Michael Bisping is one win away from challenging Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight championship. Only Vitor Belfort stands in the way.Belfort is an explosive and powerful fighter who can end a fight in the blink of an eye. He has numerous first-r…
Belfort is an explosive and powerful fighter who can end a fight in the blink of an eye. He has numerous first-round finishes that litter the UFC highlight reel. Bisping will try to avoid being put on that list.
Bisping’s trash talk gets a lot of attention, but over recent years he has proven himself to be one of the best 185-pounders in the world. He is now on the brink of getting the chance to say he is the best. One more fight stands in his way.
These are four keys to victory for Bisping to get that title shot.
This Saturday night, UFC on FX 7 goes down from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The main card pits would-be middleweight title challenger Michael Bisping against former middleweight title challenger Vitor Belfort.Are you one for a friendly wager? The kind placed fo…
This Saturday night, UFC on FX 7 goes down from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The main card pits would-be middleweight title challenger Michael Bisping against former middleweight title challenger Vitor Belfort.
Are you one for a friendly wager? The kind placed for entertainment purposes only? I hear you, brother. Time for some action. Some gentlemen’s action.
I’ve posted the odds for every main-card fight from three popular betting websites: BetUSA, 5Dimes and Pinnacle. That cross-section offers a broad picture of where things stand as fight night approaches. Proceed at your own risk, make your own determinations and hey—good luck out there.
The UFC will put on its first show of 2013 in Brazil, when the UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Bisping comes to you live on free TV on Saturday. As the event name suggests, middleweight contenders Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort are set to do battle in the Oc…
The UFC will put on its first show of 2013 in Brazil, when the UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Bisping comes to you live on free TV on Saturday. As the event name suggests, middleweight contenders Michael Bisping and VitorBelfort are set to do battle in the Octagon.
There are a large quantity of Brazilian fighters on the card, who usually put on exciting fights for fans. So if you are somebody who loves vicious brawls and great finishes in fights, this card is definitely one to watch.
Scott Harris, Andrew Saunders, Dwight Wakabayashi, James MacDonald and myself, Riley Kontek, will now give you our picks for the preliminary card of UFC on FX 6. Some of the fights hold unanimous verdicts, while others have split the staff in half.
UFC returns to free television this weekend with an explosive event on FX and a main event with two stars in Vitor Belfort and Michael Bisping. Belfort makes his return to the Octagon after his memorable bout with Jon Jones. We may not know how cl…
UFC returns to free television this weekend with an explosive event on FX and a main event with two stars in VitorBelfort and Michael Bisping.
Belfort makes his return to the Octagon after his memorable bout with Jon Jones. We may not know how close he actually was to finishing the fight, but Belfort did appear to have Jones on the ropes early before losing his game late.
Bisping will look to take another step towards a title shot. He has spent his career fighting the gatekeeper label, because he always seems to lose the big match that can propel him to a championship fight.
Where:Ibirapuera Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil
When: Saturday, Jan. 19 at 9 p.m. ET
Watch: Main Card starts at 9 p.m. ET on FX; Fuel TV Preliminary Card starts at 6 p.m. ET; Facebook Preliminary Card starts at 5:30 p.m. ET
MAIN CARD (FX)
Middleweight Bout: VitorBelfort vs. Michael Bisping
Middleweight Bout: Daniel Sarafian vs. CB Dollaway
Heavyweight Bout: Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Ben Rothwell
Lightweight Bout: ThiagoTavares vs. KhabibNurmagomedov
PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV)
Featherweight Bout: Godofredo Castro vs. Milton Vieira
Middleweight Bout: Ronny Markes vs. Andrew Craig
Featherweight Bout: Diego Nunes vs. NikLentz
Lightweight Bout: EdsonBarboza vs. Lucas Martins
Bantamweight Bout: Yuri Alcantara vs. Pedro Nobre
Light Heavyweight Bout: Wagner Prado vs. IldemarAlcantara
PRELIMINARY CARD (FACEBOOK)
Lightweight Bout: Francisco Trinaldo vs. CJ Keith
Belfort‘s Keys to Victory
Don’t Get Starry Eyes; Stay on the Offensive
Belfort‘s career has been one of the most interesting in the history of mixed martial arts. If you just look at the numbers and championships, he appears to be a superstar. He is a former light heavyweight champion and holds a victory over Randy Couture.
But this is one instance where the numbers do lie. Belfort has never performed well in a “big-match situation.” He is a front-runner, someone who needs to be in control of every aspect of a fight. If he isn’t, he gets frustrated and leaves himself open to attack.
In order for Belfort to come out on top in front of a Brazilian crowd that will be going nuts for him, he has to come out of the gate swinging and landing hard shots to put Bisping on his heels.
Belfort has never had great defense, so his striking and power have to carry him in this match. The earlier the fight ends, the more likely it is that he will walk away with a victory.
Bisping‘s Keys to Victory
Keep the Pressure on; Embrace the Moment
Even though his resume doesn’t look as good as Belfort‘s, Bisping‘s career arc is similar in a lot of ways. He is a fighter who has a tremendous amount of talent and charisma, though he uses it to get under the skin of fans and opponents instead of trying to make them love him.
The biggest problem Bisping has had in his career is performing in big matches. He has had opportunities to earn a fight against Anderson Silva for the middleweight championship, only to find the banana peel every single time.
In order to overcome that stigma, Bisping has to embrace the entirety of the moment. He has to accept the villain role he has crafted for himself, as well as let the spotlight be his ally.
Doing that against a fighter like Belfort isn’t as hard as it seems, because Bisping has the size and reach advantage. Not to mention the fact that Belfort can fold like a cheap tent when the going gets tough.
As long as Bisping is making adjustments early and staying in Belfort‘s face, he should have no problem finishing this fight.
What They Are Saying
Never one to let a good quote pass him by, Bisping said in an interview with DannStupp and John Morgan of MMA Junkie that he is actually getting a lot more love from the Brazilian crowd than he expected.
“I’m shocked. I’m getting a lot of respect. I’m getting a lot of people rooting for me and not Vitor, surprisingly. With that said, I’m still expecting them to boo me on Saturday night.”
That respect is not going to last very long. What happens in the days leading up to a fight and what happens on fight night are seldom the same thing.
Bisping prides himself on being a great villain, because it allows him to get an easy reaction from the audience. Sometimes that works to his benefit, other times it makes him look like a bad person.
Undercard Fight to Watch: Ronny Markes vs. Andrew Craig
While I am not of the opinion that Markes or Craig has great upside in UFC, I am always intrigued by two young fighters who have had instant success and could take the next step in the right situation.
Markes is just 24 years old with 14 professional fights under his belt. He has compiled a strong 13-1 record, including 2-0 in UFC. He is making just his second appearance at 185 pounds after fighting at light heavyweight, so there will be a period of adjustment he goes through learning to fight with less weight.
Craig is 26 years old and boasts a perfect 8-0 record (3-0 in UFC). More impressive than that is the evolution he appears to be going through. He has never been a knockout artist, but was able to score his first KO in UFC against Rafael Natal last July with a head kick.
By the way, Craig was able to do that after being destroyed for the majority of that fight. He may not be a great fighter, but he has a lot of guts and will keep coming at you until he has nothing left.
Main Event Prediction
Even though Belfort has the home-field advantage, Bisping is the better fighter at this stage of their respective careers.
UFC on FX 7 features a middleweight clash of exciting fighters in the main event of the night. Michael Bisping is primed to secure a title shot against middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva, should he win his fight. Belfort will look to prevent Bisping f…
UFC on FX 7 features a middleweight clash of exciting fighters in the main event of the night.
Michael Bisping is primed to secure a title shot against middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva, should he win his fight.
Belfort will look to prevent Bisping from getting his shot by winning this fight by any means possible.
Let’s take a look at three reasons to cheer for the Brazilian with dynamite in his hands.
Unlike the freakish mismatches that plagued last weekend’s Strikeforce show, the odds for this Saturday’s UFC on FX 7: Belfort vs. Bisping event in Sao Paulo suggest a very competitive lineup of fights. In fact, two of the matches are virtually dead even, with a razor-thin margin between the favorite and the underdog. Here are the betting lines for the FX main card, courtesy of BestFightOdds.com:
Michael Bisping (-103) vs. Vitor Belfort (-107): This is about as close as it gets in MMA betting, though Belfort still comes in as a slight favorite. The line reflects the divide among fans on how the fight will play out — either Bisping will outstrike and outhustle the Phenom to a decision victory, or Belfort will maul Bisping in short order, finishing him via punches-to-the-back-of-head TKO. If you’re leaning strongly towards one of those results, feel free to put your money where your mouth is. But keep in mind that the fight is scheduled for five rounds, which certainly gives Bisping the edge if he manages to survive the first ten minutes.
Ben Rothwell (+100) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (-110): Another close call in terms of odds, but I’m not sure that Gonzaga should be the slight favorite here. To me, he hasn’t yet shaken his reputation as a can-crusher, while Rothwell’s most recent appearance against Brendan Schaub proved him to be a ferocious finisher, hard to rattle, and in the best physical shape of his career.
Unlike the freakish mismatches that plagued last weekend’s Strikeforce show, the odds for this Saturday’s UFC on FX 7: Belfort vs. Bisping event in Sao Paulo suggest a very competitive lineup of fights. In fact, two of the matches are virtually dead even, with a razor-thin margin between the favorite and the underdog. Here are the betting lines for the FX main card, courtesy of BestFightOdds.com:
Michael Bisping (-103) vs. Vitor Belfort (-107): This is about as close as it gets in MMA betting, though Belfort still comes in as a slight favorite. The line reflects the divide among fans on how the fight will play out — either Bisping will outstrike and outhustle the Phenom to a decision victory, or Belfort will maul Bisping in short order, finishing him via punches-to-the-back-of-head TKO. If you’re leaning strongly towards one of those results, feel free to put your money where your mouth is. But keep in mind that the fight is scheduled for five rounds, which certainly gives Bisping the edge if he manages to survive the first ten minutes.
Ben Rothwell (+100) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (-110): Another close call in terms of odds, but I’m not sure that Gonzaga should be the slight favorite here. To me, he hasn’t yet shaken his reputation as a can-crusher, while Rothwell’s most recent appearance against Brendan Schaub proved him to be a ferocious finisher, hard to rattle, and in the best physical shape of his career.
C.B. Dollaway (+164) vs. Daniel Sarafian (-165): To refresh your memory, Daniel Sarafian is the TUF Brazil finalist who had to withdraw from his finale fight due to injury. The Sao Paulo native will be making his official UFC debut this weekend, and will face a significant jump in competition against 10-fight UFC veteran CB Dollaway. Sure, Sarafian will have hometown advantage, looked nasty on TUF, and Dollaway has been battling injuries of his own. Nevertheless, Dollaway’s advantage on the mat and experience edge makes the Doberman a worthwhile ‘dog.
Official CagePotato Parlay: A $20 wager on Rothwell + Dollaway + Nurmagomedov would earn you a $128.48 profit on BetUS. And if it hits, all we ask is that you buy one of our t-shirts.
UFC returns to free television this weekend with an explosive event on 
