When news broke that instead of fighting Glover Teixeira at UFC 149 in the promotion's debut in Calgary, Mauricio Rua would be moving over to the main event of the UFC on Fox 4 card in Los Angeles to take on Brandon Vera it came with a collective groan from the mixed martial arts (MMA) fanbase.
That's because few are giving "The Truth" any real shot at winning.
That includes oddsmakers, who opened the betting lines with "Shogun" the heavy favorite at -290 for the light heavyweight showdown set to take place on Aug. 4, 2012, at the Staples Center in California.
Vera comes in as the +220 underdog.
Anyone rushing to lay some coin on Vera here, hoping he can pull the upset? Sure, Dan Henderson couldn't put away the Brazilian but perhaps he softened him up just enough for Vera to finish the job?
Vera himself has told fans to "bet the house on Shogun if you doubt me," which is undoubtedly what's going to happen seeing as nearly every fan is, in fact, doubting him.
They have good reason, though. Since Nov. 2009, Vera has lost two fights, had one overturned to a no contest thanks to his opponent failing a drug test, though he was obliterated in that bout, and won a decision over Eliot Marshall.
That's not the kind of track record that even earns a fight against a guy like "Shogun" let alone inspires any confidence that it's a winnable affair.
But, again, Vera says he's "hyped" that everyone is counting him out and he can't wait to lay some "Truth" on Rua come Aug. 4 in L.A.
We'll see.
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