Another one in "The Spider" web of Anderson Silva.
Will Chris Weidman be the chosen one and manage to burn it down this weekend (Sat., July 6, 2013) in the main event of UFC 162, which takes place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada?
With nine wins, no losses and a whole mess of impressive wrestling credentials, Weidman appears to be one of the most dangerous potential crown usurpers Silva has faced to date during his dominant Middleweight championship reign.
The talented 185-pound mixed martial arts (MMA) pair will be joined on the pay-per-view (PPV) main card by the likes of Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson, Dennis Siver and Mark Munoz, among others.
If things go as planned, this could be one of the most entertaining PPVs of 2013. And if not, well, here are some tips on how to get enough money to ease the pain of disappointment.
UFC 162 Odds For The Under Card:
Edson Barboza (-550) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (+400)
Gabriel Gonzaga (-250) vs. Dave Herman (+190)
Seth Baczynski (-260) vs. Brian Melancon (+200)
Andrew Craig (-145) vs. Chris Leben (+115)
Mike Pierce (-515) vs. David Mitchell (+375)
Norman Parke (-185) vs. Kazuki Tokudome (+155)
Thoughts: Really, I’m only seeing one worthwhile bet here: Parke over Tokudome. I was originally considering recommending putting some down on Leben since his fight with Craig is a guaranteed brawl and he generally doesn’t lose brawls; however, after his last listless performance, I’m not exactly confident in "The Crippler."
That's because you could read a small novel between him throwing a punch and it actually reaching Derek Brunson.
Anyway, I like Tokudome, but this is going to be the best wrestling he’s encountered in his career. He’s not one to submit Parke off his back nor knock his block off before he gets put there. Parke at better than -200 is a safe bet and a solid parlay lynchpin.
UFC 162 Odds For The Main Card:
Anderson Silva (-230) vs. Chris Weidman (+190)
Cub Swanson (-230) vs. Dennis Siver (+190)
Frankie Edgar (-550) vs. Charles Oliveira (+425)
Tim Kennedy (-150) vs. Roger Gracie (+130)
Mark Munoz (-130) vs. Tim Boetsch (+110)
Thoughts: The under card may have been slim pickings, but I like what I see on the main card. Siver, Kennedy and Munoz all strike me as profitable investments.
I know Swanson is on one hell of a hot streak, but I dare you to tell me with a straight face that he has the same chance at beating Siver that Weidman has of beating Silva. Swanson is strong, fast and skilled, but wild in his striking and mostly a puncher. Siver operates at long range with a superior kicking game and has developed a very effective wrestling attack. Further, he can use one in conjunction with the other, hopefully throwing off Swanson’s timing enough to nullify that explosiveness.
The German seems a solid under dog bet in my book, slapping around Swanson at long range with kicks and threatening with takedowns when he tries to close into punching range.
Watching Gracie work on the mat is a thing of absolute beauty, while watching him work on his feet is less attractive. He can absolutely ruin Kennedy’s day if the fight goes to the ground, but with Gracie’s still-developing takedown game, that doesn’t seem likely. Odds are, we’ll be treated to a mediocre striking battle, which favors Kennedy enough for me to recommend putting some money down on him.
I know he’s been out of the cage for more than one year. I know he’s coming off injuries. I know he turned into Mark Hunt’s long-lost brother before losing half a Flyweight of poundage.
But dammit, I believe in Munoz.
Much has been made of Boetsch’s resurgence, but it’s all on the strength of one good round against Yushin Okami. The Hector Lombard fight was a stinker that many felt he lost, the Constantinos Philippou fight wasn’t a great showing, and Okami was whipping his ass for two rounds. Even with Munoz’s relatively mediocre MMA takedown game, I can definitely see him outwrestling Boetsch without much trouble. That's because pretty much everyone who has wanted to take down "The Barbarian" has done so. On the feet, Munoz is the more powerful of the two as well.
At close to even odds, I feel Munoz is being severely undervalued here.
UFC 162 Best Bets
- Parlay: Norman Parke and Tim Kennedy -- Bet $30 to make $47.10
- Single bet: Dennis Siver -- Bet $40 to make $76
- Parlay: Norman Parke and Mark Munoz -- Bet $40 to make $69.20
World title fight, contender matches and Fourth of July weekend fireworks. Good times!
See you Saturday, Maniacs.