MMA on Versus 6 Preview: Johnson and Cruz Throw Down in Bantamweight Battle

UFC on Versus 6 Preview: Johnson and Cruz Throw Down in Bantamweight Battle

This Saturday, October 1, Demetrious Johnson takes on Dominick Cruz in a 5 Round battle at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. Cruz is the big favorite, but are the odds justified?

Also on the main card is Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry, Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson and Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman. Below is a preview, with odds, of each of the four main card bouts for this MMA betting event.

Main Event

Demetrious Johnson +325 vs. Dominick Cruz -450

Is Cruz really a -450 fighter in the main event? Putting up $450 to score $100 in profit isn’t always the smart thing to do. There’s been some upsets in the world of MMA and a ratio of 1 to 4.5 is nasty-ugly, but Cruz is awesome. DC’s got an 18 and 1 record, will be conditioned to last the 5 rounds and has incredible punching power. The real difference, though, and the reason why Cruz might not be a very good bet against, is the fact that he avoids 89% of all takedown attempts against him. What’s Johnson’s strong suit on offense?  Takedowns, of course, where DJ uses the skill 71% of the time. Submissions are listed at 4% in Johnson’s skill breakdown. So, if the fight goes to the ground, who do you think will have the advantage? Cruz is a deserving solid fave in this match.

Main Card

Stefan Struve +160 vs. Pat Barry -200

Pat Barry is a vicious striker. In fact, his skill breakdown is 100% striking. Despite that, he only avoids 64% of strikes against him. Will that help the dog to get it done in this match? I think so. Struve has a 25 and 5 record compared to Barry’s 6 and 3 record.  Struve simply has more experience, when it comes to UFC at least, and at 6’ 11” compared to Barry’s 5’ 11”, height could be quite a factor. Struve can literally stand a foot away from Barry and use his kick-boxing ability to pile up points. If Barry tries to get inside, Struve may be able to get Barry on the ground where his submission skills are far superior to Barry’s. I like Struve in this matchup.

Charlie Brenneman +160 vs. Anthony Johnson -200

The taller Johnson should be the favorite in this matchup. Although he’s listed mainly as a striker, Johnson does have a decent ground game and his heart is unmatched. Johnson hadn’t fought since 2009’s loss to Josh Koscheck at UFC 106, until this past March at UFC Fight Night Live. All he did was out-strike the well-regarded Dan Hardy 20 to 2, take Hardy down 4 times to 0, and complete 3 passes against UFC’s self-proclaimed wild man. Does Brenneman have a shot?  Sure he does, but if Johnson is on his game, forget it. The wrestling based Brenneman could find himself in trouble early. 

Mac Danzig +175 vs. Matt Wiman -220

Lightweight 3 Rounds

In the first matchup of these two, Matt Wiman forced Mac Danzig to submit in Round 1, after dominating with the ground-and-pound.  Will things change on Saturday night? I’m not so sure that they will. Wiman goes into this bout off of an upset loss to Denis Silver in July. Wiman’s striking ability and ground game is much improved from their original matchup. Danzig took out Joe Stephenson at UFC 124 last December via KO, but that was his first fight since the Wiman loss. I’ve got to go chalky in this one because I don’t believe Danzig can stand toe-to-toe with M-dub and if the fight goes to the ground Mac will be toast.

UFC 135: Rampage vs. Jones Free Picks

Looking to cash in on this weekend’s highly-anticipated UFC 135: Rampage vs. Jones card? Then you’re in luck BetOnline mixed martial arts gamblers!

Not only will the athletically-gifted Jon ‘Bones’ Jones look to take the next step in his evolution as one of the sport’s elite fighters and defend his light heavyweight crown for the first time, but he will do so against the popular veteran Quinton Rampage Jackson who is looking to get his title back, no matter who stands in his way.

In addition to the card’s headline fight, three more power-packed pairings are also highlighted in this quartet of expert UFC 135 betting picks.

UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage
Saturday, Sept. 24, 9:00 PM ET
Live from the Pepsi center in Denver, CO

 UFC Odds
Quinton Jackson +400
Jon Jones -600

Name: Quinton Jackson
Nickname: Rampage
Record: 32 – 8 – 0 
Height: 6’1"  
Weight: 205lbs
Age: 33

Name: Jon Jones
Nickname: Bones
Record: 13 -1 – 0
Height: 6’4"
Weight: 205lbs
Age: 24

Fight Analysis: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones has won four consecutive fights since getting DQ’d against Matt Hamill back in 2009. At UFC 128 in March he stopped MMA veteran Mauricio Rua on a third-round TKO to win the UFC Light Heavyweight tile.

‘Rampage’ Jackson has won his last two fights and is coming off a unanimous decision win over the same Matt Hamill at UFC 130 in May.

Jackson has now been involved in four straight decision outcomes and six in his last seven fights and his inability to finish his opponents off recently could come back to haunt him in this bout against the younger and far more explosive Jones.

While Jackson has impressive boxing and wrestling skills, he is not as well-rounded as the multi-faceted Jones, who uses at least four techniques to generally overwhelm his opponents.

Jones is a Muay Thai, kickboxing, wrestling and Gaidojutsu specialist that has plenty of power to put away his mostly beefier opponents in stunning fashion.

Quinton Jackson has become a very good stand-up boxer as he’s aged, but he’s lost something off his once formidable wrestling skills and doesn’t fare quite as well on the ground as he once did.

Jones has recorded eight of his career wins via KO with three coming by way of submission while Rampage Jackson has only managed to finish off one fighter inside the bell in the last four years.

The edge in stand-up boxing and striking skills is very slight for Jackson, but Jon ‘Bones’ Jones is the superior fighter in every other area and should finish off his older opponent with another in what has become a long string of highlight-reel finishing moves.

Quinton Rampage Jackson won’t go down easily BetOnline UFC betting fanatics, but he will go down nevertheless. Back Jon ‘Bones’ Jones to win this one with a third-round TKO.

UFC 135 Pick: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones via third-round TKO.

UFC Odds
Matt Hughes +400
Josh Koscheck -600

Name: Matt Hughes
Record: 45-8-0
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 170
Age: 37

Name: Josh Koscheck
Record: 17-5
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 170
Age: 33

Fight Analysis: Two of the sport’s most recognizable names – and fiercest competitors – will get it on with title implications on the line. Two-time UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes and TUF veteran Josh Koscheck both look to bounce back from losses in their last fights, and it could lead to a big payday for MMA bettors.

Hughes has been out of the Octagon since losing to B.J. Penn via a shocking K.O. at just 21 seconds of the First round at UFC 123 in November. Koscheck is also back after losing his bid for the legendary Georges St. Pierre’s welterweight title on a unanimous decision.

 The big question surrounding this matchup is how each fighter will fare in his first fight back in quite a while.

Personally, I like the younger Josh Koscheck to win this fight mostly because he looked very solid in five rounds against St. Pierre the last time out – while Matt Hughes looked lost and confused in his blink-of-an-eye loss to B.J. Penn.

Matt Hughes is undeniably one of the all-time great MMA fighters in UFC history, but it’s clear that he is a lot closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Josh Koscheck however is hungry to get back in the Welterweight title mix and a win here would go a long way toward helping him do just that.

Whether it comes via KO or submission, I like Josh Koscheck for the second round win and urge BetOnline MMA gamblers to back the gritty banger in this one!

UFC 135 Pick: Josh Koscheck via Second Round Stoppage

UFC Odds
Rob Broughton +275
Travis Browne -375
Heavyweight

Name: Rob Broughton
Record: 15-5-1
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 257 lbs
Age:  28

Name: Travis Browne
Record: 11-0-1
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 247 lbs
Age: 30

Fight Analysis: Rob Broughton has won five consecutive fights, including his third round submission win over Vincius Queiroz in his UFC debut at UFC 120 despite the fact that his opponent tested positive for steroids.

The England native specializes in freestyle wrestling and submission grappling but I believe he’s going to have his hands full with an undefeated Travis Browne in this heavyweight battle.

Browne, coming off an outstanding KO win over Stefan Struve in May, via Superman Punch at just 4:11 of the first round, has momentum. The blossoming Browne is huge at 6’7” and has some decent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills that compliment his boxing skills and nearly incomparable KO power. Not only has Browne never been beaten so far in his career, but he’s also gone the distance just three times, so I wouldn’t go expecting this fight to play out as a decision.

As a matter of fact, I’m going on record right now to encourage BetOnline MMA gamblers to ‘bet the farm’ that Browne cruises to victory by smacking Rob Broughton all around the Octagon like a red-headed stepchild.

The bottom line is that Travis Browne remains unbeaten and well on his way to a much bigger battle against a ranked heavyweight title contender at some point in the very near future while Rob Broughton absorbs another loss on his way to anonymity!

UFC 135 Pick: Travis Browne by First Round KO

UFC Odds
Takanori Gomi +210
Nate Diaz -280

Name: Takanori Gomi
Record: 32-7-0-1
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 155
Age: 32

Name: Nate Diaz
Record: 13-7
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 155
Age: 26

Fight Analysis: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing specialist Nate Diaz has lost two straight fights coming into this battle, including his unanimous decision loss to Rory MacDonald at UFC 129 in April.

Similarly, veteran MMA fighter Takanori Gomi has lost two of his last three fights, including his second round submission loss to Clay Guida at UFC 125.

Gomi has actually dropped four of his L/6 fights after winning 10 straight from February of 2004 to December 2005 – and I genuinely believe he is going to get the big win here over the younger – and far less experienced – Nate Diaz.

Diaz has dropped back down to 155 pounds after getting man-handled in his most recent loss, but as stubborn as he is, I just don’t believe he is as multi-faceted enough in order to beat Gomi.

Gomi’s reputation as a dangerous puncher is well-noted and I believe he will have more than one good opportunity to cash in with knee-bending knockout punch, much like he did to Tyson Griffin just over a year ago on Aug. 1, 2010.

This bout has the potential to be a ‘Fight of the Night’ candidate – before a wiser – and more – Gomi finishes it by flooring Diaz in the second round and finishing him with a submission.

UFC 135 Pick: Takanori Gomi via Second Round KO

UFC Fight Night – Double Free Pick

The NFL is in full swing and MLB baseball is steamrolling towards its annual postseason period, but BetOnline mixed martial arts bettors will get to grab a share of the sporting spotlight when UFC Fight Night 25 takes place this Saturday, Sept. 17, live from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA at 9:00 PM ET.

Thanks to this expert MMA betting breakdown on the card’s top two fights, BetOnline fight gamblers will get a jump on the competition as they prepare to boost the annual MMA betting bankroll.

UFC Fight Night 25
Time: 9:00 PM ET
Where: Live Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA

MMA Odds
Jake Ellenberger +140
Jake Shields -170

Jake Ellenberger
Record: 25-5
Age: 26
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 170 lbs

Style: Jake Ellenberger has won four straight fights coming into this bout with three of those wins coming by way of KO or TKO, including his KO (punches) win over Sean Pierson at UFC 129 on April 30.

Ellenberger is undoubtedly one of the strongest welterweights in the game today and has recorded 16 of his career victories by way of KO with just five coming by way of submission and four via decision. The younger of the two ‘Jakes’ has also been submitted once while suffering four career losses via submission.

Jake Shields
Record (26-5-1)
Age: 32
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 170 lbs
Style: Wrestling, BJJ, Kickboxing,

Analysis: Jake Shields had his impressive 15-fight winning streak snapped in his last fight, against UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, but looked very solid in going the distance against the man many believe to be the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world.

Using his patented, never-say-die fighting style, Shields is a well-rounded fighter even if he doesn’t have the most power in the world.

Shields has recorded just three KOs in his career but has racked up double-digit wins by way of submissions (10) and unanimous decision (13).

Of his five career losses, just one has been stopped inside the final bell while Shields has also been submitted four times in his career.

Fight Analysis: The heavy hitting Jake Ellenberger is known for his heavy hands, rock-hard chin and vast amount of experience, but I’m still going to urge BetOnline mixed martial arts gamblers to back the veteran Jake Shields in this contest, mostly because he is more well-rounded than Ellenberger and could very well win this fight in a variety of ways.

Shields is as competitive as they come and has excellent BJJ, grappling and striking skills and I believe that if he can go the distance against Georges St. Pierre, he will could dominate this fight. He will want to get Ellenberger on the ground and into a submission in this fight and avoid some of the younger fighter’s, often fight-ending haymakers.

Jake Ellenberger will try to avoid this battle from becoming a wrestling match, but I don’t see a way out of against the steady Shields.

I really like the competition Jake Shields has been facing recently and I believe he will put the pressure on Ellenberger early and often before getting the big win via submission to put himself right back in the mix of getting another shot at Georges St. Pierre and the welterweight title.

Jake Shields via Second round Submission

MMA Odds
Jason MacDonald +220
Alan Belcher -300

Alan Belcher
Age: 27
Record: 16-8
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 186 lbs
Style: Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Analysis: Alan Belcher has won two straight fights coming into this matchup, including an impressive submission (rear naked-choke) win over Patrick Cote at UFC 113 in May 2010.

Belcher has recorded eight of his 16 career wins by way of knockout, six more via submission and two by way of decision. Belcher has also suffered a pair of KO losses in his career, one loss by way of submission and three more via decision.

Jason MacDonald
Age: 36
Record: 25-14
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 185 lbs
Style: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Analysis: After suffering a broken leg in his UFC debut last May, MacDonald is trying to build some momentum in his comeback.

MacDonald picked up a very nice submission (triangle choke) win over Ryan Jensen on April 30 and has shown an inherent ability to make his opponents tap out, winning a whopping 19 fights via submission with just three coming by way of KO and three more via decision.

Fight Analysis: If you didn’t know before, now you do BetOnline MMA gamblers …. Alan Belcher has not fought in nearly 18 months after having surgery to repair a detached retina and I believe that the long layoff against top-notch competition is going to come back to haunt him in a big way in this bout. I can’t help but think that Belcher is going to be somewhat protective of his eye after initially wondering whether or not he would even regain his vision.

Alan Belcher is much more of a stand-up striker while Jason MacDonald will want to get him on the ground – and out of the ring – by using one of his multiple submission moves.

I believe Jason MacDonald will want to test Belcher’s face with some early strikes before eventually getting the younger Belcher to the ground for a second or third round submission.

Go with the senior James MacDonald to get the big win over a slightly tentative Alan Belcher in this one BetOnline MMA betting enthusiasts.

Jason MacDonald via Second round Submission

UFC 133 – Evans Vs. Ortiz

This weekend’s UFC 133 card may not have the flat-out star power that have helped to make the organization the worldwide leader in mixed martial arts, but MMA gamblers everywhere should be jumping for joy when the event gets underway live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 9:00 PM ET.

The headline bout on the card is a light heavyweight bout between No. 1 contender Rashad Evans and aging veteran Tito Ortiz, while the No. 2 fight on the card features a middleweight battle between veteran bangers Vitor Belfort and Yoshihiro Akiyama.

Better yet, both fights look like they are closer to bankroll-boosting ‘locks’ more than anything else.

First, I’ll offer up my expert MMA analysis on both fights before dropping a pair of payday-producing MMA picks that are.

UFC 133 Odds
Rashad Evans -400
Tito Ortiz +300

Name: Rashad Evans
Age: 31
Nickname: Sugar
Record: 15 – 1 – 1
Association: Imperial Athletics
Height: 5’11"
Weight: 205lbs  
Style: Wrestling
City: Niagara Falls, New York
Country: United States

The Scoop: Rashad Evans has won each of his last two fights since suffering his only career loss to Lyoto Machida in 2009, but hasn’t been in the ring since dispatching Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson at UFC 114 on May 29, 2010

The veteran fighter is well-rounded to say the least, having recorded five career KO wins, two via submission and eight more by way of decision. Evans was knocked out by Machida in the second round and fought Tito Ortiz to a draw back at UFC 73 back in 2007.

Name: Tito Ortiz
Age: 36
Nickname: Huntington Beach Bad Boy
Record: 16 – 8 – 1
Association: Team Punishment
Height: 6’2"  
Weight: 205lbs  
Style: Wrestling
City: Huntington Beach, California
Country: United States

The Scoop: Tito Ortiz snapped a three-fight losing streak and saved his UFC career by submitting Ryan Bader (guillotine choke) at 1:56 of the first round at UFC 132 on July 2.

Now the aging fighter comes back in just over a month to face one of the top MMA fighters on the planet.

Despite his fading skill set, Ortiz is also a well-rounded veteran, having recorded eight career wins via KO, three by way of submission and five more via decision. Of course, Ortiz has also been KO’d twice while suffering two more losses via submission and four by way of decision.

Fight Analysis: Evans was supposed to square off against the gifted Jon ‘Bones’ Jones in this bout but the explosive and still blossoming fighter got injured and had to pull out. The UFC president Dana White was going to pit him against talented youngster Phil Davis, but that didn’t happen because the organization didn’t think Davis had the power to draw pay-per-view hits just yet.

Now Evans fights an aging veteran in Tito Ortiz and one who just fought a month ago, making the outcome of this bout a mere formality.

Yes, I know these two fought to a draw four years ago, but Ortiz clearly isn’t the fighter he used to be while Evans has showed no signs of slippage whatsoever.

While Tito Ortiz choked out Ryan Bader at UFC 132 last month, that certainly isn’t happening to Rashad Evans in this bout. The hungrier-than-ever fighter wants another shot at the light heavyweight title that he lost to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 on May 23, 2009 and I say he takes a big step in that direction by dominating the veteran Ortiz in this fight. I like Rashad Evans to win this fight on a second round KO that comes via punches.

UFC 133 Pick: Rashad Evans by Second Round TKO

UFC 133 Odds
Yoshihiro Akiyama +220
Vitor Belfort -300

Name: Yoshihiro Akiyama
Age: 36
Nickname: Sexyama
Record: 13 – 3 – 0
Association: Team Cloud
Height: 5’10"  
Weight: 185lbs  
Style: Judo
City: Osaka
Country: Japan

The Scoop: If you don’t know, then you should BetOnline MMA gamblers! Yoshihiro Akiyama has been involved in three consecutive UFC ‘Fight of the Night’ pairings since joining the organization prior to UFC 100 back in July 2009. Unfortunately, the gifted fighter has been on the wrong end of each of his last two decisions, though each came against top-notch opponents.

‘Sexyama’ lost to Michael Bisping via unanimous decision at UFC 120 in October just one fight after losing to Chris Leben via submission triangle at UFC 116 last July. Akiyama has recorded five wins via KO, seven by way of submission and just one via decision. Akiyama has suffered one loss of each kind in his career.

Name: Vitor Belfort
Age: 34
Nickname: The Phenom
Record: 19 – 9 – 0
Association: Tapout Training Center
Height: 6’0" (183cm)
Weight: 185lbs (84kg)
Style: Boxing/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
City: Rio De Janeiro
Country: Brazil

The Scoop: Not only did Vitor Belfort have his five-fight winning streak snapped in his UFC 126 loss to the legendary Anderson Silva, but in the process, Belfort became a household name – albeit for taking a highlight reel front kick to the face to that dropped the fierce fighter like a sack of potatoes.

Nevertheless, the aggressive Belfort is back – and that could be a bad thing for his UFC 133 opponent.

Prior to get stopped in the first round against Silva at UFC 126 in February, Belfort had won five straight and six of seven overall. Belfort has recorded 13 of his 19 career wins via KO, two more by way of submission and four by way of decision.

Fight Analysis: I don’t like Vitor Belfort one iota and I knew he was going to go down hard against Anderson Silva the last time out. Still, I’ve got to say that he’s the right pick to win this fight as the more aggressive and talented fighter here.

As a matter of fact, Yoshihiro Akiyama could very well be winless in three career fights in the UFC after winning his first match by split decision.

Maybe it’s me, but I’m thinking that Vitor Belfort is desperate to remain relevant as far as title shots go and I believe he will get the win here either by submission of decision and I vote for decision.

Belfort is slightly younger and has faced more quality fighters over the course of his career than Akiyama has. MMA gamblers should back Vitor Belfort to get the job done via unanimous decision.

UFC 133 Pick: Vitor Belfort by Unanimous Decision

UFC 134 – RIO

UFC 134, taking place this Saturday, August 27th, in Rio de Janeiro, is shaping up as a potential historical event for MMA’s most important outfit.  UFC recently signed a deal with the FOX Network to broadcast live fights.  The deal with FOX is a huge step-up from cable’s Versus, which has been broadcasting Sunday cards, and Spike TV, which has been broadcasting preliminary bouts on pay-per-view cards.  It hasn’t been decided on how FOX’s UFC participation will affect Versus or Spike.

The brass at UFC, no doubt, will be looking to make a great impression with this Saturday’s card which, not coincidentally, highlights two of the best Brazilian fighters on the planet, the fantastic Mauricio Rua and the terrific Anderson Silva.  One of the Brazilian legends of the Octagon, Minotauro Nogueira, will also be on hand to battle against young Brendan Schaub on the main card.  Edson Barboza and Luis Cane are two more Brazilian battlers that have made their way to the pay-per-view portion of UFC 134.  Per the norm, UFC 134 preliminary bouts will be broadcast on Spike.

Below is a preview, with odds, of each of the four main card bouts.

Anderson Silva -500 vs. Yushin Okami +350

The Spider, that’s Silva, was brilliant in knocking out a much better opponent, Vitor Belfort, at UFC 126.  Silva has an excellent ground game, but he’s also got some of the best stand-up in the biz.  Okami is a smart fighter, but his strength is the ground and pound and, lately, he’s been more of a striker than anything else.  So, Okami is going to try and out strike Anderson Silva?  Not likely.  How about getting Silva to the ground for the pound?  Not likely.  Unless The Spider is out of shape or injured going into this thing, Yushin’s going to have a short, brutal night.

Forrest Griffin +180 vs. Mauricio Rua -230

There’s no shame in losing to Jon Jones, the Ayrton Senna (for those of you who haven’t seen the brilliant doc on the IR racer, check it out!) of MMA.  So, I’m forgiving Shogun, Rua, from getting his stones handed to him at UFC 128.  Forrest Griffin is not going to out strike Shogun 75 to 9 the way Jones did.  Griffin did out strike Rua 66 to 27 the first time the two fought but that was way back in 2007.  If Rua hasn’t recovered from the Jones beating, then Forrest has a shot, but my gut tells me that Mauricio shows up in front of his countrymen on Saturday night.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira +180 vs. Brendan Schaub -230

Minotauro is a legend, but Schaub is tough.  The Denver, Colorado native has guts battling a legend on the legend’s home turf.  Schaub has already taken down one MMA folk hero, Marko Filipovic, at UFC 128, and should be able to keep his distance while racking up  points over the slowing Nogueira.  If Minotauro can get Schaub to the ground, though, he’ll have a shot at the win.  Therefore, there might be some value in those +180 odds on Rodrigo in this fight.  Betting wise, I’d think twice about backing Schaub, but if I have to pick a winner with no dollars involved, then it’s Schaub.

Ross Pearson +220 vs. Edson Barboza -300

The English fighters, like Pearson, are usually tough dudes, but I don’t see this English tough guy upsetting Edson Barboza.  Barboza has only eight Mixed Martial Arts fights to his credit, but take a look at that kick-boxing record, 25 victories out of 28 bouts with 22 knock-outs.  The man can obviously strike, but, because he hails from Rio, Edson can also get a dude to the ground and work some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on him.  I like Pearson to make it interesting but he’ll have to KO Barboza in order to win this fight and I have to believe that Edson is too smart of a fighter to get himself in danger against Pearson.   

Strikeforce Challengers 18 Headlined By Electrifying Lightweights, Gurgel, Duarte

Mixed martial arts fanatics everywhere will be treated to what promises to be a thrilling MMA card when Strikeforce Challengers 18: Gurgel vs. Duarte takes place live from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada this Friday, Aug. 12 at 11:00 PM ET on Showtime television.

Strikeforce Challengers 18: Gurgel vs. Duarte
Where: The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV
When: Friday, Aug. 12
TV: Showtime at 11:00 PM ET

While this MMA event may not have the sheer ‘superstar’ drawing power that some of the bigger names in the sport consistently bring to the table, the 18th edition of Strikeforce Challengers won’t be lacking anything in crowd-pleasing department, big names or not.

That’s right mixed martial arts followers, the five-fight Strikeforce Challengers main card is chock full of terrific pairings that all look like they’re going to be knock-down, drag-out affairs that leave fight fans on the edges of their respective seats.

Headlining the event is the highly-anticipated lightweight matchup between Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists Jorge Gurgel (14-7) and Joe “Hybrid” Duarte (9-2). The grapplers will both be looking to take another step toward a future title fight by winning this matchup.

Gurgel looked very solid in pounding Billy Vaughan into submission (guillotine choke) at: 44 seconds of the first round at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson in March. Unfortunately, the former UFC fighter has also lost two of four since joining Strikeforce in 2009. Gurgel lost each of his last two UFC fights and three of four overall to get bounced out of the organization.

Joe Duarte has won four consecutive fights, including his Strikeforce debut in April when he defeated Saad Awad at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley via second round submission (armbar). Joe Duarte will be looking to pull off the upset here, but it’s not going to be an upset at all if you ask me MMA fanatics.

The co-main event will be a middleweight showdown between Danillo Villefort (13-3) and MMA veteran Nate James (12-7-1). Villefort will make his Strikeforce debut in this bout and bring with him a solid four-fight winning streak. James has won three of his last four fights, but isn’t quite in the same company as James.

Strikeforce Challengers will also feature a lightweight battle between mixed martial arts veteran Pat Healy (26-10) and Eric Wisely (17-5). Healy bounced back from a loss in his previous fight to beat Lyle Beerbohm at Strikeforce Challengers 14 in February to move to an impressive 4-1 in his last five fights.

Wisely brings with him, a four-fight winning streak that includes a solid win over former UFC veteran Hermes Franca. Wisely did beat Lance Wipf via split decision in May, so it’s not like he put on a commanding performance the last time out. Expect Pat Healy to walk away victorious here MMA lovers.

Strikeforce Challengers 18 also features an intriguing women’s bantamweight division fight with undefeated newcomer “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey (2-0-0) looking to keep her record perfect when she battles Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio (4-1-0) in her first MMA fight of 2011. Rousey has pounded both of her opponents into submission in less than two combined minutes while D’Alelio took a loss to the top-ranked Julie Kedzie the last time out.

The main card will actually get started with a light heavyweight division fight between Roy ‘The Wolf’ Jones Jr. (6-1-0) and Derrick “Caveman” Mehmen (11-3-0).

Jones Jr. (no, not the Hall of Fame-bound boxer) has recorded five of his six career wins in the first round but will also face an explosive finisher in Mehmen who has recorded nine of his 11 career wins via KO or TKO.

Jones Jr. lacks experience, but he’s the more athletically gifted fighter and I like him here in a thriller.

Here is a look at the full fight card.

Strikeforce Challengers 18
Main Card
Jorge Gurgel (14-7) vs. Joe Duarte (9-2)
Danillo Villefort (13-3) vs. Nate James (12-7)
Pat Healy (26-17) vs. Eric Wisely (17-5)
Ronda Rousey (2-0) vs. Sarah D’Alelio (4-1)
Roy Jones Jr. (5-1) vs. Derrick Mehmen (11-3)

Preliminary Card
Gian Villante (7-3) vs. Keith Berry (10-7)
Nah-Shon Burrell (6-1) vs. Lukasz Lez (7-2)
Mike Bronzoulis (12-3) vs. Chad Leonhardt (8-2)
Sterling Ford (13-4) vs. Milton Viera (12-7)  

Finishing Fedor – Champion Henderson Looks to Topple Once ‘Unbeatable’ Fedor

Not very long ago, MMA legend Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko was viewed as ‘unbeatable’ and the unequivocal best heavyweight fighter on the planet. Of course, winning 26 times in 27 fights, (with one No Contest) will make even the most cynical MMA critic a believer.

However, nothing stays the same forever in life or sports and now, fast forward from two years ago and Fedor’s career is teetering on the brink of an unexpected – and embarrassing retirement.

That’s right BetOnline MMA fight fanatics, when Emelianenko and Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson step in the cage on Saturday July 30th at the Sears Center Arena in Chicago for their Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Henderson showdown, the hard-hitting Russian former champ will be will be in the fight of his life to avoid a third consecutive loss – and one that could very well end what his Hall of Fame caliber MMA career.

What: Strikeforce and M-1 Global Present: Fedor vs. Henderson
When: Saturday, July 30, Live from Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, IL
TV: Live on Showtime at 10:00 PM ET, Live in the UK on Primetime, Live in Canada on Super Channel

Strikeforce Betting Odds
Dan Henderson +175
Fedor Emelianenko -220

Thanks to my expert MMA betting analysis and prediction, BetOnline MMA gamblers everywhere will get an excellent chance to cash in with a winning wager on what looks like one of the most intriguing fights of the year, even if it doesn’t quite have the ‘star power’ that Fedor and Henderson once routinely commanded.

Fedor Emelianenko
Record: 31-3-1
Age: 34
Height: 6 ft 0 in
Weight: 230 lb
Fighting out of: Stary Oskol, Belgorod, Russia
Style: Sambo, Judo, Boxing

The Breakdown: Fedor has dropped two straight fights and was stopped by Antonio ‘Big Foot’ Silva (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of the second round on Feb. 2 in his last fight. The respected Sambo, Judo and Boxing specialist also fell in his previous fight when he was submitted by Fabricio Werdum (triangle armbar) at 1:09 of the first round. Prior to his last two bouts, Fedor easily handled hard-punching Brett Rogers on November, 7, 2009 by knocking out the heavy hitter (punches) in the second round.

Dan Henderson
Record: 27-8
Age: 40
Height: 6’1"
Weight: 205 lbs
Fighting out of: Temecula, California
Style: Mixed Martial Arts/Greco-Roman Wrestling

The Breakdown: Dan Henderson hasn’t slowed down at all despite turning 41-years-old less than a month after facing Fedor in this headline bout. Henderson stopped Rafael Cavalcante on March 5, in Columbus, Ohio via strikes at 50 seconds of the third round to win the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship. 

Prior to his last fight, Henderson knocked out Renato Sobral at 1:53 of the first round in the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title eliminator on Dec, 4, 2010. Henderson also lost a five-round unanimous decision middleweight title bout against Jake Shields in Nashville on April 7, 2010.

The Scoop: With an identical 35 fights in their respective MMA careers, both fighters in this matchup have a plethora of experience, though the edge here in ‘prime time’ fights undoubtedly has to go to Fedor Emelianenko who won his first heavyweight title way back in 2003.

Nevertheless, Dan Henderson is no slouch and certainly won’t go down easily in this bout. Henderson has looked really good in winning two straight fights and five of his last six overall.

While Fedor is generally recognized for his power punching ability, it is Dan Henderson that has recorded more career KOs (13-8), not to mention the fact that he has knocked out two consecutive quality opponents and three of his last four overall. Fedor clearly has the upper hand in submission skills in this bout and holds a 16-2 career edge in submissions.

One telling fact that BetOnline mixed martial arts gamblers need to know about is the fact that Fedor has not gone more than two rounds since beating Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic via unanimous decision in August 2005.

Dan Henderson has been stopped just once in the first round in his career, so the longer this fight goes, the more I believe the edge goes to Henderson.

MMA Prediction: At this point of their respective careers, I have to believe that Dan Henderson is a better fighter than Fedor Emelianenko and I see a variety of ways in which he can win this fight.

‘Hendo’ could land a big ‘H-Bomb’ and floor Fedor and his diminishing skills early or he could possibly get the big Russian on his back with a takedown. One has to wonder how much gas Fedor has left in his tank after his two losses – or if he still has the desire to remain one of the elite heavyweights on the planet.

Fedor is the naturally bigger and stronger fighter in this bout and I suspect the fact that he’s in all-out ‘desperation mode’ will spur him on to a very solid performance against Henderson in this matchup.

I am going to back Fedor Emelianenko to remain a relevant figure in the Strikeforce heavyweight division by securing the submission win in the second round.

However, I also want to advise BetOnline MMA betting enthusiasts that if this fight goes past the second third round at most, I think Dan Henderson gets a big advantage because of his ability to hang around in fights.

MMA Pick: Fedor Emelianenko via Second Round Submission

UFC On Versus 5 Hardy vs. Lytle

In what has been an exciting summer full of thrilling mixed martial arts events, BetOnline MMA betting enthusiasts will get another chance to cash in on a value-packed MMA event when UFC Live 5: Hardy vs. Lytle gets underway on Sunday, Aug. 14, live from the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI, beginning at 9:00 PM ET, live on Versus.

When: Sunday, Aug. 14
Where: Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI
Time: 9:00 PM ET
TV: Versus, Rogers Sportsnet

Often referred to as UFC 5 On Versus, the main card of UFC Live 5 features four fights, including the headline welterweight showdown between UFC veterans Dan Hardy (23-9) and Chris Lytle (30-18-5).

Two lightweight bouts also take place on the main card with Jim Miller (20-2) and Ben Henderson (13-2) going at it and Donald Cerrone (15-3) and Charles Oliveira (14-1) also set for battle. Last but not least, another welterweight battle will take place in the cage when Amir Sadollah (5-2) and Duane Ludwig (20-11) try to improve on their respective records.

Okay BetOnline MMA gamblers, I’ve got the scoop on the top three UFC Live 5 fights, followed by a trio of expert, value-packed picks.

UFC Live 5 Odds
Dan Hardy -110
Chris Lytle -120

Name: Dan Hardy
Age: 29
Nickname: The Outlaw
Record: 23 - 9 - 0
Height: 6’0" (183cm)
Weight: 171lbs (78kg)
City: Nottingham, East Midlands
Country: England

Name: Chris Lytle
Age: 36
Nickname: Lights Out
Record: 30 - 18 - 5
Height: 5’11" (181cm)
Weight: 169lbs (77kg)
City: Indianapolis, Indiana
Country: United States

The Scoop: Dan Hardy has lost three consecutive fights and could be in trouble of getting the boot if he loses this bout to Lytle. Hardy lost to Anthony Johnson at UFC Fight Night in March just one fight after getting knocked out by Carlos Condit at UFC 120 in October.

Chris Lytle had his four-fight winning streak snapped in losing to Brian Ebersol via decision at UFC 127 in February in what turned out to be the fight of the night.

UFC Live 5 Pick: I really like Chris Lytle coming into this bout and I believe he is going to win this fight in a thriller between two very evenly matched fighters.

While both BJJ-based fighters are excellent grapplers, I fully believe that Dan Hardy is the better stand-up fighter – and will win this bout because of it. If both fighters are equal on the ground, (which they are) then the fighter with the better stand up skills is the guy to go with – and for this bout – that would be Dan Hardy.

Besides, BetOnline sports gamblers that have cashed in with me at a high rate over the years, know that I love fighters – and teams – that are in what I like to call ‘desperation mode’.

England’s in the midst of a history-making riot, but I’m fully expecting Dan Hardy to bring some good news to his countrymen by getting the big – and career-saving – win over Chris Lytle.
The Winner: Dan Hardy

UFC Live 5 Odds
Ben Henderson +120
Jim Miller -150

Name: Benson Henderson
Age: 27
Nickname: Smooth
Record: 13 - 2 - 0 
Height: 5’9" (176cm)
Weight: 155lbs (71kg)
City: Glendale, Arizona
Country: United States

Name: Jim Miller
Age: 27
Record: 20 - 2 - 0
Height: 5’8" (173cm)
Weight: 155lbs (71kg)
Style: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
City: Sparta, New Jersey
Country: United States

The Scoop: Ben Henderson bounced back from a loss in his previous fight to beat Mark Bocek via unanimous decision at UFC 129 in April but he’s going to have his hands full with red-hot lightweight Jim Miller, winner of seven consecutive fights.

I’m going on record right now to inform BetOnline betting buffs and MMA fanatics everywhere that I believe this matchup will produce the ‘Fight of the Night’ for UFC Live 5.

Henderson, a former WEC lightweight champ, is very well-rounded with solid skills in wrestling, Tae Kwon Do, BJJ and Muay Thai, but I’m going to advise mixed martial arts bettors to back the unheralded little brother of UFC veteran Dan Miller.

I like the fact that the younger Miller has picked up his seven straight wins in a variety of ways, with two TKO’s, two submissions wins and three decision victories and I believe he is going to find a way to beat the talented Henderson. As an aside, Miller has never been beaten by anything other than a unanimous decision.
The Winner: Jim Miller

UFC Live 5 Odds
Charles Oliveira -160
Donald Cerrone +130

Name: Charles Oliveira
Age: 21
Nickname: do Bronx
Record: 14 - 1 - 0 
Height: 5’10" (178cm)
Weight: 153lbs (70kg)
City: Sao Paulo
Country: Brazil

Name: Donald Cerrone
Age: 28
Nickname: Cowboy
Record: 15 - 3 - 0 
Height: 5’11" (181cm)
Weight: 155lbs (71kg)
Style: Muay Thai
City: Broomfield, Colorado
Country: United States

The Scoop: Brazilian Charles Oliveira will be looking to bounce back and pick up a big win here against a quality fighter after getting tagged with a No Contest after initially being awarded a submission win at UFC Live 17 just two months ago.

Oliveira also took his first career loss (kneebar) to Jim Miller in his fight prior to his last one, losing to Jim Miller at UFC 124 in December and will have to find a way to stop a red-hot Donald Cerrone in this bout.

The ‘Cowboy’ has won four consecutive fights, including a unanimous decision win over Vagner Rocha at UFC 131 on June 11, but I’m going to keep my pick for this bout short and sweet by simply saying that I like the younger Oliveira here with both of these fighters having fought just about two months ago.

The recuperation period for an MMA bout is generally few months apart and with these two having such a short turnaround time, I think the younger Oliveira will have a lot more gas in the tank than the aggressive Cerrone.

Go with Charles Oliveira and his superior BJJ skills to prevail.
The Winner: Charles Oliveira

UFC Live 5 Cards
 
Main Card (Versus)
Dan Hardy (23-9) vs. Chris Lytle (30-18-5)
Jim Miller (20-2) vs. Ben Henderson (13-2)
Donald Cerrone (15-3) vs. Charles Oliveira (14-1)
Amir Sadollah (5-2) vs. Duane Ludwig (20-11)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)
C.B. Dollaway (11-3) vs. Jared Hamman (11-3)
Joseph Benavidez (14-2) vs. Eddie Wineland (18-7-1)
Karlos Vemola (8-1) vs. Ronny Markes (11-1)
Ed Herman (20-7) vs. Kyle Noke (19-4-1)
Alex Caceres (5-3) vs. Jim Hettes (8-0)
Jacob Volkmann (12-2) vs. Danny Castillo (11-3)
Cole Miller (17-5) vs. T.J. O’Brien (16-4)
Edwin Figueroa (7-1) vs. Jason Reinhardt (20-2)

Marquardt vs Story in Main Event on UFC Live this Sunday

Proof that UFC is indeed on the cutting edge of sports broadcasting comes once again this Sunday with UFC Live:  Marquardt vs Story.

No amount of tough news, including scheduled fighter Anthony Johnson pulling out from his battle with Nate Marquardt in the main event, has derailed the buzz that has been built up regarding this Sunday’s fights.  Six preliminary bouts will once again be streamed live through Facebook.  Versus will broadcast the five remaining fights in the U.S. and Rogers Sportsnet will broadcast the five fights in Canada.  The model, showing prelim fights on Facebook and then broadcasting live on Versus and Rogers Sportsnet, has worked well for UFC in recent events. 

As far as the fights are concerned, Rick Story takes the place of the injured Anthony Johnson in the main event.  Story, 13 and 3 overall, hasn’t lost a bout since 2009.  He steps into the fray against the veteran Marquardt who is tailor-made for the city of Pittsburgh with its steel mills and tough, hard-working, heritage.  Story figures to give the vet all he can handle.

For Marquardt, Sunday’s main event is a drop to 170 pounds from 185.  The 15 pound difference could actually work against the veteran in this bout as he figures to lose some of the energy he displayed at 185 and faces a quick, almost always well-conditioned fighter in Rick Story.

The entire UFC Live card is listed below.

UFC Live:  Marquardt vs Story

Sunday, June 26

9 pm EST

Main Card – Versus (U.S.), Rogers Sportsnet (Canada)

Rick Story -130 vs Nate Marquardt +100

Pat Barry +160 vs Cheick Kongo -200

Matt Brown +200 vs John Howard -260

Christian Morecraft +210 vs Matt Mitrione -280

 

Undercard – Facebook

Tyson Griffin vs Manvel Gamburyan

Joe Stevenson vs Javier Vasquez

Joe Lauzon vs Curt Warburton

Daniel Roberts vs Rich Attonito

Nick Lentz vs Charles Oliveira

Ricardo Lamas vs Matt Grice

Michael Johnson vs Edward Faaloto

Dos Santos, Carwin Heavyweight Matchup Highlights UFC 131 Card

On Saturday, June 11 at 9:00 PM ET, the UFC will be back in Canada when its "UFC 131: Dos Santos vs. Carwin" card gets underway live from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Originally scheduled to feature Dos Santos versus popular heavyweight Brock Lesnar, a second bout of diverticulitis knocked Lesnar out of the UFC 131 pay-per-view event. Fortunately for MMA gamblers and fans everywhere, Lesnar was replaced with the talented Shane Carwin, which could potentially make for an even more exciting fight.

Before I offer up my thoughts and expert mixed martial arts betting selections on the UFC 131 card, let’s take a look at the lineup, which also features a few other high-profile matchups on the card.

Main Card (pay-per-view)
Junior Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin
Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes
Jon Olav Einemo vs. Dave Herman
Demian Maia vs. Mark Munoz
Donald Cerrone vs. Vagner Rocha

Preliminary Card (Spike TV)
Yves Edwards vs. Sam Stout
Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Chris Weidman

Preliminary Card (Facebook)
Mike Massenzio vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
James Head vs. Nick Ring
Dustin Poirier vs. Jason Young
Joey Beltran vs. Aaron Rosa
Darren Elkins vs. Michihiro Omigawa

Heavyweight 3 Rounds
Junior Dos Santos -165
Shane Carwin +135

Analysis: Junior Dos Santos has won seven consecutive fights coming into this bout and is undoubtedly one of the best heavyweights in all of mixed martial arts today.

Dos Santos (12-1) is a great striker with big-time power and has won all six of his fights in the UFC to date, including his unanimous decision win over Roy Nelson at UFC 117 in August. Dos Santos had won five straight bouts by KO prior to his last bout.

Shane Carwin (12-1) had won a dozen consecutive MMA bouts to start his career, but was cut down by Lesnar at UFC 116 by an arm triangle choke last July. The powerful Carwin is also a solid striker that has recorded seven of his career wins by KO and five via submission.

The Pick: I’ve got to roll with Junior Dos Santos in this bout. Not only can he match – and surpass – Shane Carwin’s power punches, but he’s also the bigger – and better-rounded fighter.

Back Junior Dos Santos to win via second round KO!

Lightweight 3 Rounds
Yves Edwards +130
Sam Stout -160

Analysis: I really like this fight and think it’s one of the best ‘lock’ selections on the board for UFC 131.

My guy for this lightweight bout, Canadian born and bred Sam Stout, bounced back from his loss to Jeremy Stephens at UFC 113 in May to pound Paul Taylor into submission at UFC 121 in October and I believe he will do the same to Yves Edwards in this bout as he attempts to move back into title contention.

Incredibly, Stout was involved in three consecutive Fight of the Night matchups prior to beating Taylor the last time out and I believe the stellar Muay Thai and kickboxing specialist is going to do a job on Edwards in this bout.

Speaking of the Bahamian MMA banger, Edwards has won three straight fights coming into this bout, including his rear naked choke win over Cody McKenzie at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 on January 22, that earned him both, Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night honors.

Still, this bout will be a big step up in competition – and I am almost certain that Stout will overwhelm him with his cerebral MMA style.

The Pick: Back Sam Stout in this matchup to boost the annual MMA betting bankroll.  

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