Furious Flyweight fracas ... for free?
Inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 125-pound title winner, Demetrious Johnson, has no intention of taking his foot off the gas now that he's at the top, defending his belt this Saturday (Jan. 26, 2013) in the main event of UFC on Fox 6, which will take place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Challenging "Mighty Mouse" for his crown is John Dodson, winner of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 and perfect (3-0) so far inside the Octagon.
In addition, Quinton Jackson fights for perhaps the last time under the Zuffa banner, taking on rising star Glover Teixeira in a Light Heavyweight tilt, while Lightweight and Featherweight contenders will be decided as teammates Anthony Pettis and Erik Koch take on Donald Cerrone and Ricardo Lamas, respectively.
All the ingredients exist for a fantastic night of mixed martial arts (MMA) fights, including the opportunity for profit.
Follow me below for a closer look at the latest odds behind, and best bets for, UFC on FOX 6: "Johnson vs. Dodson:"
UFC On FOX 6 Odds For The Under Card:
T.J Grant (-125) vs. Matt Wiman (-105)
Clay Guida (-225) vs. Hatsu Hioki (+175)
Ryan Bader (-475) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (+325)
Mike Russow (-215) vs. Shawn Jordan (+165)
Pascal Krauss (-240) vs. Mike Stumpf (+180)
Simeon Thoresen (-225) vs. David Mitchell (+175)
Rafael Natal (-250) vs. Sean Spencer (+190)
Thoughts: Among the injury-riddled mess that is the under card, only one name really stands out to me: Mike Russow.
Simply put, this guy is about as bad a match up as you can get for Shawn Jordan. He’s bigger, more resilient, has better cardio, and is the superior of the two on the mat. Plus, his almost preternatural ability to absorb punishment -- provided it wasn’t knocked out of him by Fabricio Werdum -- mitigates the one-hit threat that makes betting on MMA such a, well, gamble.
Russow at better than -250 is a steal.
Thoresen may also be worth a look; however, his fragility makes Russow a better lynchpin.
UFC On FOX 6 Odds For The Main Card:
Demetrious Johnson (-240) vs. John Dodson (+190)
Glover Teixeira (-315) vs. Quinton Jackson (+255)
Anthony Pettis (-125) vs. Donald Cerrone (-105)
Erik Koch (-150) vs. Ricardo Lamas (+120)
Thoughts: Really, I’m not seeing much value here. The first two fights are pick 'ems, while Rampage’s inconsistency and Teixeira’s predictable striking attack combine to make a bet on either not worthwhile. If you’re dead-set on putting something down on the main card, put Johnson in a parlay.
While Dodson has thunderous power in his left hand, his tentativeness plays right into Johnson’s hands, allowing him to rack up points while Dodson waits for the perfect opportunity. Further, as nasty as that left hand is, Dodson is mostly a one-handed puncher, and the Joseph Benavidez fight showcased that "Mighty Mouse" has the ability to stay away from one big punch.
Dodson has the physical tools to be a contender at 125 and probably even 135, just not the fight IQ. Bank on it.
UFC On FOX 6 Best Bets:
- Single bet: Mike Russow -- Bet $80 to make $37.20
- Parlay: Mike Russow and Demetrious Johnson -- Bet $50 to make $54.50
- Parlay: Simeon Thoresen and Demetrious Johnson -- Bet $40 to make $41.60
A world championship bout, the farewell fight for "Rampage" and a potential 155-pound firecracker ... not bad for free television in the United States.
See you Saturday, Maniacs.