UFC 85 main event Matt Hughes vs Thiago Alves fight has the aging legend Hughes as a short 7-5 UFC betting favorite over the Brazilian. Alves is a Florida Top Team product that is on a hot four fight KO streak leading up to his fight with the wrestler Hughes. Matt Hughes is the 9-5 UFC betting favorite to use his UFC experience to beat the younger Alves at Sportsbook.com

Get Expert  Fight  Picks fromlas Vegas winning handicappers now!

Alves has shown vulnerability to takedowns and he will have his hands full as a +160 UFC fight betting picks underdog to the legend Matt Hughes. Hughes is coming off a lengthy 5 month layoff but his reports have been that he has had an excellent camp. Hughes has never had much of a problem with strikers having only been ousted only by superior grapplers. Hughes can hold his own striking with a hard left hook that has rocked some heads but Thiago has some explosiveness as a Muay Thai specialist.

Alves will have to have an answer though mainly for when the rock solid Hughes goes for a takedown. Huges can run the table on fights with his overpowering takedown power. Hughes has far more big fight experience having fought A-level caliber competition for the past 7 years while Alves is a relative pup.

Matt Hughes vs Thiago Alves Fight Betting Pick: Matt Hughes -200 at Bodoglife.com

Marchetti UFC Prediction System:

Matt Hughes

UFC 85 betting odds  -185

Style: Wrestler\BJJ

Ht. 5’9”

Wt. 170

Age: 34

MMA Record: 42-6

UFC Record: 15-4

Power: 8

Size: 8

Speed: 6

Heart: 9

Ground Game:7

Standup: 7

Defense: 7

Cuts: 4

Stamina: 8

Chin: 9

Killer instinct: 7 

Experience\Trainer: 9

Matt Hughes UFC 85 Power Rating: 9.1

Thiago Alves

UFC 85 betting picks odds +145

Style: BJJ\Striker

Ht. 5’9”

Wt. 170

Age: 27

MMA Record: 20-4

UFC Record: 7-2

Power: 8

Size: 8

Speed: 8

Heart: 8

Ground Game: 6

Striking: 9

Defense: 5

Cuts: 7

Stamina: 7

Chin: 8

Experience\Trainer: 6

Thiago Alves UFC 85 Power Rating: 8.7

---