers at Bovada currently have Barnett handicapped as the -130 favorite. That price is down from the initial -145 line, which looks like a great bargain on one of the best Heavyweights in the history of the sport.
Cormier is an undefeated decorated wrestler with heavy hands and elite athleticism. He may be taking a huge step up in class against Barnett, but if he lands one big shot it could turn the fight in his favor where his grappling skills could be enough to control and wear down his aging opponent.
As the Bovada +100 underdog Cormier could be a good bet if he can take the fight into the later rounds where Barnett should be slowing down. The only way he’ll be able to get there will be to utilize his wrestling skills for the first couple of rounds.
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Former UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez returns to the Octagon at UFC 146 for the first time since losing his title to Junior dos Santos last November. A couple of questions exist around Velasquez, which should be answered one way or another when he faces Antonio Silva in the co-main event this Saturday night. Get your UFC odds at Bovada.
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The first question that needs to be answered on Velasquez is his health. Many rumours floated around that Velasquez was not 100% in his title defense and that he returned to action too soon against dos Santos following his major shoulder surgery. The other question is how he will react to coming off his first beat-down loss as a professional.
Velasquez still gets the nod as the heavy Bovada -375 favorite on the MMA betting line, while Silva is currently handicapped to pay +285 for the upset. Silva makes his debut in the UFC coming off a KO loss to Daniel Cormier, but he will bring an all-around MMA game that will push Velasquez to be at his best.
Velasquez will look to get close to Silva, where he can use his speed to beat Silva to the punch. He also has elite wrestling skills that will give him the option to take the fight to the ground when he sees fit to do so. As long as he’s in a good place mentally, Velasquez has the technique to make Silva look like a statue in the Octagon.
Silva will want to take the fight to Velasquez and test his heart and answer his first KO defeat. Bigfoot easily has the power to end the fight with one big shot, and he does possess a ground game dangerous enough to threaten Velasquez with submission attempts from top or bottom positions.
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The first question that needs to be answered on Velasquez is his health. Many rumours floated around that Velasquez was not 100% in his title defense and that he returned to action too soon against dos Santos following his major shoulder surgery. The other question is how he will react to coming off his first beat-down loss as a professional.
Velasquez still gets the nod as the heavy Bovada -375 favorite on the MMA betting line, while Silva is currently handicapped to pay +285 for the upset. Silva makes his debut in the UFC coming off a KO loss to Daniel Cormier, but he will bring an all-around MMA game that will push Velasquez to be at his best.
Velasquez will look to get close to Silva, where he can use his speed to beat Silva to the punch. He also has elite wrestling skills that will give him the option to take the fight to the ground when he sees fit to do so. As long as he’s in a good place mentally, Velasquez has the technique to make Silva look like a statue in the Octagon.
Silva will want to take the fight to Velasquez and test his heart and answer his first KO defeat. Bigfoot easily has the power to end the fight with one big shot, and he does possess a ground game dangerous enough to threaten Velasquez with submission attempts from top or bottom positions.
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As a -265 betting favorite Jackson has been the more popular option for MMA bettors thus far. Initially handicapped at -190, bettors are opting for the Rampage power over the Bader wrestling. As we’ve seen many times from the former UFC Light Heavyweight champion it only takes one shot from either hand for Jackson to come out on top, and Tito Ortiz showed that Bader’s chin isn’t exactly made of granite.
Bader got his career back on track his last time in the Octagon with a first-round KO of Jason Brilz. However, that only pushed him back into the upper levels of the Light Heavyweight division and got him a date with Rampage. Bader is currently handicapped as a +205 underdog at Bovada and will need to get back to his wrestling roots if he wants to upset Jackson and remain relevant in the division.
Few MMA bettors have taken the Bader upset thus far as the payout on the former Ultimate Fighter winner has climbed from +155 to the current +205, and that trend will likely continue as we get closer to the weekend. Unless Bader can find a way to take down Jackson and keep him there, it’s likely going to be a painful night. However, stranger things have happened in the Octagon, and Bader has the power to stop anyone if he can find the mark.
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