UFC 116 Betting Odds – Leben vs Akiyama

This Saturday night at UFC 116 in Las Vegas Nevada, Chris Leben and Yoshihiro Akiyama will step into the octagon in a UFC middleweight division fight. It’s been a long layoff for one fighter, while the other was in the cage only two weeks ago.

The UFC Odds makers have Yoshihiro Akiyama as the -210 favorite. Akiyama hasn’t fought since UFC 100, when he won a split decision, fight of the night over Alan Belcher.

Chris Leben is fighting only two weeks after earning a KO victory over Aaron Simpson at the Ultimate Fight Night 11.

If Leben can get the win, UFC bettors can win +165 on the underdog.

UFC 116 Betting Odds

July 3, 2010

Yoshihiro Akiyama -210

Chris Leben +165

Round Total 2½ U-145

• Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada
• Game Time: 10:00pm
• TV: PPV

Akiyama had a great UFC debut at UFC 100, his fight against Belcher was the fight of the night on a tremendous card.

He hasn’t lost since his second career fight five years ago but he’s had a couple of fight results overturned.

One he was knocked unconscious with an illegal kick and the other he beat the Gracie Killer Sakuraba but later admitted that he used lotion on his back, which created an unfair advantage so the fight was a no contest.

Akiyama will fight Chris Leben as a late replacement despite his earlier protests.

Akiyama wasn’t impressed with the late opponent chance after his original opponent Wanderlei Silva was forced to pull out. Akiyama has been quoted as saying "There are just 10 days left until the contest for me to determine (Leben’s) threats and the time is insufficient to establish a tailored game plan.

Leben is also not as high-profile as (Wanderlei) Silva and that does not help me.”

It’s a legitimate concern but Chris Leben isn’t fooling anyone with his style. Leben will come at you and swing for the fences.

Leben was a big underdog against Aaron Simpson but he stalked Simpson around the cage for two rounds and finally finishing him with a flurry with less than a minute left in the second.

I like Leben, he’s a tough guy but Akiyama is clearly one of Japan’s best fighters.

While it’s true he won’t have the time to prepare for Leben, Leben didn’t have much time to heal from his fight against Simpson.

Leben will put up a great fight, this one will likely go the distance but Akiyama wins at UFC 116.