UFC 103 Betting – Mirko Cro Cop vs. Junior dos Santos

Is Mirko Cro Cop Filopovic really back, or is he on the downside of his career? The MMA world will find out on Saturday night in Dallas at UFC 103 betting as the former PRIDE superstar faces one of his toughest fights in recent memory against Junior Dos Santos.

Last month saw another former PRIDE heavyweight legend, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, revitalize both his career and his image in one night with a win over Randy Couture, and Cro Cop is looking to do the same in one of the most intriguing fights of the year against Dos Santos.

What makes this UFC 103 heavyweight clash so intriguing? Let us count the ways.

First and foremost, this could be one of the most explosive fights of the year. It features perhaps the best and most feared boxers in the heavyweight division, Dos Santos, and he’s up against the man with the most lethal high kick in the history of MMA, Cro Cop.

If one of Dos Santos’ lightning-quick straight rights or one of Cro Cop’s devastating left high kicks lands, it could be lights out for the opposing fighter. That makes this fight one where blinking is not necessarily recommended when at all possible.

BetOnline.com has Dos Santos as a slight favorite going in, with the odds at -135 to +105.

That is a bit surprising considering that Dos Santos has only fought one true contender in his career in Fabricio Werdum. It was a matchup tailor made for his style, at least on the feet, as that was an area where Werdum was badly outclassed. He paid for it as Dos Santos scored a quick yet surprising knockout.

Other than that, Dos Santos hasn’t been tested much.

Cro Cop has fought the best in the world consistently and has beaten many of them.

He’s beaten multiple opponents in one night in PRIDE and is one of the toughest, most durable guys MMA has seen.

The key to this fight will be to see if Cro Cop can handle the hand speed of Dos Santos.

If Cro Cop fights smart and keeps Dos Santos at bay using his high kick to keep him out of range, he has an excellent chance of winning the fight.

Cro Cop might even be able to showcase some of his underrated ground fighting skills in this fight too if the occasion calls for it.

Dos Santos is one of the UFC’s best young prospects, but in the end, the physicality and experience of Cro Cop will be the difference as he scores a second round TKO.

The pick: Mirko Cro Cop (+105)