Every fight card has to be filled with both favorites and underdogs. As UFC 162 approaches, who are the fighters most likely to pull the upset this weekend?There are a big list of betting underdogs on the card, but some of them have plenty of Octagon e…
Every fight card has to be filled with both favorites and underdogs. As UFC 162 approaches, who are the fighters most likely to pull the upset this weekend?
There are a big list of betting underdogs on the card, but some of them have plenty of Octagon experience heading into their fights.
Today, Bleacher Report MMA‘s lead writer Jeremy Botter and featured columnist Duane Finley take a look at their picks for the biggest potential upsets on the card.
Will either be brave enough to pull the trigger on middleweight contender Chris Weidman to finally be the man to upset Anderson Silva inside the Octagon?
Who else on the card could be set to pull off the unexpected on fight night?
Check out the picks in the video and then give your thoughts in the comments below.
(Double chin-smush. So intense. / Video via YouTube.com/UFC)
Are Chris Weidman‘s chances for an upset as good as everybody seems to think they are? Is Tim Kennedy better at talking than he is at fighting? Does UFC 162 feature the most stacked Facebook prelims in the history of curtain-jerking? And Dave Herman‘s getting fired, right? Read on as CagePotato founding editor Ben Goldstein and staff writer Jared Jones debate these topics — and so much more — and be sure to come back tomorrow night for our “Silva vs. Weidman” liveblog, beginning with the FX prelims at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
Chris Weidman has become the fashionable pick for an upset against Anderson Silva. You don’t actually believe he’ll pull it off, do you? I mean, you’re not a moron, right?
JJ: Now,I may be a moron, but there is one thing I am not, sir, and that, sir, is a moron.
If we were to have this debate immediately after Weidman had finished knocking Mark Munoz into an ice cream cake-induced depression, I would have told you that Anderson Silva was a dead man walking. “Weidman brings the kind of grappling prowess that, like Chael P. Sonnen before him, will all but completely suffocate Andy’s offense,” I would say whilst smoking a corncob pipe and farting into a wine glass, “And his striking, while clearly not on Silva’s level, has improved enough to keep the soon-to-be former champ hesitant in those rare moments when he won’t be fighting off his back.” I would have mocked you for daring to claim otherwise, then had security escort you out of my chalet bungalow when you inevitably lost your cool like a common miscreant.
And honestly, not a lot has changed since Weidman punched (and punched and punched) his way to #1 contender status almost a year ago to the day. That’s the problem. Weidman has been recovering from shoulder surgery and Silva has been retiring roided-up LHW’s in between increasingly shitty movie appearances. Am I crazy enough to pick a Chris Weidman coming off a year layoff to upset ANDERSON FREAKING SILVA? What do I look like, a moron?
BG: I feel like this wave of Weidman-support isn’t so much based on realistic analysis of the matchup, so much as fans’ natural desire to see some change after seven years of having the same champion dominating the competition, and other UFC fighters’ totally understandable self-interest in having that dominant champion go away for a while. It’s wishful thinking, basically.
Instead of discussing what Chris Weidman could theoretically do to Silva, you only need to consider Silva’s body of work in the UFC to understand that this fight probably won’t go the challenger’s way. And that’s fine. Weidman is still a young athlete who only started competing as a professional mixed martial artist in 2009. Experience counts in this sport, and Weidman just doesn’t have it. Whatever work he’s been doing in the gym, it won’t prepare him for that moment when he realizes — perhaps too late — just how talented and fearless Anderson Silva really is. I will now link you to the greatest GIF in MMA history.
The good news is, Weidman has a long career still ahead of him. Three years from now, Anderson Silva might be retired, and Chris Weidman will still be beating up top contenders. He’ll have his moment. Saturday night will not be that moment.
Tim Kennedy seems to talk a lot for a guy without many significant wins. Will Roger Gracie silence him for once, or will Kennedy finally live up to his own hype?
(Double chin-smush. So intense. / Video via YouTube.com/UFC)
Are Chris Weidman‘s chances for an upset as good as everybody seems to think they are? Is Tim Kennedy better at talking than he is at fighting? Does UFC 162 feature the most stacked Facebook prelims in the history of curtain-jerking? And Dave Herman‘s getting fired, right? Read on as CagePotato founding editor Ben Goldstein and staff writer Jared Jones debate these topics — and so much more — and be sure to come back tomorrow night for our “Silva vs. Weidman” liveblog, beginning with the FX prelims at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
Chris Weidman has become the fashionable pick for an upset against Anderson Silva. You don’t actually believe he’ll pull it off, do you? I mean, you’re not a moron, right?
JJ: Now,I may be a moron, but there is one thing I am not, sir, and that, sir, is a moron.
If we were to have this debate immediately after Weidman had finished knocking Mark Munoz into an ice cream cake-induced depression, I would have told you that Anderson Silva was a dead man walking. “Weidman brings the kind of grappling prowess that, like Chael P. Sonnen before him, will all but completely suffocate Andy’s offense,” I would say whilst smoking a corncob pipe and farting into a wine glass, “And his striking, while clearly not on Silva’s level, has improved enough to keep the soon-to-be former champ hesitant in those rare moments when he won’t be fighting off his back.” I would have mocked you for daring to claim otherwise, then had security escort you out of my chalet bungalow when you inevitably lost your cool like a common miscreant.
And honestly, not a lot has changed since Weidman punched (and punched and punched) his way to #1 contender status almost a year ago to the day. That’s the problem. Weidman has been recovering from shoulder surgery and Silva has been retiring roided-up LHW’s in between increasingly shitty movie appearances. Am I crazy enough to pick a Chris Weidman coming off a year layoff to upset ANDERSON FREAKING SILVA? What do I look like, a moron?
BG: I feel like this wave of Weidman-support isn’t so much based on realistic analysis of the matchup, so much as fans’ natural desire to see some change after seven years of having the same champion dominating the competition, and other UFC fighters’ totally understandable self-interest in having that dominant champion go away for a while. It’s wishful thinking, basically.
Instead of discussing what Chris Weidman could theoretically do to Silva, you only need to consider Silva’s body of work in the UFC to understand that this fight probably won’t go the challenger’s way. And that’s fine. Weidman is still a young athlete who only started competing as a professional mixed martial artist in 2009. Experience counts in this sport, and Weidman just doesn’t have it. Whatever work he’s been doing in the gym, it won’t prepare him for that moment when he realizes — perhaps too late — just how talented and fearless Anderson Silva really is. I will now link you to the greatest GIF in MMA history.
The good news is, Weidman has a long career still ahead of him. Three years from now, Anderson Silva might be retired, and Chris Weidman will still be beating up top contenders. He’ll have his moment. Saturday night will not be that moment.
Tim Kennedy seems to talk a lot for a guy without many significant wins. Will Roger Gracie silence him for once, or will Kennedy finally live up to his own hype?
I mention all that to say this: I really don’t know if he’ll beat Roger Gracie, but his job might depend on it. The reason why the UFC continues to do business with Roy Nelson is because Nelson gives the fans what they want to see, every single time: A devastating knockout, or a fat guy getting the shit beaten out of him for 15 minutes. That’s entertainment. But if Tim Kennedy is unpopular with his boss, not a huge viewership draw, and not particularly cheap to have around, he’d better win on Saturday, or lose in a spectacular dogfight.
Alright, I know that’s a cop-out. Here’s my official prediction: Kennedy manages to keep the fight standing and wins by unanimous decision; the performance won’t do much for him, one way or the other.
JJ: My problem with Tim Kennedy isn’t that he shoots his gums off every now and again, it’s that for all the shit-talking he does, he’s never really impressed me all that much in the ring. He’s got a pair of decent victories over Robbie Lawler and Melvin Manhoef, but he was little more than a walking punching bag for Luke Rockhold and was similarly outgunned by Jacare back at Strikeforce: Houston. If Kennedy wants to continue trashing everyone and everything, he’d best score an impressive victory in his UFC debut.
Thankfully for Kennedy, I don’t think the bookies are giving him his due credit. Kennedy is a solid wrestler with decent standup skills to match, which makes him the Kryptonite of Roger Gracie (or really, any modern-day Gracie). I mean, did you even see Roger’s fight against King Mo? It was like watching a MacGruber sketch; you knew that a bomb was gonna go off at some point, it was just a matter of how long you could suspend your disbelief.
Is there anybody on the card whose odds of getting fired afterwards are greater than Dave Herman‘s?
JJ: Short answer:No. Long answer: Noooooooooope.
BG: Definitely not, and I’m a little shocked that Herman hasn’t already been fired, what with his three-straight stoppage losses and the multiple marijuana-relatedmisunderstandings. But hey, it’s not like Gabriel Gonzaga has been the most consistent heavyweight on the UFC’s roster; maybe Herman can pull off the win here and save his job. I’d say that the next guy on the danger-list might be Chris Leben, whose history of drug suspensions and other mayhem far overshadows Herman’s — but Dana White simply loves him too much. So I’ll just point out that Rafaello Oliveira has gone 1-2 in his latest UFC stint, and he’s facing Edson Barboza on Saturday. Never a great combination.
On the next page:Is Cub Swanson a legitimate title contender, what’s the most profitable bet you can place on this card, and why are Seth Baczynski and Mike Pierce stuck on Facebook?
Four of the UFC’s top 145ers will duke it out Saturday night, as former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar takes on submission whiz Charles Oliveira and red-hot WEC vet Cub Swanson takes on striking specialist Dennis Siver.While this weekend’s fights coul…
Four of the UFC’s top 145ers will duke it out Saturday night, as former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar takes on submission whiz Charles Oliveira and red-hot WEC vet Cub Swanson takes on striking specialist Dennis Siver.
While this weekend’s fights could very well determine the next featherweight title challenger down the road, don’t expect any of the victors to get an immediate shot at the belt.
Sure, on paper, these matchups are poised to be exciting scraps and will likely entertain the UFC 162 crowd, but they just don’t make much sense when it comes to the 145-pound title picture.
For instance, Swanson, who’s ranked No. 5 at featherweight, really has nothing to gain from his bout with Siver, who’s listed as No. 6 in the UFC’s rankings.
Swanson, a Greg Jackson product, has amassed an impressive four-fight win streak and deserves a shot at a top-five featherweight, especially when you consider that his only losses since 2009 are to Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas—the top three guys in the division right now.
Should Swanson beat Siver, he’ll pretty much keep his spot in the middle of the pack, while a loss will probably send him straight to the back of the line.
If anything, in the wake of Chan Sung-Jung dropping out of his bout with Lamas to replace Anthony Pettis at UFC 163, Swanson should have been given a chance to avenge his loss against “The Bully.”
Instead, Lamas is off the UFC 162 card and Swanson is stuck facing an opponent who’s lower on the totem pole.
Meanwhile for Edgar, this weekend’s scrap with Oliveira is pretty much a give-me fight for the former champ.
“The Answer” may be itching for a win after coming up short in three straight title fights, but a bout with “Do Bronx” doesn’t get him any closer to another shot at a belt.
Like Swanson, a win for Edgar is pretty much just another notch on his belt. However, in the former champ’s case, a fourth straight loss could be disastrous—although it’s highly unlikely to occur.
If Edgar does somehow fall to the Brazilian, his back will definitely be against a wall as a fifth straight defeat usual results in a pink-slip, regardless of a fighter’s past credentials.
Now, that’s just a doomsday scenario for Edgar, but still, taking on Oliveira doesn’t do much for “The Answer” except add another check to his bank account.
What would have been a smart decision by the UFC’s matchmakers would have been to pit Edgar against Siver and Swanson against Lamas (sorry Oliveira).
The German hasn’t done much to stand out at 145 yet and a battle against a guy like Edgar would have been a great test for Siver. It would have also have been a good bout for the former champ as he would have been taking on a top-10 featherweight instead of someone who’s not even on the UFC’s rankings yet.
Swanson and Lamas would have been a fantastic matchup as well and could have easily been billed as a top contender elimination bout.
Instead, the UFC is stuck with a logjam of contenders—especially if you throw Pettis into the mix—and it will likely stay that way unless one of this weekend’s underdogs pulls out an upset.
Anderson Silva is less than 48 hours away from what many believe will be the toughest fight of his UFC career, and as custom, he has turned to Aikido master and Hollywood movie star Steven Seagal for guidance.While Seagal isn’t listed as one of Silva’s…
Anderson Silva is less than 48 hours away from what many believe will be the toughest fight of his UFC career, and as custom, he has turned to Aikido master and Hollywood movie star Steven Seagal for guidance.
While Seagal isn’t listed as one of Silva’s official coaches, he typically serves as the UFC middleweight champ’s mentor and will occasionally throw in his two cents regarding strategy and game-planning for upcoming fights.
Against Weidman, Silva faces his most dangerous opponent on paper since winning the UFC title nearly seven years ago. Many in the MMA community are picking against Silva despite all of his historic accomplishments.
Silva is arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history, and there is certainly nothing left for him to prove. Most would expect a fighter of Silva’s caliber to be rattled by the mere mention of his peers and fans picking against him. The world is always looking for the next best thing, and Weidman‘s prodigy-like upstart has undoubtedly sent some of Silva’s most devoted supporters scurrying for greener pastures.
It’s normal, it’s normal. I finish my legacy. I working hard for this fight, but it’s normal, Chris Weidman has a chance for the belt now. For a long time, I start my working here. I have the chance for the belt, Weidman has the chance now for the belt. It’s normal.
With doubters lurking around every corner, Silva also opened up about a conversation he had with SenseiSeagal that put everything back into perspective before his showdown with Weidman on Saturday night:
Sensei [Steven Seagal] talked to me, ‘Anderson, kick your ass. Kick his ass.’ Yeah, sorry, my English is no good. Sensei told me, ‘Take your focus, go for the fight, relax and go back home.’
Broken English or not, this lighthearted exchange between Silva and Helwani should quell any worries or uncertainties from fans heading into this fight. The middleweight champ is completely aware and at ease with everything going on around him.
When that cage door closes on Saturday night, all of the opinions acquired over the months will be irrelevant, and the outcome will ultimately be decided by Silva and Weidman.
After UFC 162, the world may finally realize that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Come along as we head to Las Vegas and breakdown some of the undercard as well as all of the main card bouts for Zuffa’s latest 2013 PPV offering. All betting lines courtesy of BestFightOdds, as usual.
Melancon makes his UFC debut as the +250 underdog after a 1-1 record in Strikeforce against a -300 Seth Baczynski. “The Polish Pistola,” who is built like a middleweight, will enjoy a 7 inch height advantage and should be able to keep the fight standing to compliment his striking advantage in this bout. Melancon has yet to be finished and fight goes the distance at -195 is a fairly safe prop option for a single bet. Baczynski makes the parlay.
Come along as we head to Las Vegas and breakdown some of the undercard as well as all of the main card bouts for Zuffa’s latest 2013 PPV offering. All betting lines courtesy of BestFightOdds, as usual.
Melancon makes his UFC debut as the +250 underdog after a 1-1 record in Strikeforce against a -300 Seth Baczynski. “The Polish Pistola,” who is built like a middleweight, will enjoy a 7 inch height advantage and should be able to keep the fight standing to compliment his striking advantage in this bout. Melancon has yet to be finished and fight goes the distance at -195 is a fairly safe prop option for a single bet. Baczynski makes the parlay.
Coming in at the same price as he did against Big Nog, Dave Herman is looking to keep his spot on the UFC roster and is worth some consideration here. Since his return, Gabriel Gonzaga’s biggest win has come against Ben Rothwell in Brazil, but in his last outing Gonzaga was quickly dispatched by Travis Browne. If Herman can keep this fight standing and exploit Napao when he shoots in (like Browne did) we may have the makings for an upset. Herman at +200 for the upset win, which may later be overturned for you know what.
Both fighters are looking to bounce back from respective tough losses in their last outings. Both fighters also seem to posses similar skill sets with strong wrestling and powerful striking. Picking a victor here is an exercise in futility, but -160 that the judges need to decide this one is never a bad idea when two wrestlers are trying to implement their game plan in a 3 round fight. Prop fight goes to decision -160.
Siver is coming off his most dominating performance to date (over Nam Phan) which improved his record at featherweight to a perfect 2-0. Swanson, on the other hand, has quietly knocked out three of his last four opponents and will surely be thinking title shot…or not….if he finds a way to derail Siver in this fight. As the +180 underdog, Siver is worth the risk more than laying -225 for Swanson, but the likelihood that this fight starts round 3 at -180 is a happy medium with these two top featherweights. Prop for FOTN should pay around 4 or 5 to 1 seeing how both fighters have been involved in FOTN contests multiple times. Prop -180 fight starts round 3.
Roger Gracie will come in as a slight +120 underdog against fellow UFC newbie and former Strikeforce middleweight contender Tim Kennedy. I may be wearing blinders here, but if Tim Kennedy could go 5 rounds with Jacare and not get submitted, the likelihood that he can stay out of trouble against an equally dangerous yet far less experienced MMA fighter in Roger Gracie seems very likely. Couple this with the fact that Kennedy’s most recent losses have come in title fights and the allure of a -150 to win becomes hard to ignore. Kennedy keeps the fight standing and outworks Gracie for the win, maybe even finishing Roger if his striking has not improved since the fight with King Mo. Kennedy -150 makes the parlay.
Hovering above -500, the question over whether or not Frankie Edgar can win this fight is not nearly as compelling as the pick’em odds that this fight ends by decision (or not). Franky could catch Oliveira like Swanson did or he could control the fight and use his wrestling to grind out a decision win like he has done many a time at 155. This is Frankie’s comeback fight of sorts, a fight that is his to lose and even at -500, when combined with a few other heavy favorites, get’s you close to even money. Frankie makes the parlay.
There is only one reason that Chris Weidman is being touted as the man to dethrone Anderson Silva and that is Chael Sonnen. Those who believe Weidman can win subscribe to the notion that Chris will be able to emulate the 5 out of 7 rounds that Chael was able to win against the Spider, but this time not fall short in the process. Where Chael failed due to his lack of submission defence in his first title shot, Weidman is given such a good chance by many because of his BJJ credentials and performance against the likes of Demian Maia in the past, where he was able to use his wrestling while simultaneously controlling one of the best grapplers in the UFC at any weight class to win. Weidman has proved he can defend submissions as well as create opportunities from top control to end fights. There are considerable variables in this fight, but the most important if you are thinking of picking Weidman will be, exactly how long will Herb Dean allow Weidman to stay inside Silva’s guard when the fight inevitably goes to the ground? Dean is considered one of the best in the business, but it is the lack of clarity as to when a fight should be stood up that may cause this fight to be next to impossible to predict.
Silva has the decided advantage in the striking department, but if he is forced to fight off his back for long periods during the fight, the judges will definitely give Weidman the win. If Herb Dean resets the fighters often, however, the likelihood Silva is able to catch Weidman increases to the point where -240 feels like a gift. Weidman +605 to win by decision as a prop bet is even more plausible as Chael Sonnen was less than 2 minutes away from accomplishing this not that long ago. In the middle, +105 that fight starts the 3rd round is probably the safest place to be, but again Silva needs one mistake and about 5 seconds to finish a fight so it is still going out on a limb. Gun to the head, Silva does what he always does and we all pick our jaws up off the floor shortly after midnight, wake up Sunday morning and try to find the GIF of the finish. Prop that fight starts round 3 +105, and +605 Weidman by decision if you believe Chris can get it done on Saturday.
Parlay 1
-Pierce+Barboza+Edgar
Parlay 2
-Baczynski+Kennedy
Parlay 3
-Herman+Pierce
Props
-Swanson vs Siver starts round 3
-Boestch vs Munoz fight goes the distance
-FOTN Swanson vs Siver
Please share your thoughts on who you like CP nation.
July will not be light on MMA action.The UFC brings forth two shows, and other promotions such as Bellator and Invicta will also be bringing events to your television screens. There will be plenty of talent to keep an eye on for the remainder of t…
The UFC brings forth two shows, and other promotions such as Bellator and Invicta will also be bringing events to your television screens. There will be plenty of talent to keep an eye on for the remainder of the month.
Some of these fighters are on the cusp of breaking through and showing themselves to be worthy of title consideration, some are challenging for gold and some will be exposed in their upcoming bouts.
These are the fighters who will show themselves to be contenders or pretenders in the month of July.
