Oddsmakers for tonight: UFC 144- Edgar vs Henderson
The UFC returns to Japan for the 1st time in more than a decade tonight, with a main event featuring Frankie Edgar defending the lightweight championship against Ben Henderson. Here’s a look at the current betting lines:
Odds from BetUS Sportsbook. Accurate as of 0730 February 25, 2012
Frankie Edgar (-135) vs Ben Henderson (+105)
Pick: Henderson
Henderson is an opponent that Frankie can’t outwork and clearly outspeed. Henderson is a much better striker than Gray Maynard, and has been highly impressive since the WEC merger. Edgar is a great fighter but he does get hit a lot, and Henderson isn’t going to gas in trying to finish.
Rampage Jackson (-260) vs Ryan Bader (+200)
Pick: Rampage
Rampage looked terrible at the weighin, which could affect this fight. However, Rampage is still simply a better fighter than Bader.
Cheick Kongo (-320) vs Mark Hunt (+240)
Pick: Hunt
Fun matchup here. Kongo is a good striker who tries takedowns when facing good and better strikers. Hunt has good takedown defence and one of the best chins of all time in MMA.
Jake Shields (-350) vs Yoshihiro Akiyama (+250)
Pick: Shields
Shields is still an elite fighter. He’s got a better wrestling/ground game, and better cardio. Akiyama is finally fighting at the weight class he should be at, but he’s just not as good as someone like Shields.
Yushin Okami (-375) vs Tim Boetsch (+275)
Pick: Okami
Okami is the best middleweight not named Anderson Silva.
Hatsu Hioki (-175) vs Bart Palaszewski (+145)
Pick: Hioki
Hioki is a great clinch guy who uses that to set up the ground game. Bartimus is somewhat more well-rounded, but can he fend off Hioki while scoring points at the same time? Hioki won’t get submitted here, and he has a great chin.
Anthony Pettis (-240) vs Joe Lauzon (+190)
Pick: Pettis
It could have been Pettis fighting in the main event, but it was not to be. Lauzon is an exciting fighter, but he isn’t top 10 like Pettis, and has a tendency to flame out after starting with a bunch of flurries to set up the ground game.
Takanori Gomi (-220) vs Eiji Mitsuoka (+175)
Pick: Gomi
While you get the feeling that Gomi is done and Mitsuoka is a solid vet, Mitsuoka’s takedowns aren’t as good as Gomi’s takedown defence.
Norifumi Yamamoto (-350) vs Vaughn Lee (+250)
Pick: Yamamoto
If Kid loses here, he’s got to be the biggest bust in UFC history if he isn’t already.
Riki Fukuda (-300) vs Steve Cantwell (+220)
Pick: Cantwell
Fukuda got injured in a car accident, subsequently had a long layoff, and has been wandering around camps for this fight. Cantwell has been disappointing, but at 185 he should do fairly well.
Takeya Mizugaki (-220) vs Chris Cariaso (+175)
Pick: Mizugaki
Mizugaki has the better striking, grappling, reach/size advantage, and is tougher.
Tiequan Zhang (-350) vs Issei Tamura (+250)
Pick: Zhang
Tamura is a late replacement. Zhang is still quite raw for the UFC level, but his skills are slightly better than Tamura’s.
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