Tag: TUF China Finale

Gambling Addiction Enabler: TUF China Finale, Bellator 110 and Titan FC 27 Edition

By Seth Falvo

I have a feeling that most of you degenerate gamblers are going to take this weekend off. And hey, that’s a very logical decision. The TUF: China Finale is packed to the brim with squash matches and unknown prospects, and if you’re the type of person who doesn’t normally watch Bellator or Titan FC, it would be an incredibly stupid risk to throw money down on fighters you barely recognize.

Which is exactly what makes a “Gambling Addiction Enabler” for this weekend’s fights so appropriate. With the UFC hosting an obscure Fight Pass card — and Bellator and Titan FC featuring guys you’ve heard of but aren’t necessarily invested in — only the most hardcore MMA fans and the most hopeless gambling addicts are going to be risking their money on this weekend’s fights. If you fall into either category, we’d be letting you down if we decided not to share our rock-solid (*tries to stop laughing*) gambling advice with you.

If you’re the type of person who enjoys drinking Camo 24, betting on professional wrestling, getting a PhD in English, and other reckless, high-risk activities, then read on for my picks and suggested parlays, which are based on the odds at 5Dimes. May the winnings be yours.

The Main Events

TUF: China Finale: Dong Hyun Kim (-360) vs. John Hathaway (+300)

It’s hard to disagree with the odds here. Kim has not only faced tougher competition, but he also has the advantage of fighting on his home continent; not exactly a frivolous observation, as Kim himself would be quick to point out. A straight bet on Kim won’t yield an impressive return, but it does make for a low-risk parlay addition.

Bellator 110: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (-450) vs. Christian M’Pumbu (+360)

By Seth Falvo

I have a feeling that most of you degenerate gamblers are going to take this weekend off. And hey, that’s a very logical decision. The TUF: China Finale is packed to the brim with squash matches and unknown prospects, and if you’re the type of person who doesn’t normally watch Bellator or Titan FC, it would be an incredibly stupid risk to throw money down on fighters you barely recognize.

Which is exactly what makes a “Gambling Addiction Enabler” for this weekend’s fights so appropriate. With the UFC hosting an obscure Fight Pass card — and Bellator and Titan FC featuring guys you’ve heard of but aren’t necessarily invested in — only the most hardcore MMA fans and the most hopeless gambling addicts are going to be risking their money on this weekend’s fights. If you fall into either category, we’d be letting you down if we decided not to share our rock-solid (*tries to stop laughing*) gambling advice with you.

If you’re the type of person who enjoys drinking Camo 24, betting on professional wrestling, getting a PhD in English, and other reckless, high-risk activities, then read on for my picks and suggested parlays, which are based on the odds at 5Dimes. May the winnings be yours.

The Main Events

TUF: China Finale: Dong Hyun Kim (-360) vs. John Hathaway (+300)

It’s hard to disagree with the odds here. Kim has not only faced tougher competition, but he also has the advantage of fighting on his home continent; not exactly a frivolous observation, as Kim himself would be quick to point out. A straight bet on Kim won’t yield an impressive return, but it does make for a low-risk parlay addition.

Bellator 110: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (-450) vs. Christian M’Pumbu (+360)

On paper, Christian M’Pumbu is exactly the type of fighter who Rampage Jackson should have zero problems with — he’s as pure of a kickboxer as you’ll find in a major MMA promotion, who would rather stand and trade haymakers than clinch against the cage. Yet after watching Jackson’s promotional debut against Joey Beltran, Rampage at -450 is not even remotely worth the risk of an upset. Especially when you consider that Bellator is sort-of hoping for Rampage vs. King Mo in the next round of this tournament, which obviously means that at least one of them is destined to lose on Friday night. M’Pumbu at anything over +450 would be worth a $5 for shiggles, but at +360? Move along, people; this fight is in Stay the Hell Away From territory.

Titan FC 27: Mike Ricci (-725) vs. Jorge Gurgel (+470)

Unfortunately, there is no “This Fight Will Make Everyone Feel Very Empty Inside” prop.

Also Worth Consideration

TUF: China Finale: Shawn Jordan (-135) vs. Matt Mitrione (-105)

I’m surprised that Shawn Jordan isn’t a bigger favorite. Jordan has the better record, the more impressive resume, and better wrestling; he should have zero problems with Matt Mitrione. Honestly, the only advantage that I’m giving to Mitrione is that his body isn’t covered in blatant scratch worthy of a spot on our ugliest tattoos in MMA list. Seriously, person who drew Jordan’s chest/shoulder piece, what the hell?

TUF: China Finale: Hatsu Hioki (-400) vs. Ivan Menjivar (+280)
Bellator 110: Mike Richman (-250) vs. Des Green (+190)
Bellator 110: Will Martinez (+280) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (-370)
Titan FC 27: Bryan Goldsby (+240) vs. Kevin Croom (-300)

And now we’re entering the squash match portion of the upcoming bouts. Don’t be fooled by Hatsu Hioki’s three-fight losing streak — he has looked unstoppable on Asian soil. Add on that this fight is a must-win for him, and there’s no way that his hand isn’t getting raised on Friday. Over in Bellator, Mike Richman should prove too experienced and well-rounded for Team Bombsquad product Des Green. Goiti Yamauchi is a twenty-one year old grappling ace with thirteen of his sixteen career victories coming via submission — eleven of which coming in the first round — fighting an 8-2 curtain-jerker. The prop that this fight will last less than 1.5 rounds is definitely worth exploring here. Meanwhile, in Titan FC, Kevin “The Hard-Hitting Hillbilly” [Author Note: Not sure if nickname is awesome or terrible] Croom is not only also a fantastic grappler, but he also benefits from fighting a 17-15 journeyman with seven career submission losses. Easy call.

The Good Dogs

TUF: China Finale: Nam Phan (-185) vs. Vaughan Lee (+145)

Both Phan and Lee are coming off of losses, but Phan is favored here because he’s an Asian (sort-of) fighting in Asia, I guess. Except, you know, Phan grew up in California, so there is no “fighting on his home continent” advantage here, and Lee has proven that he can win in Asia at this level with his victory over Kid Yamamoto at UFC 144. At +145, a straight bet won’t provide a ton of bang for your buck, but Lee makes for a relatively low risk parlay addition.

Bellator 110: Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (-245) vs. Mikhail Zayats (+185)
Bellator 110: Diego Nunes (-375) vs. Matt Bessette (+285)

“Hey, I’ve actually heard of this guy, so he will win” isn’t exactly a smart betting strategy. This is especially true with Mikhail Zayats; he has won eight of his last ten fights — including a first-round TKO over Babalu — and those two losses come to Emanuel Newton and Vinny Magalhaes. Bessette’s resume is slightly less impressive, but he’s an attractive pick simply due to how inconsistent Diego Nunes has looked recently. Nunes has lost three of his last four fights, and is coming off of a quick, nasty knockout loss to Patricio Pitbull at Bellator 99. Bessette isn’t worth a spot in your parlay, but a straight bet on him is far from the worst way you could spend $5 this weekend.

Stay the Hell Away From

Titan FC 27: Matt Riddle (-180) vs. Michael Kuiper (+150)

Remember our “Who Is the Biggest Waste of Potential in MMA History” roundtable? You can pretty much copy and paste what ReX13 wrote about BJ Penn here for my analysis of this fight. On paper, yes, this is Riddle’s fight to lose. But after a year that has consisted of retirement, unretirement, pulling out of fights, and getting fired from Bellator for Riddle, betting on “Deep Waters” this Friday is just as risky as betting on a post-Sonnen Paulo Filho: He may fight like the elite fighter he is, or he may put in the bare minimum effort needed to collect his paycheck, or he may decide to pull out of the fight at the last minute because, you know, whatever. The bottom line here is that this fight is a crap shoot, and neither fighter offers an attractive enough return on your investment to justify the risk. Just say no.

Suggested Stakes for a $50 Wager

The Ultra-Conservative Approach:

$25 on Kim+Hioki+Ricci parlay (returns $20.44)
$20 on Richman+Yamauchi parlay (returns $15.57)
$5 on Shawn Jordan (returns $3.70)

In the likely event that all three bets pay off, you’ll earn a total of $39.71 for your efforts.

The Live Dangerously Approach:

$20 on Richman+Yamauchi+Jordan parlay (returns $41.91)
$20 on Kim+Zayats parlay (returns $53.29)
$5 on Matt Bessette (returns $14.25)
$5 on Croom+Lee parlay (returns $11.33)

I once read that the biggest mistake that novice gamblers make is betting not to lose; whether that’s a quote from a book about Nick the Greek or something I read off of the bathroom wall at a gas station casino is irrelevant. With a little luck, this parlay returns $120.78.

The “Whatever, It’s Mardi Gras #YOLO” Approach:

$25 on Hathaway+Bessette+Gurgel (returns $2,169.50)
$20 on Lee+Zayats (returns $119.65)
$5 on Matt Riddle (returns $2.78)

Semi-Related: It’s common for gambling addicts to find the rush of losing and trying to win back their losses more addictive than actually winning. I figured that was an appropriate disclaimer to use before casually pointing out that this strategy will return $2,291.93. Have a nice day.

Barnburner Alert: Shawn Jordan vs. Matt Mitrione Added to ‘TUF: China’ Finale


(Photo via Getty Images.)

Since notching four TKOs (and five straight wins) in his first five UFC appearances, Matt “Meathead” Mitrione has hit a rut, to put it lightly. The TUF 10 alum and former professional football player has dropped three of his past four fights and was most recently choked out by friend and fellow TUF 10 alum Brendan Schaub at UFC 165. Cyborg Abreu was not impressed by this. Although Mitrione does meet the UFC’s ever-growing need for fighters who are more entertaining than consistent (a.k.a “The Voelker Amendment“), one could argue that he may be out of a job should he fail to get past his next test in Shawn Jordan.

The matchup, which was announced by the UFC’s Mark Fischer via Twitter over the weekend, will transpire at the TUF: China Finale on March 1st: LIVE ON FIGHT PASS!!

If you want to know how Jordan has fared lately, check out his Sherdog profile or Wikipedia page. He’s been pretty solid overall, as well as entertaining, since partaking in the worst fight of 2012. But I am not going to spend another line of this post not relaying the semi-related news about that yoga instructor who somehow made it onto TUF: China…


(Photo via Getty Images.)

Since notching four TKOs (and five straight wins) in his first five UFC appearances, Matt “Meathead” Mitrione has hit a rut, to put it lightly. The TUF 10 alum and former professional football player has dropped three of his past four fights and was most recently choked out by friend and fellow TUF 10 alum Brendan Schaub at UFC 165. Cyborg Abreu was not impressed by this. Although Mitrione does meet the UFC’s ever-growing need for fighters who are more entertaining than consistent (a.k.a “The Voelker Amendment“), one could argue that he may be out of a job should he fail to get past his next test in Shawn Jordan.

The matchup, which was announced by the UFC’s Mark Fischer via Twitter over the weekend, will transpire at the TUF: China Finale on March 1st: LIVE ON FIGHT PASS!!

If you want to know how Jordan has fared lately, check out his Sherdog profile or Wikipedia page. He’s been pretty solid overall, as well as entertaining, since partaking in the worst fight of 2012. But I am not going to spend another line of this post not relaying the semi-related news about that yoga instructor who somehow made it onto TUF: China…

Load up your favorite Scanners gif, Nation, because word has it that the 0-0 yogi known as Li Jin Ying was booted from (well, quit) TUF:China before ever getting the chance to actually fight. Which makes sense, being that he didn’t know how to fight in the first place.

According to the TUF: China Wikipedia page and several totally credible message boards I read on the toilet this morning (journalism FTW!!), it turns out that Cung Le was so unimpressed by Li’s skills (or lack thereof) that he challenged the spiritual instructor to last two 3-minute rounds against one of his assistant coaches. After being thoroughly dominated, Li allegedly left the show, quit MMA forever, and cried. For the dream he had been chasing for almost three weeks now, was dead. (*burns effigy*)

Cung Le, however, would like to inform you that the TUF producers, not the UFC, are probably to blame for allowing Li onto the show in the first place. But at least he probably inspired legions of Chinese MMA fans with his bravery, right guys? GUYS?!! Ahhhh fuck it. You know what to do, Jimmy…

–J. Jones

Dong Hyun Kim vs. John Hathaway Booked for TUF China Finale Headliner; Menjivar vs. Hioki Win-or-Get-Fired Fight Also Added

(Kim’s Knockout of the Night-winning comeback KO of Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 29 in October. / Video via FoxSports)

Coming off three consecutive victories against Paulo Thiago, Siyar Bahadurzada, and Erick Silva, South Korean welterweight Dong Hyun Kim is one of the most successful Asian fighters currently competing in the UFC. Naturally, the UFC has booked him to headline the TUF China Finale, which goes down March 1st at the CotaiArena in Macau. Kim will face British vet John Hathaway, who is riding his own three-fight win streak, although against somewhat weaker competition. Plus, Hathaway was inactive for all of 2013 due to ulcerative colitis, so yeah, this kind of feels like a squash match. The fight will be scheduled for five rounds; neither Kim nor Hathaway has ever competed in a five-rounder before.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the contender spectrum, TopMMANews is reporting that Hatsu Hioki and Ivan Menjivar will face off in a featherweight bout at the TUF China Finale that could end with the loser getting the axe. Once considered to be one of the greatest featherweights in the world, Hioki has struggled to find his footing in the UFC, and has lost three consecutive decisions to Ricardo Lamas, Clay Guida, and Darren Elkins. As for Menjivar, the “Pride of El Salvador” went 0-2 in 2013, dropping fights against Urijah Faber and Wilson Reis.

The TUF China Finale will stream live on UFC Fight Pass, that online subscription thing that the promotion has been hawking lately, which means that most of you probably won’t see these fights anyway. Personally, we’re going to hold off on signing up until we’re sure that the shy yoga instructor has been added to the card, hopefully in a match against Bobby Ologun. Make it happen, Mark.


(Kim’s Knockout of the Night-winning comeback KO of Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 29 in October. / Video via FoxSports)

Coming off three consecutive victories against Paulo Thiago, Siyar Bahadurzada, and Erick Silva, South Korean welterweight Dong Hyun Kim is one of the most successful Asian fighters currently competing in the UFC. Naturally, the UFC has booked him to headline the TUF China Finale, which goes down March 1st at the CotaiArena in Macau. Kim will face British vet John Hathaway, who is riding his own three-fight win streak, although against somewhat weaker competition. Plus, Hathaway was inactive for all of 2013 due to ulcerative colitis, so yeah, this kind of feels like a squash match. The fight will be scheduled for five rounds; neither Kim nor Hathaway has ever competed in a five-rounder before.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the contender spectrum, TopMMANews is reporting that Hatsu Hioki and Ivan Menjivar will face off in a featherweight bout at the TUF China Finale that could end with the loser getting the axe. Once considered to be one of the greatest featherweights in the world, Hioki has struggled to find his footing in the UFC, and has lost three consecutive decisions to Ricardo Lamas, Clay Guida, and Darren Elkins. As for Menjivar, the “Pride of El Salvador” went 0-2 in 2013, dropping fights against Urijah Faber and Wilson Reis.

The TUF China Finale will stream live on UFC Fight Pass, that online subscription thing that the promotion has been hawking lately, which means that most of you probably won’t see these fights anyway. Personally, we’re going to hold off on signing up until we’re sure that the shy yoga instructor has been added to the card, hopefully in a match against Bobby Ologun. Make it happen, Mark.