After a nail-biting first fight that went down to the-wait, what do you mean it was a protracted thrashing?
Well, this is awkward.
Anyway, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion Renan Barao will get five more rounds to exact his revenge on reigning 135-pound kingpin, T.J. Dillashaw, this Saturday (Aug. 30, 2014) at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, Calif., as the two headline UFC 177.
In addition, Tony Ferguson and Danny Castillo will look to build off of their recent crushing knockouts at each others' expenses and Shayna Baszler will try to avenge teammate Jessamyn Duke against Bethe Correia.
Now let's get into the betting before you start thinking too hard about whether this is really worth your money.
UFC 177 Odds For The Under Card:
Derek Brunson (-125) vs. Lorenz Larkin (+105)
Henry Cejudo (-165) vs. Scott Jorgensen (+145)
Anthony Hamilton (-200) vs. Ruan Potts (+170)
Joe Soto (-115) vs. Anthony Birchak (-105)
Chris Wade (-125) vs. Cain Carrizosa (+105)
Thoughts: Honestly, pickings are a little slim once again in Under Card Land. The one guy I do think might be worth a look is Soto.
It’s always annoying trying to pick a fight between two wrestling specialists because it generally only becomes clear which one of them will be the uke for the evening about three minutes into the first round. That said, Soto’s got a considerable experience advantage in terms of quality opposition and his well-timed shots seem suited to countering Birchak’s aggressive entry into the clinch.
Therefore, a moderate bet on the former Bellator champ makes sense.
UFC 177 Odds For The Main Card:
T.J. Dillashaw (-145) vs. Renan Barao (+125)
Tony Ferguson (-250) vs. Danny Castillo (+210)
Bethe Correia (-135) vs. Shayna Baszler (+115)
Carlos Diego Ferreira (-210) vs. Ramsey Nijem (+175)
Yancy Medeiros (-115) vs. Damon Jackson (-105)
Thoughts: The opening act and the grand finale both strike me as worthwhile investments; I am confident in both Dillashaw and Medeiros’ victories.
Despite Barao’s insistence that he was on autopilot after the first knockdown, Dillashaw’s style just seems perfectly suited to beat the Brazilian. He has the speed to match Barao and the kind of strike variety that previous challengers like Faber and McDonald lacked. Barao couldn’t get either of his primary weapons, the jab and leg kick, going the first time and I don’t see the second time going any better for him.
Bet on Dillashaw earning his first title defense.
Medeiros might be officially winless in UFC, but his losses came to Jim Miller and Rustam Khabilov, the latter by freak injury, and his "No Contest" because of weed erased a brutal knockout of Yves Edwards. He’s still a very big, very strong Lightweight with some real power.
Jackson, while a standout Featherweight, is just that: a 145-pound mainstay coming up on short notice against a man who has fought at Middleweight before. I don’t believe "The Leech" will be able to impose his nasty grappling against a powerhouse like Medeiros, especially with so little time to prepare.
The power-punching Hawaiian should take this one clean.
UFC 177 Best Bets:
- Parlay -- Joe Soto and T.J. Dillashaw: Bet $30 to make $64.80
- Parlay -- T.J. Dillashaw and Yancy Medeiros: Bet $40 to make $86.40
- Single bet -- Yancy Medeiros: Bet $40 to make $34.78
At least we can settle this debate sooner that later and the Bantamweight division can get on with it. Unless, of course, a trilogy is born.
See you Saturday, Maniacs.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver live UFC 177: "Dillashaw vs. Barao 2" results on fight night RIGHT HERE, which is as good a place as any to talk about all the action inside the Octagon, as well as what you've got riding on the sportsbook.
Running Profit For 2014 Based On This Column: -$182.68