MMA Betting: UFC 104 Preview
by Bodog Sportsbook | Oct 23 2009
The
UFC is coming to Los Angeles. Excellent choice, because aside from the main event, it'll take the kind of hardcore fans you'll find in L.A. to appreciate Saturday's
UFC 104 lineup.
Over 14,000 fans (10,000 paid) shelled out nearly $3 million for tickets the last time the UFC visited the Staples Center three years ago. There shouldn't be much trouble topping those numbers on Saturday. MMA continues to grow internationally, and Los Angeles is very much an international city with a deep interest in combat sports. Throw in the extra helping of Hollywood actors and cheesecake in attendance, and you've got a bona fide spectacle.
The more knowledgeable fans on hand will appreciate the work of undercard fighters like jiu-jitsu expert Eric Schafer and the always-underrated Yushin Okami, but there's one man everyone wants to see right now, and that's light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. He's a breathtaking striker with a 3rd-degree black belt in karate, not to mention a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling training under Antonio Inoki himself, and a perfect record of 15-0. His opponent, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (18-3), is half the fighter he was in PRIDE thanks to knee injuries. This looks very much like it'll be Rua's swan song.
Provided Machida puts away Rua, there's only one big-ticket light heavyweight left to face. But that's only if Quinton "Rampage" Jackson returns to the Octagon after he's done filming The A-Team. So fans looking for the next superfight will have to wait until next month's UFC 106, where heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will face fast-rising challenger Shane Carwin in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, here are the
MMA odds (at press time) and the recent results for everyone involved in the top four fights at UFC 104.
Lightweight: Joe Stevenson (-295) vs. Spencer Fisher (+235)
June 20, 2009: Stevenson (+130) over Nate Diaz (-160) by unanimous decision
Feb. 21, 2009: Diego Sanchez (-340) over Stevenson (+280) unanimous decision
Oct. 25, 2008: Kenny Florian (-200) over Stevenson (+160) by first-round submission
June 13, 2009: Spencer (-190) over Caol Uno (+150) by unanimous decision
Oct. 25, 2008: Spencer (-315) over Shannon Gugerty (+285) by third-round submission
June 21, 2008: Spencer (-170) over Jeremy Stephens (+140) by unanimous decision
Lightweight: Gleison Tibau (-130) vs. Josh Neer (+100)
June 20, 2009: Melvin Guillard (+240) over Tibau (-270) by split decision
Apr. 1, 2009: Tibau (-175) over Jeremy Stephens (+155) by unanimous decision
Feb. 7, 2009: Tibau (-120) over Rich Clementi (+110) by first-round submission
Aug. 8, 2009: Kurt Pellegrino (+190) over Neer (-230) by unanimous decision
Feb. 7, 2009: Neer (+105) over Mac Danzig (-135) by second-round submission
Sept. 17, 2008: Nate Diaz (-200) over Neer (+160) by split decision
Heavyweight: Cain Velasquez (-450) vs. Ben Rothwell (+300)
June 19, 2009: Velasquez (-205) over Cheick Kongo (+165) by unanimous decision
Feb. 7, 2009: Velasquez (-800) over Denis Stojnic (+600) by second-round TKO
July 19, 2008: Velasquez (-365) over Jake O'Brien (+285) by first-round TKO
Dec. 11, 2008, Adrenaline MMA: Rothwell (NL) over Chris Guillen by first-round TKO
July 19, 2008, Affliction: Andrei Arlovski (-285) over Rothwell (+225) by third-round KO
Sept. 20, 2007, IFL: Rothwell (NL) over Ricco Rodriguez by unanimous decision
Light Heavyweight title bout: Lyoto Machida (-450) vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (+300)
May 23, 2009: Machida (-220) over Rashad Evans (+200) by second-round KO
Jan. 31, 2009: Machida (-290) over Thiago Silva (+220) by first-round KO
May 24, 2008: Machida (-210) over Tito Ortiz (+170) by unanimous decision
Apr. 18, 2009: Rua (+160) over Chuck Liddell (-170) by first-round TKO
Jan. 17, 2009: Rua (-365) over Mark Coleman (+285) by third-round TKO
Sept. 22, 2007: Forrest Griffin (+205) over Rua (-265) by third-round submission
