Crow will be served at Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, tomorrow night (Weds., April 16, 2014).
Michael Bisping and Tim Kennedy have traded harsh words these past few months and now it's time for them to trade some slightly more concrete things ... like fists and feet. The 185-pound pair will do battle in The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): "Nations" Finale main event on FOX Sports 1, with the winner inching ever closer to the Middleweight contender "mix."
In addition to the five-round main event, the "Canada vs. Australia"-themed card that emerged all Canada, will also feature the conclusion of Nations' welterweight and middleweight brackets, plus a showdown between coaches Patrick Cote and Kyle Noke.
Let's see if a little dosh of gambling poutine on the side can help you get over Wednesday's hump:
TUF: "Nations" Finale Odds For The Under Card:
Sam Stout (-115) vs. K.J. Noons (-105)
Sarah Kaufman (-240) vs. Leslie Smith (+400)
Ryan Jimmo (-500) vs. Sean O’Connell (+400)
George Roop (-120) vs. Dustin Kimura (EVEN)
Mark Bocek (-485) vs. Mike De La Torre (+350)
Nordine Taleb (-205) vs. Vik Grujic (+165)
Richard Walsh (-240) vs. Chris Indich (+180)
Mich Gagnon (-280) vs. Tim Gorman (+240)
Thoughts: I’ve got eight fights from which to choose, but only two that I’m familiar enough with both fighters to be confident. I’ve learned not to bet on a George Roop fight; therefore, let’s just stick with Sam Stout.
Both Stout and Noons are, in my opinion, shot. This is a novelty fight. Stout, however, is still aggressive and a competent wrestler, while Noons’ stand up has devolved considerably. The footwork’s gone and his feint-to-punch ratio is getting a bit too high. I expect Stout to win this through sheer volume, landing glancing leg kicks and the occasional wide punch, while Noons bobs and weaves for the sake of bobbing and weaving.
Add in the takedowns and you’ve got a good bet.
TUF: "Nations" Finale Odds For The Main Card:
Michael Bisping (-175) vs. Tim Kennedy (+155)
Kyle Noke (-120) vs. Patrick Cote (EVEN)
Elias Theodorou (-140) vs. Sheldon Westcott (+120)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier (-125) vs. Chad Laprise (+105)
Dustin Poirier (-700) vs. Akira Corassani (+500)
Thoughts: Forgive my ignorance, but the main event is the only fight here I feel comfortable betting on. Though Kennedy has laid down some solid burns in the build up to the fight, I don’t see him beating Bisping with any regularity.
No, Bisping can’t punch. What he can do is land an absurd volume of strikes and do a good job of staying on his feet. Kennedy may have luck dragging him down early, but he’s eventually going to have to exchange and he doesn’t have the skill or power to take advantage of Bisping’s defensive lapses.
"The Count" strikes me as a good bet.
TUF: "Nations" Finale Best Bets:
- Single bet -- Sam Stout: Bet $69 to make $60
- Parlay -- Sam Stout and Michael Bisping: Bet $30 to make $58.20
It's shaping up to be a fun night of mixed martial arts (MMA) action, far more palatable than a star-less, far-flung main event with a supporting cast of characters whose names who we can't pronounce or recognize.
Olivier Aubin-Mercier not withstanding.
Running Profit For 2014 Based On This Column: -$206.90