UFC Picks – The Shark still has bite!

Sports betting and UFC betting fanatics have been seeing Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk’s name come up quite a lot in the BetOnline sportsbook, for quite some time. Quite simply, Sherk is a legend in the sport of mixed martial arts, having faced the very best around the world, and in numerous weight classes as well. The longevity that he has displayed over the course of his career may never be duplicated.

Unfortunately for his opponent at UFC 98, MMA odds fan favorite Frankie Edgar, Sherk’s strength and inhumane fitness may also never be duplicated either.

Edgar doesn’t have a terrific amount of experience on his resume, but he does have a few notable wins against mid-carders such as Hermes Franca, Mark Bocek and Spencer Fisher. He has decent striking power, but his calling card is most certainly his resilience and heart. Twice he has won the “Fight of the Night” award for a three round war, as he loves to stand in the middle of the ring and bang away like the true Jersey boy he is!

Sherk is a marvelous striker, with some of the best combinations in the game. UFC betting veterans will recall many spectacular “Muscle Shark” knockouts over the years. But what puts Sherk in the upper echelon of mixed martial arts is his ground game, which is aided significantly by his fitness and all-around body strength. The one blemish on Edgar’s record came against Gray Maynard, a pure wrestler, who was able to smother his way to victory. As UFC betting experts well know, Sherk is perhaps an even better wrestler than Maynard, leading people to question whether Edgar has any MMA betting value at all this weekend.

Contrarily, the veteran’s only losses are to superstars Matt Hughes (in his prime), Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn. His last four wins are against Tyson Griffin, Kenny Florian, Hermes Franca and Nick Diaz. Looking at a resume like that, one has to believe that this is the biggest mismatch on the UFC 98 betting card on the weekend. It’s too bad for Frankie, who genuinely seems like a nice guy and has been very humble in the buildup to the fight as well.

However, there’s no time for sympathy in UFC betting, and that means you should bet on the favorite, Sean Sherk, over at the BetOnline sportsbook before it’s too late!

Evans vs. Machida – Not Even Dana White Can Stop “The Dragon”

The main event of UFC 98 pits one of the fastest strikers to ever hit the ring, with one of its most strategic tacticians. Lyoto Machida has been the bane of mixed martial arts ever since exploding on to the scene with a decisive victory over the lippy Tito Ortiz. That fight marked the beginning of the end for Ortiz, and it could very well spell the end for Rashad Evans’ title reign.

Not many people are fans of Machida because, for the most part, he’s been boring. At 14-0 SU, he’s won eight fights by decision. Machida is a hit-and-run counter puncher who doesn’t like to engage his opponents. He waits for them to make mistakes and really makes them pay. Thiago Silva let his guard down with one second to go in the first round of his fight with Machida and got caught on the chin with a knockout.

That fight propelled Machida in to the spotlight, and everyone knew it was only a matter a time before the brilliant karate specialist fought for the belt. But too many guys stood in his way, and Rampage Jackson’s unexpected jaw surgery pulled him from UFC 98 betting. Enter “The Dragon”, and Evans’ worst nightmare.

Rashad Evans, the second victor of “The Ultimate Fighter”, is a cocky fighter. Everyone knows that; it’s why some fans despise him, and others love him. But if Evans saunters in to this matchup underestimating Machida, he’s going to pay dearly. So will Evans’ betting detractors.

Rashad Evans (+150) vs. Lyoto Machida (-200)

Saturday, May 23rd — UFC 98 — 10:00pm EST

UFC Betting Trend To Watch: Machida is 14-0 SU

Machida wasn’t even supposed to be in this fight, and now he’s a favorite. Why is that? Because everyone thinks that Evans is due to get knocked out. He’s been jawing the UFC community every since he knocked out the legend, Chuck Liddell. That kind of bravado, and that kind of attitude doesn’t sit well with a guy like Machida who prides himself on both discipline and study.

The tape will tell one glaring detail about Evans. He’s a counter-puncher by nature, relying on his fast reflexes and quick hands to catch guys off guard when they try to attack. As he maps guys out, Evans gets himself off to a slow start. If that’s the case, then Machida will get the nod on the judge’s cards early. If Evans goes in to panic mode and gets aggressive, Machida will be ready to unleash hell on Evans.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not discounting Evans’ talent. But Machida comes from a background where he studies and dissects everyone he fights. It’s why he’s undefeated. He understands weakness; he knows when you’re making a mistake. And his technique is tight enough to find an opening. For those of you that think Machida is all technique and no finish, you are vastly underestimating his striking and kicking power. Machida’s legs are amongst the best in the business, and they’re good enough to keep Evans at bay. Bank on it.

UFC Furious Pick: Machida -200 via KO

UFC 98 Preview – Battle of “Matt’s” as Hughes takes on Serra

One is a fading superstar in the UFC ranks. The other landed one lucky punch on Georges St. Pierre. No fight on this card is tougher to call than the war that will wage on between Serra and Hughes. Who’s corner will you be in?

Appropriately, this is a match that will go to the mat. Hughes is an accomplished and punishing grappler who has submitted some of the best in the business. His glaring weakness is his glass chin, which makes him a UFC contender that wants to get on the ground quickly and stay there. The key for Hughes will be using his vicious slams to wear down Serra’s injured back.

Serra is a vastly overrated fighter, but the one thing he does bring to the octagon is serious punching power. That being said, he’s not the most tactical striker in the business and with Hughes fully aware that he is weak on his feet, Serra essentially has to get lucky and land a knockout punch on the chin of the former champion.

Matt Hughes (-275) vs. Matt Serra (+190)

Saturday, May 23rd — UFC 98 — 10:00pm EST

Serra is a star that never should have risen. He managed to squeeze a lucky victory out of Georges St. Pierre and never used that momentum to establish himself as a legitimate contender. Though Hughes is at the end of the road, I fully expect him to go out in style by dominating an overrated Matt Serra. Serra never belonged in the ring, and is riding on the coat tails of a victory that never should have happened…just like his career.

Furious UFC Betting Pick: Matt Hughes -275

Evans Can’t Stop The Dragon

LAS VEGAS — Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida stopped Rashad Evans at 3:57 of the second round to win the light heavyweight title at UFC 98 on Saturday night.

Machida landed a barrage of punches that sent Evans reeling up against the cage and finished him off with a left hand that folded Evans backwards onto the canvas.

The light heavyweight title has now changed hands four times in the last five title bouts.

In the co-main event earlier, Matt Hughes won a unanimous decision against Matt Serra in a matchup of former welterweight champions.

Serra took the advantage early on, flooring Hughes with strikes in the first round. Hughes was able to fight back utilizing his superior wrestling ability and controlled the final two rounds with all three judges scoring the fight 29-28.

The two embraced after the fight and seemed to put the bad blood behind them.

The fighters developed a heated rivalry while coaching opposing teams on "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show and were scheduled to meet at UFC 79 in December 2007 when Serra pulled out of the bout due to injury.

On the undercard, Drew McFedries made quick work of Xavier Foupa-Pokam, getting the TKO just 37 seconds into their fight. Also, Chael Sonnen beat Dan Miller by unanimous decision and Frank Edgar looked impressive, earning a unanimous decision victory over former lightweight champion Sean Sherk.

Brock Larson, Tim Hague, Kyle Bradley, Krzysztof Soszynski, Yoshiyuki Yoshida, and George Roop won preliminary fights.

Larson forced Mike Pyle to tapout via arm triangle in the first round, Hague used a guillotine choke to submit Pat Barry in the first round, and Bradley also stopped Phillipe Nover by TKO in the opening round. Soszynski scored a first-round knockout of Andre Gusmao, Yoshida forced Brandon Wolff to tap in the first round, and Roop earned a split decision over Dave Kaplan.

Knockout Alert – Xavier Foupa Pokam vs. Drew McFedries

The UFC has become an increasingly tough business for fighters in terms of trying to stay healthy, and it seems as if more and more fighters are dropping out of fights due to injury these days.

One injury that could have a big effect on the ultimate entertainment value of Saturday’s UFC 98 main card is the one that sidelined light heavyweight competitor James “The Sandman” Irvin.

His bout against Drew “The Massacre” McFedries on the UFC 98 main card was more than just a matchup of two fighters with cool nicknames, it also had the makings of a potentially devastating knockout.

Now, McFedries will instead take on Xavier Foupa-Pokam, who brings a similarly cool nickname to the Octagon (Professor X) but does bring a highly-established kickboxing background to the fight and a fair amount of talent.

Foupa-Pokam is an established kickboxer with a flair for the dramatic who could also succeed in making the match with McFedries a good one for the not-so-discerning eye of the casual fan.

How exciting is Foupa-Pokam capable of being? Well, for one thing, he won his fight prior to his UFC debut loss against Denis Kang by a flying knee to the body of his opponent.

Foupa-Pokam is also an entertaining grappler who goes for the kill on the ground. His jiu-jitsu isn’t great but it’s far superior to McFedries, who might be one of the worst jiu-jitsu fighters the UFC has to offer.

It’s hard to tell who is the underdog and who is the favorite in this fight between McFedries and Foupa-Pokam, but considering Foupa-Pokam’s advantage on the ground and his ability to handle himself on his feet, he should be able to pull this fight out despite taking it at short notice.

McFedries is the kind of guy who can knock anyone out or be knocked out by anyone, and his boxing and explosive power are not to be taken lightly. But Foupa-Pokam has many more tools at his disposal in this one and any one of them could be the difference between a win and a loss against the vulnerable McFedries at UFC 98, making “Professor X” the safe bet in this one.

The Pick: Xavier Foupa Pokam (-200)

UFC 98 Main Event – “Sugar” is the Sweet Pick

UFC 98 Preview: “Sugar” is the sweet pick

Sports betting and UFC betting fans have plenty to look forward to this weekend, as UFC 98 will hit the airwaves live on pay-per-view, and will hit the BetOnline sportsbook for those who wager on MMA to enjoy.

Unfortunately, the event isn’t getting the hype that it deserves. Seldom have we seen a champion in any sport given as little respect as Rashad Evans has been accorded in MMA betting circles. For a champion to be an underdog against a relative unknown is unheard of, but such is the fate for the super talented Evans as he embarks upon what could be a very lengthy title reign. And, such is the fate for Evans when he takes on Lyoto Machida this weekend.

Evans has shown unbelievable knockout power in shocking victories over UFC legends Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin, defying UFC lines on both occasions. Not to mention that he is also a collegiate wrestler, and thus very capable on the mat as well. The thing is—his fights generally don’t last long enough to go to the ground! Evans’ takedown defense is excellent. Part of that defense is simply landing an uppercut before his opponent even dives in!

Many UFC betting experts like Machida in this fight, because in many ways, he is the mixed martial arts equivalent of Floyd Mayweather Jr. There is simply no way to prepare for his unique brand of karate, which he has used to destroy all of his opponents thus far. The problem for Evans is that there really isn’t anyone on planet earth with whom he can spar leading up to the fight who can replicate the skill set of Machida. All he can do is find opponents of similar size and stature.

But will any of this matter? UFC odds thus far have counted Evans out in any bout, and his raw athletic ability has shone through and allowed him to capture the upset victory on UFC lines each time. Machida could prove to be too difficult for Evans’ athleticism to overcome, but in terms of online sports betting, there is never any reason not to bet on a champion who is deemed an underdog by MMA lines on the BetOnline sportsbook. If the bookie will offer up favorable odds on a proven commodity, then you must take your chances and roll the dice on “Sugar” Rashad Evans.

The Pick: Evans

UFC 98′s Bad Blood – Matt Serra vs. Matt Hughes

There have been plenty of manufactured feuds in the history of the UFC, but from all accounts, the mutual disdain between Matt Serra and Matt Hughes is 100% real.

The two hard-headed, some might say stubborn, welterweight contenders butted skulls as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter TV show and figure to put on a memorable battle at UFC 98 in Las Vegas.

Hughes is currently a -275 to +190 favorite in the BetOnline Sportsbook in a fight that should be fairly even.

While Hughes is often seen as the elder statesman and docked some respect these days due to his age at 35, Serra is no spring chicken in his own right at age 34 with his 35th birthday coming early next month.

Hughes has had the much more consistent career with a 43-7 overall record and wins over many legendary fighters such as Royce Gracie, BJ Penn, and Georges St. Pierre.

But Serra has the recent win that sticks in fans’ heads as he toppled the seemingly unbeatable Georges St. Pierre in April 2007. Serra’s next fight was against St. Pierre again but St. Pierre dominated him.

Both fighters have advantages in this fight, but Hughes’ stand out a little more. Hughes is a much better wrestler with the ability to pick up and powerbomb opponents when he gets in trouble, although he has lost some of his explosion over the years.

He also has 3-inch height advantage on the diminutive Serra, the latter fighter standing just 5-foot-6, and he has the advantage in strength as well. In the heated scraps and clinches that could define the fight at UFC 98, Hughes should have a decided advantage.

Serra counters with an impressive jiu-jitsu game and the ability to pull submissions at just about any time. He’s also perhaps a little more explosive on his feet, if the St. Pierre fight was any indication, that is.

Serra has looked a bit more energetic than Hughes in recent fights, however, and his best hope is that the wear and tear of Hughes’ 49 fights will render him a shadow of his former self in the Octagon.

In the end, expect Hughes to take control of the fight using his wrestling and his strength to pound out a decision win over Serra. The Terror has been a little bit overvalued thanks to his surprising “perfect storm” win over St. Pierre but Hughes should have just enough left to send him back down to Earth again in this fight.

The Pick: Matt Hughes -275

UFC 98 Lightweight’s- The Muscle Sherk vs.The Answer Edgar

The lightweight division of the UFC has suddenly become packed with up-and-coming title contenders, but Sean Sherk has remained near the top of the division for a long time and figures to stay there for the foreseeable future.

Sherk is perhaps the strongest lightweight fighter the division has ever seen, and he combines that strength and explosiveness with an amazing top control wrestling game and improving hands that allow him to meet just about any challenge in the Octagon.

“The Muscle Shark” will take on a man eight years younger than him in Frankie “The Answer” Edgar this Saturday, May 23 in Las Vegas at UFC 98 in what could be a tough challenge for Sherk.

The BetOnline oddsmakers have Sherk listed as a -300 to +200 favorite over Edgar in a fight that has kind of flown under the radar thus far but still is an interesting matchup.

Edgar has only lost once in his career and boasts wins over top lightweights like Tyson Griffin and Spencer Fisher. But his lone loss came against Gray Maynard, Sherk’s closest match stylistically in the UFC.

Maynard lived up to his nickname and bullied Edgar around in his win and Sherk has the power and wrestling ability to do just that.

Edgar should be fine against Sherk on his feet, however, and his best bet is to lure Sherk into a boxing match in this one. Sherk has been conscious of trying to work on his boxing in recent fights as he tries to diversify his game for another lightweight title shot, but he could have some problems if he tries to stand and trade with Edgar.

The likely outcome of this important UFC 98 contest is that Sherk starts out boxing with Edgar to lull him to sleep before shooting in for a takedown and using his strength to control Edgar and unleash some punishment.

Edgar has some tricks up his sleeve in the jiu-jitsu game but struggling for position with Sherk will wear him out and leave him open to Sherk’s ground-and-pound attacks.

Sherk is getting up there in age but he still has more than enough size and skill to control this fight and move one step closer to another title shot in the near future, perhaps against the winner of BJ Penn and Kenny Florian’s upcoming fight.

The Pick: The Muscle Shark -300

The Underdog Champion – Evans vs. Machida Upset Alert

The term “hater” is thrown around a lot more often than it should be in the world of sports and fighting, but in the case of Rashad Evans and the legions of UFC fans who don’t respect him, the term seems like a perfect fit.

The fight business is a tough one, especially in the UFC where entertainment and competition merge, but Evans has had some memorable knockouts and fights yet still gets labeled as a boring fighter.

Some people also label him as a showboater while others disagree. Regardless of what the fans think about Evans, it seems as if almost all of them are counting him out against Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida in their UFC light heavyweight title fight on Saturday, May 23 in Las Vegas at UFC 98.

A recent poll on the popular martial arts Web site Sherdog.com had Machida as a 75% to 25% predicted winner. The BetOnline odds are also in Machida’s favor as he is a -210 to +160 betting favorite.

Many UFC fans have acted as if it was only a matter of time before Machida held the title belt, and now his coronation appears to be at hand, if you believe the hype that is.

Machida certainly backs that hype up with results and skills, and he is just the type of focused, inflective personality who isn’t going to loose focus.

The same can be said of Evans, whose game is rapidly evolving and who always comes out with a great game plan courtesy of renowned trainer Greg Jackson.

The Machida-Evans fight at UFC 98 will be a five-round title fight, and that should give Evans the advantage he needs to pull out the win in what should be a hotly-contested fight and fascinating matchup of styles.

The title fight format benefits Evans because Machida will need to show more aggressiveness than he has in the past to take the Light Heavyweight Title from Evans, since Evans is defending the belt.

Machida likes to wait back and elude his attacker while picking his spots and launching kicks at just the right times. He most likely can’t do that for five rounds and get the win, however.

Evans has the kind of speed, power, and knockout punching power that can take advantage of a Machida mistake if Machida slips up and strays from his usual game plan.

While Machida is one of the most talented martial artists on the planet and is more than capable of beating Evans, Evans has all the motivation in the world for this one and has only scratched the surface of his immense athletic ability.

Machida will be a champion some day, but this time around, Evans will get the best of him and prove that his title ascension was no fluke once and for all.

The Big Money Pick: Evans +160

Byron Nelson Championship 1st Round Leader

When it comes to betting a golfer to lead after the first round, it’s imperative that gamblers always go for a long shot.

It’s just too difficult not to take a long shot when betting on the 1st round leader in a golf tournament. The 1st round, for many golfers, is all about trying to get into position for the other three days. But for some golfers, leading after the first round comes naturally.

Let’s analyze the chances of some long shots in the BetOnline online sportsbook to lead after the 1st round in the Byron Nelson Championship.

Golf: Byron Nelson Championship 1st Round

1. Brian Davis +4500 – - Davis is Mr. Consistent with 16 straight par or better rounds on the PGA Tour. How has he been starting? How about a 65 to open the Valero Texas Open last week. Of course, in his starts before that he has mostly shot par, but the idea is that he keeps up the good work and gets off to a great start again like he did in the Valero. At the odds of 45 to 1, he deserves betting consideration.

2. Field (All other golfers) +2500 – - At 25 to 1, the field demands a wager because There isn’t a whole lot separating the other golfers. Often times in these types of tournaments, an unknown gets hot for the first two days and then falls off. That could happen in this week’s Byron Nelson and the odds are good on the field.

3. Chad Campbell +5000 – - Campbell shot a 68 to open the Valero, a 65 to open the Masters, a 68 to open the Arnold Palmer and a 66 to open the Bob Hope Classic. He definitely starts hot, when he’s on, and then usually falls apart on either Saturday or Sunday. Like Davis, the golf odds are very good on Campbell.

4. Alex Cejka +8000 – - He was terrible in the Valero but his 66 to open the TPC Sawgrass and 64 to open the Verizon Heritage makes him a long shot possibility in this. The truth is that Cejka has a fairly simple pattern, one good tournament followed by one bad tournament. He’s on the side of the good tournament in this.

5. Brian Gay +4000 – - Gay withdrew from the TPC Sawgrass but before that had shot a 67, 69 and 68 in his last three tournaments. He, no doubt, has a shot to do the same thing in this. If he can improve just a bit, then a 1st round lead isn’t out of the question.

6. Phil Mickelson +1200 – - Mickelson is the favorite to win the Byron Nelson because he’s simply the best golfer in this tournament. But that shouldn’t be a reason for bettors to put money on Phil to lead the 1st round. Okay, how about a 67 in the Quail Hollow? Or, a 63 in the Northern Trust? Lefty opened both of those tournaments with terrific starts. At 12 to 1, he’s not the optimum wager, but he definitely has a shot in this category.

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