Chris Roling | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

UFC 180: Complete Results and Top Takeaways from Werdum vs. Hunt

UFC 180, an important foray into Mexico for the promotion, was nothing short of a resounding success.
A stacked card offered fans plenty of thrilling Round 1 finishes, the lone exception on the main card being a surprisingly competitive main event betw…

UFC 180, an important foray into Mexico for the promotion, was nothing short of a resounding success.

A stacked card offered fans plenty of thrilling Round 1 finishes, the lone exception on the main card being a surprisingly competitive main event between Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt.

Careers were made, title shots were earned and gritty matches entered memorable territory in short amounts of time Saturday night, which is what the card set out to accomplish. Even the preliminaries saw some superb action and unexpected results to help build anticipation for the main card.

The entirety of the event featured noteworthy results, with some key lessons to digest before the next major round of matches are set in stone.

UFC 180 Results

Top Takeaways

Ricardo Lamas Still Has it

A few fights removed from a loss at the hands of Jose Aldo in a title bout, Ricardo Lamas hit UFC 180 with something to prove: that he is still a contender at 145 pounds.

He most certainly is after ripping off a wicked guillotine choke of Dennis Bermudez in the first round.

The Bully is now 15-3 and has two wins in a row after the loss to Aldo back in February. MMAFighting.com broke down just how much Saturday’s win meant to Lamas:

Lamas is not flashy, so in a way it makes sense that he is still so underrated despite taking down most credible fighters in the division. Putting an emphatic end to Bermudez‘s seven-fight streak in front of an international audience certainly does not hurt his reputation, though.

Next, Lamas apparently wants a shot at Conor McGregor, although that may be wishful thinking with McGregor on the fast track to a title shot of his own. Marc Raimondi of Fox Sports has the details:

With his stock once again high, another title shot will eventually be within reach for Lamas. It is quite apparent his form is still elite and that he can finish fights via strikes or submissions, so expect him to turn this win into a contender bout before a potential title shot.

Lamas is not going anywhere just yet.

Hector Urbina Is Here to Stay

The story is much the same for Hector Urbina, who made his UFC debut Saturday.

A veteran with more than 20 fights under his belt, many were wondering if Urbina was even right for the main card. At first it appeared those concerns were warranted, too, as Edgar Garcia tagged him a few times and looked to be on the way to a victory.

Urbina recovered, though, and eventually locked in a high-elbow guillotine choke to get the submission victory.

As MMAFighting.com puts into perspective, Garcia was one of the hottest fighters Urbina could have possibly met in the Octagon:

Not many expected the win for Urbina, who bumps his record to 17-8. But had he not come out so fired up and overzealous, he probably would not have needed so much time to put a finish to the fight given his superb form.

Where Urbina goes from here is difficult to say. The savvy veteran can hang with some of the bigger names in the division when he is on like he was against Garcia, but consistency is key now that he has one win under his belt with the promotion.

To say the foundation of a great run has been formed is an understatement.

Werdum’s Rightful Place

Time to acknowledge Werdum, folks.

For more than two years, Werdum has been one of the hottest fighters on the globe and a worthwhile No. 1 contender in the heavyweight division. He was finally due to get his shot but instead had to settle for a dance with Hunt.

To his credit, Hunt came out firing on all cylinders and landed a few of his trademark gargantuan punches. Werdum stubbornly stood in there and took the punishment, though, before delivering a brutal flying knee to end things in quick fashion.

As Guilherme Cruz notes, Werdum took quite the underdog path to his interim title:

Around the time of Werdum’s slump some two years ago, nobody on the globe would have guessed he would be finishing fights with strikes at such a high level right now. But that continued development stands as a testament to just how much one of UFC’s top names has evolved.

Werdum’s strength is still on the mat. But to stand in with one of the better strikers in the promotion and use technical savvy to bait and eventually pummel a workhorse such as Hunt is noteworthy.

As far as a top name to represent the promotion goes, Werdum is doing quite well for himself, as captured by Ariel Helwani:

Up next is undoubtedly a dance with Cain Velasquez. Given his surreal balance once thought impossible, Werdum is not as big of an underdog in that potential bout as some may think.

In front of a friendly crowd, Werdum revealed to the globe that he is not quite ready to leave the spotlight. In fact, he may be just entering it after a long wait.

Note: Stats and info courtesy of UFC.com unless otherwise specified.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 180: Fight Card Start Time and Final Werdum vs. Hunt Predictions

With Cain Velasquez sidelined, the heavyweight interim title is on the line Saturday in Mexico City, Mexico, at UFC 180 when Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt step into the Octagon in the main event.For the 40-year-old Hunt, this presents the peak of an ep…

With Cain Velasquez sidelined, the heavyweight interim title is on the line Saturday in Mexico City, Mexico, at UFC 180 when Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt step into the Octagon in the main event.

For the 40-year-old Hunt, this presents the peak of an epic comeback story that began with an early 2011 win that halted a six-fight losing streak. He has garnered plenty of headlines on his comeback trail not only because of its grand scope, but because of his hard-hitting ways.

Werdum is more technical and garners less headlines as he expertly utilizes Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a skill set that has him as the No. 1 heavyweight contender.

Make no mistake, the entire fight card is solid. UFC and Dana White have pulled out all the stops for what is a critical Saturday on the calendar. But the headlining act is certainly worthy of the top slot and demands the eyes of the globe.

When: Saturday, November 15, 2014

Where: Arena Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico City

Start Time: 10 p.m. ET

Watch: UFC.tv pay-per-view

UFC 180 Fight Card

Fabricio Werdum vs. Mark Hunt Breakdown

A war of contrasting styles highlights Saturday’s marquee event.

Hunt is fortunate to have this opportunity in front of him given a recent chain of events involving the current title holder, but it helps that he has bulldozed over almost everyone in his way over the course of the past two years and change.

The Super Samoan has just a 10-8-1 record in mixed martial arts but has a 70 percent knockout rate. The ability to tag his opponents relentlessly gives the underdog a serious avenue for victory in any bout.

For his part, Hunt embraces his role in the bout, too, per MMAFighting.com’s Shaun Al-Shatti:

My whole career’s been an underdog’s. I’m not supposed to be here. I won the world title in K-1 as a nobody. Of course I’m the underdog. Everyone is saying it. I mean, even these circumstances brings me there, but hey, man, it makes a good story. If anyone can do it, I can do it.

If there is a fighter who can put an emphatic end to the feel-good story, though, it would be Werdum.

Werdum has won seven of his last eight fights, fully putting on display his extensive grappling background. One has to presume that the ideal approach for the No. 1 contender is to get Hunt on the ground to finish things, but the fact he has a major reach advantage and is 6’5″ to Hunt’s 5’10” certainly does not hurt, either.

Still, standing in and trading blows with Hunt may not prove so kind to Werdum’s chin. This is something his coach, Rafael Cordeiro, has stressed as of late, as captured by UFC.com’s Nancy Gay:

We know Fabricio has more skills on the floor, and he knows the best way to beat Mark Hunt is on the floor. But it’s hard to put this (advantage) in Fabricio’s mind, because he likes to challenge himself. He’s going to prove to the world that he’s the real champ, and he is ready for the belt. When you are ready for the belt, you fight the opponent that is put in front of you.

The fact stubbornness may prevent Werdum from going to his main strength early and often would normally act as a major red flag.

But in this particular fight, not so much. Hunt is a great fighter and a serious threat to anybody he steps in the Octagon with, but the conditions leading up to the fight have not been ideal.

Not only is the fight on short notice, meaning Hunt may have stamina issues at the high altitude in Mexico City, he has had issues cutting his weight to the required 265 pounds, as noted by Al-Shatti. Not only does that create further stamina concerns, it places him at a lighter weight than usual so that he cannot physically impose himself on Werdum.

Hunt has the proverbial puncher’s chance. Perhaps more than most. But he is a fill-in as a card headliner whose opponent touts elite strengths in areas that are his biggest weakness.

Look for Hunt to make it interesting, but Werdum should have no issues taking things to the mat and getting the victory, so long as he wises up after getting tagged a few times and gets right down to riding his strengths.

Note: Stats and info courtesy of UFC.com unless otherwise specified.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Bellator 127 Results: Winners, Scorecards from Straus vs. Wilcox Fight Card

In a word, Bellator 127 delivered.Friday night from Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, multiple talents on the main card announced their arrivals or returns via shocking, brutal and swift finishes to credible opposition.The final two e…

In a word, Bellator 127 delivered.

Friday night from Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, multiple talents on the main card announced their arrivals or returns via shocking, brutal and swift finishes to credible opposition.

The final two encounters on the night personified the card best, with Fernando Gonzalez absolutely dismantling Karo Parisyan in a quick manner. The main event saw Daniel Straus back up his pre-fight chatter with an emphatic finish on a risk-taking Justin Wilcox.

Once again, Bellator put on a strong card top to bottom with unexpected and expected results, although when the latter occurred, it did so in entertaining fashion. Here is a look at the full results and a breakdown of the main card.

Bellator 127 Fight Card Results

Kendall Grove def. Christian M’Pumbu

Kendall Grove went into Friday night thinking he could dominate the fight on the mat, but was more than willing to stand up and exchange blows in a more traditional manner.

For Christian M’Pumbu, either approach would have worked—he just wanted to break a three-fight losing streak and was willing to drop weight classes for the first time in his career to make it happen.

Right from the start, though, it seemed obvious which way this one was set to go. After the opening bell, the two walked toward each other and Grove literally dropped M’Pumbu with a wicked right hand, almost as if the recipient wanted to see if a member of a lower weight class could knock him out.

M’Pumbu would recover and escape the first round, but as Jason Floyd of TheMMAReport.com notes, the stats were certainly not in his favor:

Grove’s thoughts of mat domination proved to be correct, as the majority of Round 2 was spent there. In the waning moments on bottom of an engagement, M’Pumbu attempted a risky escape and exposed his neck, which allowed the Hawaiian to apply a rear-naked choke and force a tap out.

For M’Pumbu, it was a desperation move to make something from nothing, and against a talent such as Grove, it cost him the match outright.

Rafael Silva def. Rob Emerson

This one was interesting, but another rather lopsided outcome by the end.

Rafael Silva once again came in heavier than the required 135 pounds, and he used every bit of overage to keep Rob Emerson pinned for most of the match.

Of course, Emerson was not doing himself any favors. Similar to the start of the above fight that kicked off the main card, Emerson stuck his chin out and got absolutely tagged, which instantly took things to the mat. Heidi Fang of Fox Sports 670AM details the encounter:

Emerson showed signs of life from a striking standpoint when he was not on his back, the only problem with that statement being he spent the majority of his match prone and trying to find a way to stand up without grabbing the cage as a crutch.

Credit goes to Silva for coming in with the smart plan and executing it to perfection, his being heavier notwithstanding. The lopsided scorecard really does not do the victor justice given his strong performance.

Fernando Gonzalez def. Karo Parisyan

Fans knew going in that this would be a grisly affair.

Parisyan used to make his money in the UFC against the likes of Georges St-Pierre and other recognizable names, while Gonzalez is similar in his being unafraid to stand in the strike zone and trade blows.

Let’s just say the underdog took this one in emphatic fashion.

Knowing full and well Parisyan would want this one to get to the mat, Gonzalez stood tall and hammered Parisyan as he went in for a clinch and quickly swarmed him with no retaliation, forcing the referee to end it.

Broadcast announcer Jimmy Smith put it best, as captured by the promotion on Twitter:

It is on to the next one for Gonzalez, while Parisyan needs to head back to the drawing board and not come out so sloppy with the mindset that a lesser weight does not pose a threat.

Daniel Straus def. Justin Wilcox

Let’s being with a flash back to before the fight with a few choice words from Straus:

Mission complete.

Wilcox came out wild and aggressive and missed on a few takedown attempts. On one such risky maneuver, Straus landed a single blow that sent Wilcox to the mat face first and with no ability to defend himself.

Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com put it best:

The emphatic finish means Straus is back and on the right path toward a shot at his lost featherweight title. As an added bonus, the timing and power on display Friday to land the decisive blow is a strong sign that he is better than ever as he continues to refine his skill set.

Credit where it is due—Straus put his mind to it, spoke his mind and delivered.

All stats and info via Bellator.com unless otherwise specified.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Bellator 125 Results: Winners, Scorecards from Marshall vs. Manhoef Fight Card

Few fights went the distance Friday night at Bellator 125 from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, with the headliner being Melvin Manhoef scoring a wicked first-round knockout of Doug Marshall.The card as a whole was entertaining from the prel…

The card as a whole was entertaining from the preliminaries on up with some interesting last-minute shuffles due to injury and one spectacular debut on American soil fans will not soon forget.

Knockouts, upsets and more made for a violent affair Friday on national television, and the ramifications of the end results—especially that quick card headliner—will be felt for some time.

Below, let’s take a look at how the night unfolded.

Bellator 125 Fight Card Results

Goiti Yamauchi def. Martin Stapleton

It has been a rough few fights for 21-year-old Goiti Yamauchi, but Friday represented a chance for him to once again prove his worth as a title contender.

After a win at Bellator 120, Yamauchi did just that in an encounter with Martin Stapleton, making sure the fight did not progress past the inaugural round thanks to a rear-naked choke submission hold that forced his adversary to tap.

As Jason Floyd of TheMMAreport.com notes, Yamauchi has been on quite a tear over the course of his Bellator career:

To his credit, Stapleton attempted to punch his way out of trouble and did just that early on in the round, but it was clear Yamauchi’s skill on the mat, paired with his history for choke holds that prematurely end matches, would soon be too much.

For Yamauchi, it is a dominant way to reinforce the notion he is back to form. A title shot surely resides in his future.

Javy Ayala def. Rafael Butler

Well, Rafael Butler is undefeated no longer.

For a man that weighs 265 pounds, Javy Ayala closed in quicker than most probably would have imagined after the opening bell and ended the fight in a hurry with a dominant showing that wound up with a submission by the main card’s second rear-naked choke in as many fights.

After, Ayala just wanted to announce that he is a serious contender in the heavyweight division, as recorded by Bellator’s Twitter account:

No kidding. After wins over Thiago Santos and Eric Prindle in his last two bouts, Ayala is clearly on the right path as he continues to take down credible opposition that has been worthy of title shots themselves.

Rafael Carvalho def. Brian Rogers

In place of the injured Brett Cooper and making his Bellator debut right along with his first fight in the United States, Rafael Carvalho unleashed a barrage in the middle of the first round against Brian Rogers that forced a stoppage rather quickly.

Billed as a bout between two fighters who love to stand and exchange blows, Carvalho used his impressive length to his advantage and struck Rogers with the decisive blow that led to his being unable to defend himself.

He quickly took to Twitter to acknowledge his mistake that cost him the bout:

For Carvalho, it is win No. 10 in a row and a successful debut outside of his home turf in Brazil—on short notice, at that.

Given Carvalho’s uncanny length and his ability to actually put it to good use effectively, one has to think this is just the begging for the powerful Brazilian.

Melvin Manhoef def. Doug Marshall

Manhoef entered Friday with eight career knockouts in a minute or less, and while he did not add to that total against the 37-year-old Marshall, it was certainly no less dominant than any one of those quick showings.

Both men were the aggressors early on, but as most figured before the final bout of the night, all it took was one shot to send fans home early.

It was Manhoef who got just that via a glancing blow to the back of Marshall’s head that dropped him instantly. ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto put the finality of the moment into perspective:

The career outlook is not great for Marshall at his age, but for Manhoef, a title shot is now in the cards thanks to the brutal finish, as noted by the promotion after the fact:

In other words, another violent bout that will surely not go the distance is in the cards.

Then again, that seems to be the case whenever Manhoef steps in the cage. Friday night was business as usual for the 38-year-old star, and what he is heading for next is nothing but a good thing for fans and the promotion alike.

All stats and info via Bellator.com unless otherwise specified.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 175 Results: Fighters Most Deserving of Title Opportunity After Saturday

Validation.
That was the theme in Las Vegas on Saturday night at UFC 175 from the top of the card, right on down to the bottom.
Title holders got the last laugh, with Ronda Rousey downing the No. 2 fighter to hush any whispers of doubt and Chris Weidma…

Validation.

That was the theme in Las Vegas on Saturday night at UFC 175 from the top of the card, right on down to the bottom.

Title holders got the last laugh, with Ronda Rousey downing the No. 2 fighter to hush any whispers of doubt and Chris Weidman surviving a surge from Lyoto Machida to quell the Anderson Silva “fluke” questions.

But before the co-main events, the trend was birthed by rising contenders with everything on the line. Three names in particular stuck out (it may have been four had Stefan Struve not experienced another scary healthy situation) as contestants who furthered their title aspirations.

They are as follows, and the current owners of the straps better pay attention.

Urijah Faber

Strangely relegated to the preliminaries on Fox Sports 1, one of UFC’s most popular fighters used the stage to announce to the globe that he is fully recovered from his loss to Renan Barao at UFC 169.

While it was awkward to see the promotion keep one of its biggest stars off the grand stage of a pay-per-view—especially on Fourth of July weekend—to Faber, it made perfect sense, as captured by Submission Radio via BloodyElbow.com:

You know, for me it actually makes a little more sense. It’s the main event on the free card, the Fox Sports 1 card, so you know I think as far as exposure goes, I’ll probably get a wider view for more viewers that don’t have to pay. I think the PPV numbers haven’t necessarily been as high as they used to be, so for me it makes more sense.

I’m the featured fight on the free card right before the PPV, and I don’t get piece of that PPV anyway, so I’d rather more people watched the fights.

See why he’s a fan favorite?

While Alex Caceres was not the most recognizable opposition, the American did enter Saturday’s bout having won five straight but quickly was at a disadvantage against The California Kid. Faber dominated the fight from the opening bell, using a series of takedowns and ground-and-pound to gain the upper hand early.

It helps Faber that Bruce Leeroy was so willing to pursue the grappling avenue, an area where he had a clear disadvantage, but credit goes to the surging contender for taking advantage and applying the deciding rear-naked hold in the third round.

Logic says Faber, having won five of six (nine straight in non-title bouts), wants a shot at strap holder T.J. Dillashaw next (he has a rematch with Barao first), but Ryan Yamamoto of News10 KXTV may have a reason for us to pump the brakes:

We’ll see if Faber changes his mind, as a fleeting shot at gold doesn’t come around often.

Russell Doane

It may have been ugly, it may have featured a controversial decision, and it may have been an upset, but Russell Doane announced to the world on Saturday night that he is here to stay and should be one of the first fighters to get a shot at the crown in the division.

An underdog despite facing off against Marcus Brimage, who had been out of the Octagon for more than a year after a vicious knockout in 67 seconds by Conor McGregor (with an Achilles tendon injury to boot), Doane looked undeterred in his pursuit nonetheless.

Doane came out early and took things to the mat, winning the first round with ease. The next two rounds seemed to favor both sides at points, but the Hawaiian scored his second win thanks to a better overall performance and took to Twitter to celebrate:

Perhaps now The Young Punisher is not such an unknown in the UFC realm after downing a returning former contender known for his prowess in the Octagon. His win Saturday makes it a 2-0 mark in UFC to this point, but it’s important to remember his past strong performances in PXC and Tachi Palace Fights, too.

For Doane, Saturday was a step in the right direction, and it’s hard to think he wouldn’t give the title a serious run for its money.

Uriah Hall

The owner of wicked knockout power and a resume that had seem him perhaps cut from the promotion before a win over Chris Leben last December, Uriah Hall continued to further himself from the bust label on Saturday night.

While Thiago Santos is certainly no slouch, all of the attention in the match was dialed in on Hall, who suffered a broken toe and continued with the match anyway. Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter did a great job of illustrating the moment:

Hall, owner of some of the promotion’s most dangerous knockout power, used his elite speed to his advantage against Santos and continued to land staggering combinations throughout the course of the match, which made the work for the judges rather simplistic.

After the win, Hall took to social media to show fans he was making it through the injury:

To be transparent, Hall’s contention in the middleweight division is more based on potential at this point than anything.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Hall has shaken off his early struggles, is one of the most popular names in the sport and has knockout potential that can fell any opponent once the cage door slams shut.

Given his ability to recover, with Saturday night being the capper, it’s about time Hall got his title shot. An injection of more new blood to the title scene is nothing but a good thing. Either way, the door in the division is wide open, and Hall seems an obvious candidate to go sprinting through.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Weidman vs. Machida: Preview and Betting Advice for UFC 175 Main Event

Arguably UFC’s best main event of 2014—Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida—is perhaps the one fans will most likely skip over.
But this is what happens when Dana White and his establishment go all out to make sure the Fourth of July weekend car…

Arguably UFC’s best main event of 2014—Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida—is perhaps the one fans will most likely skip over.

But this is what happens when Dana White and his establishment go all out to make sure the Fourth of July weekend card is a memorable one.

Call it mission accomplished.

Stefan Struve is on the comeback trail after a heart condition nearly ended his career. Uriah Hall is in a controversial slot and on the hunt to prove he isn’t a bust. Marcus Brimage is back to slugging away on his feet after a scary Achilles tendon injury. There’s even Ronda Rousey in the co-main event.

So no, the promotional aspect of the title bout has done little to garner hype. But Weidman and Machida are two elite fighters set to put on a show, and fans should be there every step of the way—and get a little cash out of it, too.

The Situation

Outside of the stellar card, the two men actually partaking in the main event are certainly part of the issue.

Machida is now 36 years old. He remains one of the best strikers on the planet, but there is a certain aura about his age, far removed from the days where he was considered the best in the world. His dropping a weight class to make this fight doesn’t help, either.

Then there is Weidman, he of overcoming Anderson Silva twice fame—once by knockout with the champ in full-on taunt mode and a second time by a fluky kick check that shattered the challenger’s leg.

Based on their track records, albeit Weidman‘s is much shorter and pristine, the champ will need to close the gap and get Machida on the mat to win. One too many direct shots from a striker like the experienced Brazilian, and his title reign will prove a short one indeed.

For Machida, the approach will probably be one that irritates the casual crowd as he avoids confrontation, instead opting to pick and choose his spots in order to not get taken to the mat.

As the promotion surely wanted, it’s a fight that can go all five rounds, or end in quick fashion.

The Odds

As the lines have continued to show, UFC has done well with its war-of-contrasting-styles main event, with oddsmakers not feeling relatively safe with either fighter.

Jon Anik of Fox Sports 1 provided a look at the updated, day-of odds:

There are simply too many unknowns for bettors to sway the line in either way by a drastic manner. We know plenty about Machida, but at the same time, we don’t know how his body is aging or how it will necessarily react to the new class.

Weidman is preparing like it will be the same old Machida, regardless. Per Fox Sports’ Damon Martin, Weidman said:

Stylistically, (Machida) is going to be the same as he was at 205. Going down might make him feel a little quicker, a little stronger and maybe give him more confidence. I’m expecting a very confident Lyoto Machida, but I’m going to break his will.

It’s a smart approach for a relatively new champ, who brings plenty of questions himself to the betting equation. It has yet to be revealed just how great his chin is, even if he has never been knocked out. The sample size is too small, his reliance on takedowns and submissions too great and his victories over Silva not exactly reassuring.

The Verdict

Let’s talk about where it matters the most—the wallet (or any other money-carrying apparatus).

With coin in mind, the safest option is to roll with the champ, even if the payout is rather low for such a marquee event.

For all that is unknown about Weidman, he is the guy who has spent the time leading up to his last two fights preparing for Silva. He clearly performs well against patient southpaws, so the war of attrition on Saturday night will eventually lead to his getting things on the mat.

From there, it’s all over. Plus, Weidman has shown vast improvements in his strikes and kickboxing early on in his career, meaning he isn’t just some slouch on his feet if forced to stay there. As journalist Josh Gross details, his noticeable size advantage will come into play in all facets, too:

As an added bonus, Weidman is younger and quicker. Pinning Machida into a corner of the Octagon at some point is a given, and he has the cage IQ to understand that violent counters are coming his way when that happens.

Taking it all into account, the only smart play is Weidman. Fresher, quietly ring-savvy and desperate to prove doubters wrong and begin his era in full, the American will wind up on top Saturday night one way or another.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com