Most UFC pay-per-views boast only one championship fight, but UFC 169 on Saturday, Feb. 1 features two marquee title bouts and a highly anticipated heavyweight matchup.
Not only is bantamweight champion Renan Barao taking on veteran Urijah Faber for the bantamweight title, but featherweight champion Jose Aldo is also defending his belt against Ricardo Lamas.
Add the heavyweight tilt, which features Alistair Overeem going head-to-head with Frank Mir for a chance at redemption, and this Saturday’s PPV is shaping up to be unforgettable.
Here is all the vital viewing and betting information for UFC 169 and the bets each gambler must take.
Where: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.
When: Saturday, Feb 1 at 10 p.m. EST
Watch: Pay-per-view
Live Stream: UFC Fight Pass
Safest Bet: Jose Aldo (-650)
This is the bet that will pay off the least if you do win, but there is little doubt in most experts’ minds that champion Jose Aldo (23-1) will take down Ricardo Lamas in convincing fashion (13-2).
This is the safest wager of the entire PPV.
Aldo is one of the greatest fighters in the history of the division and one of the pound-for-pound toughest men in the sport today. With seven straight title defenses and 16 consecutive victories, no one can match his intensity, speed and power.
Lamas is a talented fighter, but he is overmatched and outclassed.
While Aldo has faced the best in the sport time and time again, proving to the doubters at every turn that he is the best in the sport right now, Lamas has taken a much easier route to this point, beating journeymen Hatsu Hioki and Erik Koch to earn this shot.
Betting on Aldo won’t pay a huge return, but it’s the biggest lock of the PPV.
Risk Worth the Reward: Frank Mir (+250)
There is no doubt that Alistair Overeem should win this fight—I am picking him to steal the victory—but this could be the perfect storm that rewards a bettor with a big return if an upset occurs.
As we have seen from watching Overeem’s previous fights, an upset is always possible.
Overeem was one of the most highly touted fighters in UFC history, but after his victory over Brock Lesnar, the star fell off the map. Two straight knockout losses have shaken Overeem’s confidence, and the company’s confidence in his ability is waning.
Mir is a tough-chinned fighter who keeps taking punishment and dishing it out himself. Overeem will bring his unique mix of striking and kicks, but if Mir can withstand the storm and take the fight to the ground, he will be able to tire out his challenger.
As seen against Antonio Silva and Travis Browne, Overeem is susceptible to knockouts when winded.
Overeem should take the win, but this is an educated risk that could pay off big.
*All stats via UFC.com. Betting info via Bovada.lv.
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