Tim Daniels | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

UFC 152 Card: Preview and Predictions for Biggest Matchups

Jon Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight title against Vitor Belfort in the main event of UFC 152. The card features several other intriguing fights which gives Saturday night’s pay-per-view a chance to become one of the year’s best. Here’s a br…

Here’s a breakdown for three of the best matchups of UFC 152 along with a prediction for how each of them will turn out. After having to scrap the last event, it’s important for UFC to bounce back with a top-notch show. For a look at the complete card, click here.

Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort

Jones really hasn’t been challenged since winning the title from Maurício Rua early last year. He’s defended the belt three times, and only one went the distance. Even in that fight against Rashad Evans, Jones was in control the whole time.

So it’s clear Belfort faces at tough challenge to say the least. He has to find a way to neutralize Jones’ combination of length and power, which has made his virtually unstoppable throughout his career. But the savvy veteran should have a couple tricks ready.

It’s an important fight for Jones given his decision to decline a Chael Sonnen matchup and the negative reaction the choice received. He should be able to control the pace once again en route to another win.

Prediction: Jon Jones

Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson

The winner will leave UFC 152 as the first flyweight champion, so this fight holds a special level of importance for both guys. Benavidez knocked off Yasuhiro Urushitani in the tournament semifinals while Johnson beat Ian McCall in a rematch after a draw.

Benavidez has been in tremendous form ever since joining UFC. He’s won all three of his fights, showing off plenty of versatility, which should allow him to adapt to Johnson’s wrestling style. It’s a nice advantage to have.

It will be interesting to see how Johnson responds to the situation. He has a boatload of potential, but has been inconsistent at times during the early portion of his career. If he doesn’t allow the pressure to impact him, it will be a close battle.

Prediction: Joseph Benavidez

Michael Bisping vs. Brian Stann

Bisping missed out on a chance to fight for the middleweight title by losing to Sonnen in his last fight. So now he has to defeat a tricky opponent in Stann in order to remain in the conversation for a chance to face Anderson Silva down the line.

Even though Bisping has more name recognition, Stann is a dangerous fighter. He produced one of the best performances of his career against Alessio Sakara the last time out and will look to build off that momentum on Saturday night.

This should be another fight that’s pretty close throughout. Bisping‘s experience should give him a minor edge, but Stann is hungry for his first marquee victory. Don’t be surprised if these guys steal the show.

Prediction: Michael Bisping

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 150 Results: Donald Cerrone Defeats Melvin Guillard

Donald Cerrone was viewed as a heavy favorite going in to his bout with Melvin Guillard at UFC 150, and he didn’t disappoint, knocking out his opponent just over one minute into the fight. It was an important fight for both guys, as they look to move b…

Donald Cerrone was viewed as a heavy favorite going in to his bout with Melvin Guillard at UFC 150, and he didn’t disappoint, knocking out his opponent just over one minute into the fight.

It was an important fight for both guys, as they look to move back up the ladder in the competitive division after recent losses. Cerrone had dropped a fight to Nate Diaz while Guillard lost to Jim Miller and Joe Lauzon.

But only one of them could walk out of the Octagon with the victory, and Cerrone was the one who stepped up to earn it. He has now won two consecutive fights after knocking off Jeremy Stephens back in May.

Cerrone was almost exclusively a submission specialist in the early portion of his MMA career, and while that’s obviously still a big part of his approach, he’s added more versatility recently to make him a tougher fighter to face.

It’s the type of adjustment that should help the 29-year-old American have a much better chance to make his way up the lightweight ranks. One-dimensional fighters can survive for a while, but as the competition gets tougher, it’s difficult to win with a singular approach.

Give credit to Cerrone for recognizing that and working to get better. It’s still a work in progress, but he’s trending in the right direction once again.

The news isn’t so positive for Guillard. He’s now lost three of his past four fights and none of them came against truly elite competition. Every loss digs a bigger hole he will eventually have to get out of at some point.

It was a tough matchup for him, but the good fighters always find a way to win even when the opponent’s strengths are an issue. Guillard wasn’t able to do that on Saturday night.

Although he has plenty of talent, as he has shown throughout his career, he seems to have hit a lull recently and can’t figure out a way to end it. He has to adjust his approach in one way or another to start getting back in the win column consistently.

Cerrone made sure he wasn’t able to start any type of winning streak at UFC 150 and should emerge as one of the night’s biggest winners.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 150 Results: Jake Shields Defeats Ed Herman

Jake Shields made a successful return to the middleweight division by defeating Ed Herman by unanimous decision at UFC 150 on Saturday night. The former Strikeforce middleweight title holder didn’t seem to have any major problems with change in weight …

Upon moving to UFC, Shields immediately entered the welterweight championship picture and defeated Martin Kampmann to earn a title shot against Georges St-Pierre. He couldn’t capitalize, however, losing by unanimous decision.

After another loss against Jake Ellenberger and a relatively easy victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama, Shields decided to shake things up and return to middleweight to face Herman. Based on his performance, it looks like he made the right choice.

Shields has always illustrated terrific versatility, so it’s no surprise he would be able to make a seamless transition from one division to another. For some fighters it’s a big deal, and for others it’s not. The California native falls into the latter category.

The win moves Shields’ career MMA record to 28-6-1, but a more mundane 3-2 mark since joining the sport’s most prominent promotion. He’ll need to improve that mark in order to get another title shot in either division.

He’s still one of the most talented fighters out there, and defeating Herman is a good indication that he’s getting back on track after those consecutive losses. Few fans will be surprised by that given how dominant he was in the past.

It’s hard to get a good read on what the loss means for Herman. He was in the midst of a three-fight winning streak with triumphs over Tim Credeur, Kyle Noke and Clifford Starks. But those competitors clearly aren’t on the same level as Shields.

Even though he would have liked to get a high-profile win under his belt on Saturday night, he’ll benefit from the experience of getting to face an accomplished star like Shields. Not just the fight itself, but everything before and after it as well.

He should be able to bounce back from this loss without much problem, knowing he was facing an uphill battle before it even began.

Shields was expected to emerge victorious, and he did. What each fighter does next will be the key for each of them as they look to move up the pecking order.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on FOX 4: Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More for Shogun vs. Vera

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Brandon Vera highlight a jam-packed card as the UFC returns to Fox on Saturday night. The winner of the main event could receive a shot at the light heavyweight title, which means there will be more than pride on the line when…

Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader will also battle in what’s basically a second main-event fight. It’s an important matchup for both guys, as they look to position themselves in the championship picture with an impressive victory.

The events on Fox hold plenty of importance for UFC as the promotion looks to widen its appeal, so expect an exciting night of action. Here’s a look at all the key information, including the fight card and predictions for the night’s biggest bouts.

Where: Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

When: Saturday, August 4

Watch: Main Card starts at 8 p.m. ET on Fox; Preliminary Card starts at 5 p.m. ET on Fuel TV

Fight Card

Main Card (Fox)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Mauricio Rua vs. Brandon Vera

Light Heavyweight Bout: Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader

Lightweight Bout: Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner

Welterweight Bout: Mike Swick vs. DaMarques Johnson

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV)

Featherweight Bout: Cole Miller vs. Nam Phan

Light Heavyweight Bout: Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado

Featherweight Bout: Josh Grispi vs. Rani Yahya

Heavyweight Bout: Phil De Fries vs. Oli Thompson

Featherweight Bout: Manny Gamburyan vs. Michihiro Omigawa

Flyweight Bout: Ulysses Gomez vs. John Moraga

Rua’s Keys to Victory

Being aggressive in the first round is the most important thing for Shogun in this fight. If he can gain an early edge, it will allow him to set the pace he wants and even force Vera to the ground, where Shogun should have a significant advantage.

Rua last fought in November against Dan Henderson. It was a terrific back-and-forth affair between two wily veterans. Ultimately, Shogun came up on the short end, however. Another key on Saturday will be taking lessons from that fight and implementing them against Vera.

Rua is the favorite heading into the bout, which puts added pressure on his shoulders. He must deal with that effectively if he wants to beat Vera, who has been given a golden opportunity.

Vera’s Keys to Victory

Vera has never really lived up to the hype. He has shown flashes of being a potential title contender during his UFC career, but has never been able to put it all together. That leads to the first key for the underdog, which is consistency.

In order to beat a talented fighter like Shogun, Vera can’t afford to have the same lapses in concentration he’s struggled with in the past. The ability is there, he just needs to realize and utilize it. He still has some good years ahead of him if he can figure it out.

The other thing Vera must do is defend early. Shogun will be looking to score a quick knockout. If the American can avoid that with defense and counters, he improves his chances of winning exponentially.

Undercard Fight To Watch: Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader

This should be an extremely entertaining fight. Both guys understand that it will take a resounding victory in order to earn a title shot, which means they won’t be holding back anything in an attempt to upstage the main event.

Machida comes off a loss to light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, leaving a sour taste in his mouth since December. Expect him to come out with a chip on his shoulder, and that’s bad news for Bader. Machida is at his best when he’s out to prove something.

Bader won’t go down easily, though. He comes off a marquee victory over Quinton Jackson in February and should enter riding high. It’s a chance for him to prove he belongs alongside the elite fighters in the division, leading to a close bout.

Machida by decision

What They Are Saying

Dana White has attempted to increase the excitement level for Saturday night’s two big fights by giving all four stars the opportunity to earn a title shot, based on a report from USA Today.

“Whoever wins the most impressively on Saturday night gets the shot at the title,” White said.

“I put together the fights that fans want to see,” White said. “The fans didn’t like the Rua and Vera choice, so here it is: The guy that wins most impressively on Saturday night out of the co-main event and the main event will get the shot at the winner of Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson.”

Main Event Prediction

Shogun and Vera have a minor advantage. They will know heading into their fight what happened between Machida and Bader, basically giving them a mark to beat in order to get a title shot. So the quality of both matchups should rise.

In the end, I give the slight advantage to Shogun. He will be looking to bounce back strong from the loss to Henderson and should be able to fight at whatever pace he sets. That will be hard for Vera to handle in a high-pressure situation.

Shogun by knockout in Round 2

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 149 Results: Renan Barao and Biggest Winners from Marquee Event

Dana White has always been brutally honest, and it’s one of the main reasons UFC has been able to make an impact on the sports landscape. After Saturday night’s performances at UFC 149, he wasn’t afraid to say he was embarrassed by the card. While ther…

While there were several bouts that left fans disappointed, there were still a couple fighters who picked up key wins during the event.

Let’s take a look at three of the big winners from UFC 149 and analyze what it will mean for them moving forward.

Cheick Kongo

It was a big night for Kongo. He was coming off a loss to Mark Hunt and facing a fighter 10 years younger than him, making a victory essential to keeping his career on track. It wasn’t pretty, but he found a way to defeat Shawn Jordan.

Kongo used his veteran experience to neutralize Jordan’s power, which allowed him to gain control of the fight early, and he cruised to a unanimous decision victory. Even though it wasn’t the most exciting bout of his career, he did exactly what he needed to do to win.

It should allow Kongo to earn another main-card appearance the next time out as he attempts to continue his resurgence. The Frenchman proved he’s not ready to get counted out quite yet.

Renan Barao

Barao kept his extended winning streak alive by beating Urijah Faber to become the interim UFC Bantamweight Champion. He hasn’t lost a fight since 2005 and has quickly moved up the ladder since joining the promotion last year.

There were a lot of questions heading into the bout about Barao’s ability to elevate his game against an elite fighter like Faber, but he answered them all. He took the lead early and never gave his opponent a chance to mount a comeback.

He will eventually face current title holder Dominick Cruz in a unification bout, but it’s unclear when Cruz expects to return from an ACL injury. One that’s decided, a next step can be taken by one of the UFC’s newest stars.

Ryan Jimmo

Every athlete wants to make a major impact when making a move, but few can match what Jimmo pulled off in his first UFC fight. Not only did he win, he knocked out Anthony Perosh in seven seconds, tying the company’s record.

Like Barao, the rising Canadian star has been on quite a roll. Jimmo lost his first career bout to Adam Braidwood more than five years ago and has proceeded to rattle off 17 straight victories. That type of streak is tough to ignore.

The victory immediately makes him a name to watch in the light heavyweight division. He should quickly move up the card, and it won’t be long before he enters the championship picture.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Silva vs Sonnen: UFC Must Build Momentum from Success of High-Profile Main Event

Anderson Silva defeated Chael Sonnen to retain his UFC middleweight championship in one of the most hyped fights in MMA history. It resulted in record-breaking numbers, and now the company must figure out a way to capitalize on that success. UFC has be…

UFC has been making up ground quickly in recent years. It has picked up plenty of disgruntled boxing fans along the way and has steadily grown into a sport that mainstream sports fans care about. That wasn’t the case a decade ago.

The progress was evident in the gate numbers. The event drew a crowd of more than 15,000 people in Las Vegas, which adds up to about $7 million in revenue, according to Yahoo Sports. While unconfirmed by the company, it would shatter the previous mark of nearly $5.4 million.

A strong undercard certainly helped. Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz faced off in another rematch after Griffin earned a split-decision victory in 2009 to level the series at one apiece. He left far less doubt this time around, controlling the fight en route to a triumph by unanimous decision.

Cung Le, Demian Maia and Chad Mendes were among the other big winners at UFC 148. Adding depth to the card certainly helped.

But at the end of the day, it usually comes down to star power. Silva and Sonnen provided it. The American nearly upset the dominant champion when they met two years ago, fueling interest in a rematch for the belt.

Even though he was the underdog once again, Sonnen wasn’t afraid to talk some trash leading up to the clash, adding to the hype. When people are given reason to believe there’s genuine tension between two fighters, the interest level skyrockets.

Slowly, but surely, Dana White and his top-tier draws are starting to figure out how to generate massive interest in top-tier fights. That also leads to more pressure to have more big events. Before Silva and Sonnen, there wasn’t a must-see fight since Jon Jones beat Rashad Evans in April.

The frequency of that level of fight will need to increase if UFC wants to keep growing. Silva’s big victory gives them momentum heading into the rest of summer and the fall, where there are usually several major cards.

What the UFC does with that momentum will decide if the pace of its rise continues or starts to level off. As with all secondary sports, it comes down to hype. Other fighters can learn a lot from Silva and Sonnen on how to make it explode.

All told, the next five months are crucial for UFC.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com