UFC Betting Sites – The Best MMA Online Bookies
UFC best betting sites and the best MMA odds and gambling news
There’s a lot on the line at UFC 168.
Not just for the fighters (that’s a given). It’s the UFC that has a lot on the line tonight.
With two of its biggest draws throwing down, there is a lot of prospective money on the line. There’s also plenty o…
There’s a lot on the line at UFC 168.
Not just for the fighters (that’s a given). It’s the UFC that has a lot on the line tonight.
With two of its biggest draws throwing down, there is a lot of prospective money on the line. There’s also plenty of controversy and bad press lurking just under the surface.
So what are the worst case scenarios for the UFC? What did Dana White have nightmares about last night? Find out right here!
When middleweight champion Chris Weidman (10-0) goes head-to-head with former titleholder Anderson Silva (33-5) in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 168 pay-per-view, the MMA world will be focused on one of the most anticipated rematches of the la…
When middleweight champion Chris Weidman (10-0) goes head-to-head with former titleholder Anderson Silva (33-5) in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 168 pay-per-view, the MMA world will be focused on one of the most anticipated rematches of the last decade.
Fans will either witness the greatest fighter of all time avenging his previous loss or a champion proving he is more than just a one-fight wonder.
Add in a stacked undercard that features an exciting women’s bantamweight championship bout between Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate, and this is going to be one of the best PPVs of 2013.
Here is all the vital viewing information for the show, a full slate of predictions and a preview of the main event.
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
When: Saturday, Dec. 28, at 10 p.m. EST
Watch: Pay-per-view
Live Stream: UFC.com
Main Event Preview and Prediction
Chris Weidman stunned the world when he knocked Anderson Silva out and won the UFC Middleweight Championship in July. In the rematch, the challenger will be more focused than he has been at any point in the last five years.
Silva will take his title back from Weidman.
The biggest advantage for Weidman is his ability to wrestle. As seen in Silva’s previous fights against quality wrestlers like Chael Sonnen, he is susceptible to takedowns. Weidman needs to get to the legs of Silva and take the fight to the ground. With Silva’s elite striking limited when he is on his back, the champion’s best chance of retaining the title is to grind out a five-round decision using his superior wrestling.
That’s where Silva’s superior Brazilian jiu-jitsu and muay thai will come into play, though.
The key for the No. 1 contender will be to keep this fight standing up by thwarting Weidman’s takedown attempts and turning them into offense of his own. Using his quick hands and a powerful combination of knees and kicks, Silva must make it clear that shooting on him will not work.
Once both men start to exchange blows in the center of the Octagon, Silva will need to show more composure than he has in the past and fight with his hands up. It may be against everything he has stood for, but Weidman is not afraid to punch though Silva’s elusiveness.
As the champion proved in the first fight, he has the speed and power to KO his challenger.
With a solid defense and the fight standing up, Silva will use the counterpunching that has made him a legend to his advantage once again. Weidman is not a fighter who will rest on his heels, and will be on the attack throughout this bout. As soon as Silva finds the opening he needs to land his lethal punches and kicks, he will strike his opponent with power and precision.
The determination that comes for a bona fide legend who lost his title and is looking to regain it will have Silva as focused as he has ever been in his career. Weidman is a great fighter, but Silva is the superior in-ring competitor.
The championship is going home with the Spider.
Predicted Winner: Silva via TKO
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
UFC 168 is here, bringing fight fans something far better than a fat, bearded guy in a sleigh could ever deliver.
As soon as Chris Weidman smashed his left fist into Anderson Silva’s dome at UFC 162, sending the champion tumbling to the canvas in…
UFC 168 is here, bringing fight fans something far better than a fat, bearded guy in a sleigh could ever deliver.
As soon as Chris Weidman smashed his left fist into Anderson Silva‘s dome at UFC 162, sending the champion tumbling to the canvas in a heap, one word bounced around the heads of fans and critics worldwide: rematch.
Did Weidman get lucky, or is he the new breed of fighter here to cast the pound-for-pound greatest fighter of all time from his throne for good?
Will Silva clown around as he did in the first fight? Is he more motivated than ever?
Can he beat Weidman, even at his best?
These questions will be answered Saturday evening, as our main event kicks off and satisfies a six-month itch that has pestered the fight world since that July evening when Weidman decided to transcend greatness.
Come back as the action unfolds for a round-by-round recap and analysis of this anticipated matchup between the middleweight division’s finest combatants.
With the UFC 168 main card rapidly approaching, many potential shakeups to the respective divisions represented on the pay-per-view are impending. From the heavyweight division to the women’s bantamweight division, many crazy things are bound to happen…
With the UFC 168 main card rapidly approaching, many potential shakeups to the respective divisions represented on the pay-per-view are impending. From the heavyweight division to the women’s bantamweight division, many crazy things are bound to happen.
This main card is closing out 2013 for the UFC, which is already planning on a much busier 2014. That’s hard to imagine, given how many UFC events were televised this year.
With all that in the back of our minds, how will the main card results shape up the UFC landscape? Let’s dive in and briefly look at all five fights and their meaning going forward.
Brandao-Poirier Winner Jumps to Middle of Featherweight Line
Dustin Poirier and Diego Brandao are coming off two very different schedules in their most recent fights. Poirier has alternated between wins and losses in his last five, while Brandao is riding a three-fight winning streak.
The big difference, though, is that Poirier has been facing top-15 opposition, while Brandao has slowly been working his way up through the midcard. While Poirier fought guys like Chan Sung Jung, Erik Koch and Cub Swanson, Brandao was fighting Pablo Garza, Daniel Pineda and Joey Gambino on his current win streak.
The featherweight division is currently top-heavy on title contenders, from Chad Mendes to Cub Swanson. The winner of this bout is still likely in the middle of the line, or likely two-to-three wins away from seeing a title shot.
Win or Loss Will Make or Break Jim Miller
It’s hard to call Fabricio Camoes a gift fight for Jim Miller, especially considering how tough the Brazilian is. But let’s face it, this is a matchup that was tailor-made for the American.
After long being one of the most consistent fighters at 155, Miller has alternated wins and losses in his last five, which includes a no-contest in his latest outing against Pat Healy, as Healy tested positive for marijuana.
Camoes is a good fighter, but everything he does well, Miller does better. It’s obvious that the UFC is trying to get Miller back into the win column, as having him in the title hunt makes things at 155 far more interesting.
Browne-Barnett Winner Will Have Claim to Top Contention
Travis Browne and Josh Barnett are two very different men. Browne is a striker, relatively quiet and young in the fight game. Barnett is a grappler, clinically insane and and a long-time vet of the fight game.
Both men are also atop the heavyweight division, which lacks top contenders like the featherweight and welterweight divisions. Really, a marquee win in the division puts you on a short list of men ready to fight for the gold.
Obviously, Fabricio Werdum is the man who is next to fight for the heavyweight strap. The winner of the Browne-Barnett scuffle could be after Werdum or even fight him for the right to bang with Velasquez.
Rousey-Tate Fight for Rubber Match or Zingano
The heated rivalry between Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate is coming to a close, with the winner getting Cat Zingano. Or is it?
While it’s easy for most people to just crown Rousey the champion, Tate is a great fighter in her own regard. She is focused for this fight, and should she win, don’t expect Zingano to cash in on her top contender status right away.
A Tate win would probably spell a rubber match immediately. A win for Rousey would close the book on their rivalry and give Zingano her shot.
This will either logjam the women’s bantamweight title picture or reopen it.
Rubber Match, Retirement Possible in Main Event
Look out for two things in the aftermath of the main event at UFC 168. A Chris Weidman win could bring retirement talks for an all-time great in Anderson Silva. A Silva win would likely bring an automatic rubber match that would hopefully not include the terrible “You and Me” Steven Tyler song on the commercials.
It’s hard to imagine Silva retiring, but who thought Georges St-Pierre was going to hang up his gloves indefinitely? Two losses in a row for a 30-plus-year-old who has made his money in the sport and has nothing left to prove could lead to that.
Should Silva regain his title, we could see both men settling the score. Even though this fight has yet to happen, it would likely be the biggest rubber match since Chuck Liddell-Randy Couture. Either way, this fight has huge implications.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
On Saturday at UFC 168, Anderson Silva will attempt to reclaim his middleweight crown from Chris Weidman.
In July, Weidman shocked Silva with a left hook that ended the Brazilian’s record UFC championship reign. Because he was so do…
On Saturday at UFC 168, Anderson Silva will attempt to reclaim his middleweight crown from Chris Weidman.
In July, Weidman shocked Silva with a left hook that ended the Brazilian’s record UFC championship reign. Because he was so dominant for so long, “The Spider” was given an immediate rematch and will try to avenge his first UFC loss.
Additionally, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate will meet in a rematch with a title on the line over the weekend.
The female bantamweights first met under the Strikeforce banner, with Rousey stopping Tate via her signature armbar. In order to take back her spot atop the women’s 135-pound class, Tate will have to become the first fighter to avoid being submitted by Rousey in the first round.
At the conclusion of UFC 168, several fighters will join UFC president Dana White or another UFC official for a post-fight press conference that can be viewed live on the above video player.
Below is the entire UFC 168 fight card.
UFC 168 Main Card (10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view)
UFC 168 Fox Sports 1 Prelims (8 p.m ET on Fox Sports 1)
UFC 168 Online Prelims (7 p.m ET on UFC.com)
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
The main card at UFC 168 is certainly stacked. Two epic rematches will take place with two championships at stake in the feature bouts.
Anderson Silva will try to regain his middleweight crown from Chris Weidman. Miesha Tate will look to even the score…
The main card at UFC 168 is certainly stacked. Two epic rematches will take place with two championships at stake in the feature bouts.
Anderson Silva will try to regain his middleweight crown from Chris Weidman. Miesha Tate will look to even the score with UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey. Before the main card begins, there are a handful of interesting fights on tap for the Fox Sports 1 preliminary broadcast.
The action should be consistent all Saturday night, but here’s a few things to look forward to during the Fox Sports 1 portion of the event.
A Crushing KO Win by Uriah Hall
Chris Leben is made to order for Uriah Hall. He eats an average of 2.83 significant strikes per minute in his bouts, and that’s way too high. All Hall needs is one and Leben could be in deep trouble.
Leben has a legendary chin and amazing heart, but he doesn’t have the speed or defense to stay awake for the end of this one. Hall is going to win big in what I predict will be the KO of the Night.
A Dominant Display of Grappling from Gleison Tibau
Against Michael “The Menace” Johnson, Gleison Tibau will likely be at a speed and length disadvantage. No matter. Tibau has always pursued the takedown aggressively. Against a fighter like Johnson—who has been rendered a punching bag on his back lately—Tibau will be even more dogged in his pursuit of the takedown.
Reza Madadi and Myles Jury dominated Johnson on the ground before The Menace scored a win over Joe Lauzon in August.
The difference between Lauzon and Tibau is physical strength.
Lauzon is long on technique and heart, but he isn’t the strongest fighter. That isn’t an issue for Tibau. He is built like a fire hydrant. On Saturday night, he’s going to put Johnson’s fire out.
Dennis Siver‘s Spinning Back Kick
The man who is a dead ringer for Daniel Craig of 007 fame might just pull off a Casino Royale-like move in Vegas. Siver is known for his short and powerful spin kicks. The move can do major damage to an opponent’s midsection.
If the UFC nation is lucky, it may get an opportunity to see it when Siver faces Manvel Gamburyan. After being stopped by Cub Swanson in his last fight, Siver needs a bounce-back performance.
Perhaps his signature maneuver can do the trick.
Follow me for news, opinions and results on combat sports.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com