According to noted oddsmaker Nick Kalikas of BetOnFighting.com, it's none other than the former Strikeforce Heayvweight Champion Alistair Overeem. "Demolition Man" opens as a -135 favorite headed into his number one contender bout against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 in Las Vegas, Nevada on Dec. 30
Lesnar comes in as the slight underdog at +105..
Anyone jumping on this line with wallets wide open? Or do you expect a dramatic shift as we get closer and closer to fight night?
Overeem has finally made his way to the UFC after 47 fights and more than a decade in the fight game. He was last seen barely scraping by Fabricio Werdum this past June in a bizarre bout in Dallas, Texas. As it turns out, he turned down a title unification bout against the winner of Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos to square off against the Brockness Monster.
Mistake? Or brilliant career move?
Lesnar is coming off a first round shellacking at the hands of new division champion Cain Velasquez, who survived a pasty-faced bumrush at UFC 121 last October to topple the former WWE star and capture the crown.
He was expected to get back on his horse against Junior dos Santos at UFC 131 earlier this year, but was forced to bow out of the Canadian contest to deal with another flare-up of diverticulitis.
That marked the second bout with the deadly intestinal disease, this one strong enough to force him to get surgery to remove 12 inches of his colon. No wonder he's the underdog in his first fight back, right?
We're still some time away from fight time, Maniacs, but who do you like for your money and who ya' got straight up?
To see the "Lesnar vs. Overeem" odds and betting lines plus all the action for the upcoming UFC and Strikeforce events click here.