Current UFC 138 Betting Odds - On Saturday, November 5, 2011 The LG Arena in Birmingham, England will host its second UFC event.  The Main event pits together Chris “The Crippler” Leben (22-7)  against Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Munoz (11-2).  This will mark the first five round non-title event in UFC history. Leben is 4-1 in his last five fights and is currently coming off a KO victory over Wanderlei Silva from UFC 132. While Munoz is 6-1 in his last seven fights and currently riding a three fight win streak. His most recent win was over Demain Maia via unanimous decision from UFC 131.  Lets see if Munoz will choose to use his wrestling against The Crippler or will he stand and bang it out.

Reminder- if you plan on placing any Bets on UFC 138 the under card fights will begin around 1:40 E.T. And the Main Card around 4:00 p.m. E.T.

Main Card:

Chris Leben vs. Mark Munoz

Bodog.com Odds

• Leben   (+205)
• Munoz  (-265)

Betonline.com Odds

• Leben   (+205)
• Munoz  (-250)

Brad Pickett vs. Renan Barao

Bodog.com Odds

• Pickett   (+115)
  
• Barao     (-140)
  

Betonline.com Odds

• Pickett  (+105)
  
• Barao    (-135)
  

Thiago Alves vs. Papy Abedi

Bodog.com Odds

• Alves   (-340)
  
• Abedi   (+260)
  

Betonline.com Odds

• Alves   (-340)
  
• Abedi  (+285)
  

Terry Etim vs. Edward Faaloloto

Bodog.com Odds

• Etim              (-700)
  
• Faaloloto    (+450)
  

Betonline.com Odds

• Etim              (-630)
  
• Faaloloto   (+500)
  

Cyrille Diabate vs. Anthony Perosh

Bodog.com Odds

• Diabate  (-400)
  
• Perosh   (+300)
  

Preliminary Card:

John Maguire vs. Justin Edwards

Bodog.com Odds

• Maguire   (+105)
  
• Edwards   (-135)
  

Michihiro Omigawa vs. Jason Young

Bodog.com Odds

• Omigawa  (-230)
  
• Young       (+180)
  

Chris Cope vs. Che Mills

Bodog.com Odds

• Cope   (+215)
  
• Mills   (-275)
  

Chris Cariaso vs. Vaughan Lee

Bodog.com Odds

• Cariaso   (-220)
  
• Lee           (+180)

The Co-Main event is a Bantamweight match up between London’s Brad Pickett (21-4) up against Brazilian Renan Barao (26-1-1). Also on the main card we have Thiago “Pitbull” Alves (18-8) taking on undefeated Papy Abedi (8-0), Terry Etim (14-3) vs. Edward Faaloloto (5-2), and Paul Taylor (11-6-1-1) vs. Anthony Njokuani (14-5-1).

Be sure to Check back with us closer to fight night as I will have updated UFC 138 Odds plus Fight Predictions.  And to add a little excitement to your fight night, you can bet on this fight at Bodog.com Odds.

Event: UFC 139

Date:  Saturday, November 19, 2011

Venue:  The HP Pavilion in San Jose, California

Broadcast:  Live on PPV at 9:00 p.m. E.T.

Main Card:

• Dan Henderson (28-8) vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (21-5)  Main Event
• Wanderlei Silva (33-11-1-1) vs. Cung Le (7-1)
• Urijah Faber (25-5) vs. Brian Bowles (10-1)
• Martin Kampmann (17-5) vs. Rick Story (13-4)
• Stephan Bonnar (13-7) vs. Kyle Kingsbury (11-2-0-1)

Preliminary Card:

• Ryan Bader (12-2) vs. Jason Brilz (18-4-1)
• Tom Lawlor (7-3-1) vs. Chris Weidman (6-0)
• Johnny Eduardo () vs. Michael McDonald (13-1)
• Gleison Tibau (23-7) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (15-5)
• Miguel Torres (38-5) vs. Nick Pace (6-2)

UFC Welterweight bout:  BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz

Odds: (-150 Penn /+120 Diaz )

Betting Pick: Diaz

Bet on this fight at Bodog.com

In the main event of the evening, former two-division champion B.J. “The Prodigy” Penn will square off against former Strikeforce Welterweight champion Nick Diaz at 170 pounds. Diaz was originally scheduled for a shot at Georges St. Pierre’s Welterweight title, but was removed from the fight after failing to appear at two consecutive promotional appearances. Instead, he will fight Penn, who represents a very interesting stylistic matchup. These are arguably two of the best submission fighters in the world at 170 pounds, and both have extremely crisp and effective boxing. In many ways their styles mirror each other, which could either create a barnburner or a stalemate, so it’s interesting to see how this fight will play out.

B.J. “The Prodigy” Penn is one of two fighters that held two-division championships in UFC history. Using a mix of deadly jiu-jitsu from every position and fast, technical, accurate boxing, Penn carved out three separate title reigns for himself, twice in the Lightweight division and once at Welterweight. After a dominant second reign at 155 pounds, Penn ran into current champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar, who he was twice unable to best. In his last two fights at Welterweight, he looked very impressive, destroying rival Matt Hughes with strikes and then taking top contender Jon Fitch to a hotly contested draw that many observers felt he should have won. There is no denying Penn’s technical acumen, and he has put to rest the questions about his dedication and conditioning that plagued him throughout his career, but this fight presents a number of unique challenges. The most obvious disadvantage is that Penn is smaller, lighter, and has less reach than Diaz, which could prove problematic. Another is that Penn’s strengths are also Diaz’s strengths, so he can’t use his technical prowess to exploit holes in Diaz’s game. He is going into a fight against a bigger guy with almost all of the same tools he has, and that is a dangerous situation for him. There is no question that Penn has the tools to win this fight, but he is going to have to fight smart if he wants to avoid getting bullied around by Diaz and confounded by his notoriously awkward punching style. One important advantage for Penn is going to be his wrestling, which is hugely underrated. Penn’s takedown defense is the stuff of legend, and he actually has pretty good takedowns himself, which means that against a mediocre wrestler like Diaz he will likely be able to control if, when, and how this fight goes to the ground. If Diaz starts to get the best of the striking exchanges, Penn could probably force a ground fight, a luxury Diaz doesn’t have.

Nick Diaz has had a very interesting career. Always known primarily for his grappling ability, Diaz washed out of UFC in his first stint with the company. After leaving the company, he shocked the world by submitting Takanori Gomi, who was at the time considered the best Lightweight in the world, only to have the win taken away when he tested positive for marijuana. After moving to 170 pounds, Diaz had a rough start, winning an awful decision against unheralded Mike Aina and then getting stopped on cuts by smaller boxer K.J. Noons. Since then, though, Diaz has put together an incredible ten fight winning streak, and has grown into one of the most feared strikers at 170 pounds. His ground game is just as good as it always was, but he now prefers to handle his opponents on the feet, and he has proven deadly proficient at it. What makes Diaz so dangerous is how deceptive his striking style is. Unlike most dominant strikers, Diaz doesn’t have much in the way of one-punch knockout power, but his punches are hard to defend because they come from strange angles and the damage tends to pile up fast, overwhelming his opponents. Diaz has fought a number of top-level strikers recently, and has absolutely embarrassed them all. The only real hole in Diaz’s game is his wrestling. He isn’t the most physical guy, his takedowns are mediocre, and his takedown defense is porous. On the feet against Penn, he will enjoy a major reach advantage, so it is unlikely that he will want to force a ground fight anyway, but if it does go to the ground Diaz is probably one of the few guys in the division who can hang with Penn.

This is a very tough fight to call, because these two guys have such similar strengths and fighting styles. In the end, though, I think the edge here has to go to Diaz. Both guys are effective strikers, but Penn’s more orthodox style is easier to defend against than Diaz’s awkward, looping punches, and Diaz will have the advantage in height and reach. On the ground, both guys are so talented that it would likely end up a stalemate, and neither guy is necessarily known for their takedowns despite their world-class ground games. Penn is extremely tough and has a great chin, so he should be able to weather three rounds with Diaz, but I think Diaz will land more significant strikes and earn enough points for the unanimous decision win.

Prediction: Nick Diaz via Unanimous Decision.

To add  a little more excitement on fight night, you can bet on this fight at Bodog.com Odds.   Check out my review of Bodog here…

Event:  UFC On Fox 1 – Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Date:  Saturday, November 12, 2011

Venue:  The Honda Center in Los Angeles, California

Broadcast:  Live on Fox at 9:00 p.m. E.T.

Betting Spot:  Bodog.com Odds

Main Card FOX Bout:

• Cain Velasquez (9-0) vs. Junior Dos Santos (13-1)  - Main Event

Preliminary Card:

• Clay Guida (29-8) vs. Ben Henderson (14-2)
• Dustin Poirier (10-1) vs. Pablo Garza (11-1)
• Cub Swanson (15-4) vs. Rocardo Lamas (10-2)
• DaMarques Johnson (12-9) vs. Clay Harvison (9-3)
• Nirifumi Yamamoto (18-4-1) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (6-3)
• Mackens Semerzier (6-3) vs. Robert Peralta (15-3)
• Alex Caceres (5-4) vs. Cole Escovedo (17-8)
• Mike Pierce (12-4) vs. Paul Bradley (18-3)
• Aaron Rosa (16-4) vs. Matt Lucas (14-2)

Event:  UFC 138

Date:  Saturday, November 5, 2011

Venue:  The LG Arena in Birmingham, England, UK

Main Card:

• Chris Leben (22-7) vs. Mark Munoz (11-2)  – Main Event
• Brad Pickett (21-4) vs. Renan Barao (26-1-1)
• Thiago Alves (18-8) vs. Papy Abedi (8-0)
• Terry Etim (14-3) vs. Edward Faaloloto (5-2)
• Paul Taylor (11-6-1-1) vs. Anthony Njokuani (14-5-1)

Preliminary Card:

• Cyrille Diabate (17-7-1) vs. Anthony Perosh (11-6)
• John Maguire (16-3) vs. Justin Edwards (7-1)
• Michihiro Omigawa (12-10-1) vs. Jason Young (8-4)
• Rob Broughton (15-6-1) vs. Philip De Fries (7-0-1)
• Chris Cope (5-1) vs. Che Mills (13-4)
• Chris Cariaso (11-3) vs. Vaughan Lee (11-6-1)

UFC Heavyweight bout:  Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione

Odds: (+110 Kongo /-140 Mitrione )

Betting Pick: Mitrione

Bet on this fight at Bodog.com

In what has the makings of a very competitive Heavyweight bout, tough French kickboxer Cheick Kongo will square off against undefeated prospect Matt Mitrione. Kongo is a great striker, and by far the more experienced of the two, but Mitrione has devastating punching power and has improved dramatically every time he has stepped into the Octagon. Although Kongo is known for his powerful striking, it will be interesting to see how Mitrione handles his takedowns, which are severely underrated and will give Mitrione a challenge he hasn’t had to deal with yet in his professional career. On the feet, this one could promise some fireworks, because both of these guys have great technique and a surplus of power.

Matt Mitrione, a former NFL player who competed as part of The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights, is one of the most exciting young prospects in the Heavyweight division. Since appearing on the reality show, Mitrione has grown into a devastating striker who bruises his opponents with constantly improving technique and punching power. There is no question that Kongo is a step up in competition for him, but Mitrione has the kind of power that could trouble anyone if he starts connecting. Kongo is a great opponent to determine just where Mitrione stands at this phase of his career, because he is capable of testing “Meathead’s” chin and his takedown defense and ability to work off his back. On the feet, Mitrione is probably less technical than Kongo, but his punches pack more power for sure. Kongo, despite his reputation as a striker, has very good takedowns and dominant ground and pound, so Mitrione is going to have to be careful about overcommitting to his punching flurries and setting himself up for takedowns, but on the feet he will be in a great position to win this fight and keep moving up the Heavyweight ladder.

French kickboxer Cheick Kongo is a very tough and dangerous fighter with a well-rounded offensive skill set. He is known as a striker primarily, and he has very good technique and a lot of punching power, but he also has rather underrated wrestling and devastating ground and pound. Obviously, because of his kickboxing base, Kongo prefers to stand and trade, but when he needs to he is capable of forcing fights to the ground and committing extreme violence from top position. Against Mitrione, who hits like a truck but has never really had his takedown defense and ground game tested, Kongo would be wise to try and ground this fight and force Mitrione to work off his back, which would put him in an unfamiliar position, take away his primary strength as a fighter, and play into one of his own strengths at the same time.

This is a tough fight to call because so much depends on how Kongo chooses to approach this fight. Kongo clearly likes to stand and bang, and if he underestimates Mitrione’s power and tries to make this a standup war, he could wind up paying dearly. Kongo is a great striker, but Mitrione is the harder puncher for sure and one shot could spell the end of Kongo’s night. If Kongo forces a ground fight, though, I don’t see Mitrione being able to effectively work off his back and prevent Kongo from lambasting him with brutal ground and pound. Ultimately, I think Kongo will make the mistake of trying to box with Mitrione, and he will pay the price when Mitrione starts connecting with power punches for the T/KO victory.

Prediction: Matt “Meathead” Mitrione via second round T/KO.

To add  a little more excitement on fight night, you can bet on this fight at Bodog.com Odds. Check out my review of Bodog here…

Event: UFC 137

Date: Saturday, October 29, 2011

Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada

Broadcast: Live on PPV at 9:00 p.m. E.T.
Main Card:

• BJ Penn (16-7-2) vs. Nick Diaz (25-7-0-1)
• Cheick Kongo (16-6-2) vs. Matt Mitrione (5-0)
• Roy Nelson (16-5) vs. Mirko Filipovic (27-9-2-1)
• Scott Jorgensen (12-4) vs. Jeff Curran (33-13-1)
• Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2) vs. George Roop (12-7-1)
  

Preliminary Card (On Spike TV)

• Dennis Siver (19-7) vs. Donald Cerrone (16-3-1)
• Tyson Griffin (15-5) vs. Bart Palaszewski (35-14)

Preliminary Card ( On Facebook)

• Brandon Vera (11-5-1) vs. Eliot Marshall (10-3)
• Ramsey Nijem (4-2) vs. Danny Downes (8-2)
• Chris Camozzi (15-4) vs. Francis Carmont ()
• Dustin Jacoby () vs. Clifford Starks ()