(Rashad Evans: He’ll put those hands on you worse than…well, you know. / Photo via MMAFighting.com)
The UFC returns to FOX this Saturday with a three-fight main card that could produce the next title contenders in two different divisions. It’s also packed with betting opportunities that will generously reward the risk-takers. And you’re not a chicken, are you? Huh? Bawk bawk bawwwwwk?? Yeah, that’s what we thought. So consider our UFC on FOX 2: Evans vs. Davis gambling advice after the jump, and be sure to come back for our liveblog, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. But first, the complete odds lineup, via BestFightOdds.com:
MAIN CARD (FOX)
Rashad Evans (-165) vs. Phil Davis (+175)
Chael Sonnen (-400) vs. Michael Bisping (+394)
Chris Weidman (-140) vs. Demian Maia (+128)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV)
Evan Dunham (-314) vs. Nik Lentz (+300)
Shane Roller (-218) vs. Michael Johnson (+200)
Mike Russow (-150) vs. Jon Olav Einemo (+152)
Cub Swanson (-136) vs. George Roop (+125)
Charles Oliveira (-458) vs. Eric Wisely (+400)
Joey Beltran (-204) vs. Lavar Johnson (+183)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FACEBOOK.com/UFC)
Chris Camozzi (-170) vs. Dustin Jacoby (+160)
Let’s get started…
The Main Event: This is Rashad’s fight to lose. His striking is better than Davis’s, and he’s not going to allow Mr. Wonderful to outwrestle him for five rounds. I say Evans keeps the fight standing and takes a win on the scorecards. Now, if you consider the intangibles — Rashad’s streak of bad luck, his high emotions coming into this fight, the rocky start of the Blackzilians camp (see: Anthony Johnson, Melvin Guillard) — then an upset starts to seem possible. But on paper, Suga holds more advantages, and you can bet comfortably on him.
The Good ‘Dogs: For starters, the two other fights on the main card are worth looking at. Chael Sonnen certainly deserves to be the favorite against Michael Bisping, but 4-1 odds is pushing it. (You have to think that Bisping has spent the last week drilling triangle chokes off his back nonstop.) A small wager on Bisping for the upset is smart, simply because the payoff is so inflated. As for Demian Maia, slating him as the underdog is close to insulting. Weidman may be the newest hot-shit wrestler/grappler prospect in the middleweight division, but he’s also coming into the fight on very short notice, against a veteran whose biggest strengths are on the mat. Weidman could be in trouble here. I also like the occasionally-brilliant George Roop at +125 against the generally-inconsistent Cub Swanson.
Prelim Steal: How is Mike Russow, who’s 3-0 in the UFC and hasn’t lost a fight in almost five years, only a -150 favorite against Jon Olav Einemo, who’s 0-1 in the UFC and hasn’t won a fight in over five years? Just because Einemo briefly had Dave Herman on the ropes in his UFC debut, we’re supposed to think that this fight isn’t a squash match? Forget that — this is free money. Bet big on Russow.
Official CagePotato Parlay: Sonnen + Russow + Oliveira + Beltran
Suggested wager for a $50 stake
– $10 on Evans
– $5 on Bisping
– $5 on Maia
– $5 on Roop
– $20 on Russow
– $5 on the parlay