In the other main event we’ve got basically a #1 contender’s match in the heavyweight division between Junior Dos Santos and Mark Hunt. Dos Santos is coming off that championship loss to Velasquez and at (-370) to beat Mark Hunt oddsmakers at CarbonSports are expecting the former champ to bounce back strong.

Junior Dos Santos (-370) vs. Mark Hunt (+280) – The 39-year-old comes into this bout as an injury replacement for Alistair Overreem and Hunt has got to be feeling confident having won his last four fights. But knocking out the likes of Chris Tuchscherer, Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve is quite a step down from the former champion Dos Santos and the elder Hunt may be no more than a “sacrificial lamb” in this spot. Hunt needs to keep this fight standing so that his heavy fists have a chance of landing but even then the chances are slim.

Dos Santos has little issue with taking shots and should be able to use his better technical boxing skills to control this fight from the outset. Taking it to the ground won’t be a problem for Dos Santos either as he is the superior grappler. Dos Santos can stay away from Hunt’s haymakers by taking it to the ground and letting his technical skills take over.

This fight likely won’t go the distance as only on of Hunt’s professional fights since 2006 have needed the judges’ card. Hunt is giving up 11 years, about 6 inches and a ton of technical skill. He is the heavier man but I fully expect Dos Santos to end this within the distance via a KO or submission.

Cain Velasquez (-850) vs. Antonio Silva (+550) – Velasquez knows all about the success a fighter can have in a rematch scenario and has to be weary of Silva in this one. It was Velasquez who used his win over Silva a year ago to comeback and avenge an earlier loss to Junior Dos Santos to reclaim the championship belt. Revenge spots are things I look for in all sports and Silva can’t fight much worse than he did in the first bout. In the opening seconds Silva threw a kick, Velasquez caught it, took Silva down and went to work. One vicious elbow busted Silva wide open and blood shot out of there like someone had simply turned on a tap. The fight was called a few minutes later when Silva couldn’t defend himself while basically being blind and you know that loss has stuck in his mind for a while now.

Silva is 2-0 in his fights since then and won them both by KO. He never had a chance to test Velasquez’s durability in that first fight and will no doubt have a much better game plan this time around. He needs to stay upright to have a chance in this fight and has worked on his take down defense a lot since losing to Velasquez before. Silva will be willing to trade blows with Velasquez and if that’s how this fight turns out the +550 odds are too good to pass up. But if it does go to the ground again, Velasquez will take control of this fight again and will be able to pound on Silva until “Big Foot” finds an answer.

There is no doubt in my mind that Velasquez will be looking to turn this into a ground battle but all it takes is one solid punch in this heavyweight division. This title has changed hands four times since late 2010 and I wouldn’t be scared to take a small shot with Silva (+550) in his revenge match and see it changes hands again.

Current UFC 160 Betting Odds at CarbonSports

When you see these odds you’ve got to figure that Sonnen will be dominated once again as he fights arguably two of the best fighters UFC have ever seen in “consecutive” fights. I use the term “consecutive” loosely because Sonnen’s last fight (loss to Silva) came nearly a year ago in UFC 148. That bout was for the UFC Middleweight Title and Sonnen was TKO’d on the account of a vicious knee. It was his second loss in as many fights against Silva and Jones is just as, if not more talented than the Middleweight champion.

Sonnen is also stepping up in weight class for this fight and has a decided disadvantage in every aspect of fighting. Jones is a better striker, grappler and is better defensively than Sonnen, so Chael is really out of options on how to win this fight even before it begins. He’s admitted in the past that he has no moral quarrels about getting into the cage, getting his ass handed to him all for a big payday and that’s kind of the tune he’s played in pre-fight interviews for UFC 159. He’s even abandoned his usual tactics of belittling opponents verbally and actually flipped it by praising Jon Jones tremendously and calling him “the best fighter in the world.” Ever the promoter, Sonnen likely knows he’s being fed to the slaughterhouse here and won’t have the stamina to last the full five rounds in this championship tilt.

Jones is the heavy favorite but this price is more than warranted and the only way to go when betting this bout. He will likely finish the fight well before the 5th round and most likely by submission. Of Sonnen’s 12 career losses, eight have been by submission and Jones is one of the best in the business at making his opponents tap out.

UFC 159 Pick on Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen: Take Jon Jones to win at -650

Odds makers at Bovada.lv list Taylor as a Boxing Odds favorite coming off at -550 odds to win the fight SU. As the underdog, Truax backers are getting +375. Bettors will be playing against 9 1/2 rounds in over/under wagering. The over is priced at -330 ($330 wager to win $100) while under players are getting +220.

This fight is crucially important for Truax who is undefeated as a pro but has never met a fighter of the caliber of Jermain Taylor. For Truax to move into any elite status, defeating Taylor is a must. For Taylor this fight is more than just a bump in the road. He should beat Truax but he must also take him seriously and there are plenty of signs he is. Taylor last fought Jessie Nicklow in a middleweight fight four months ago and won in an eight round stoppage.

Taylor is the pick: Truax will be outclassed for this fight. Taylor will win it and less than 10 rounds. Betting this fight to go UNDER 10 has good value. I  predict Taylor takes Truax out in seven or less and will absolutely win the bout SU.

Sports Odds links to the best of the best of professional handicappers who make picks count. If you need the deepest ins and outs of Pro Boxing or any sports, get your picks here at Pregame Picks.

Jon Jones has never tasted defeat inside the Octagon outside of a first round disqualification against Matt Hamill in December of 2009. The 24 year old phenom, who has two successful title defenses on his resume, is 15-1 as a professional and 9-1 since joining the UFC in 2008.

Jones has shown few weaknesses, if any, inside the cage, using the natural advantages of his long frame to make former champions Mauricio Rua, Rampage Jackson, and Lyoto Machida look like average, run-of-the mill fighters. Rua relinquished his light heavyweight strap to Jones when the latter finished him via third round TKO in March of 2011. Jackson and Machida each fell to the Endicott, New York native by submission in their attempts to regain the title.

One of the men who helped a young Jones hone his championship skills at Greg Jackson’s training center was none other than his opponent this weekend, Rashad Evans. Evans, Jackson’s most prodigious disciple prior to Jones arrival in Albuquerque, and Jones ended their friendship, though, when the current champ stated publicly that he would be willing to face his teammate in the cage.

Evans felt disrespected by both Jones and Jackson and subsequently left the only professional MMA home he had known. Now, after numerous injuries and scheduling conflicts, the two powerhouse fighters will finally collide inside the Ocatgon.

Evans, while a heavy underdog in Saturday’s fight, is an exceptionally well-rounded fighter and, arguably, the most difficult challenge Jones has faced to date. Evans’ 22-1-1 record as a professional is indicative of his skill as is the four fight win streak the former champion brings into Saturday’s showdown.

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UFC 145 Betting Odds: Provided by Bovada.lv

Jon Jones (-450) vs Rashad Evans (+325)

Rory MacDonald (-500) vs Che Mills (+350)

Miguel Torres (-120) vs Michael McDonald (-110)

Brendan Schaub (-275) vs Ben Rothwell (+215)

Mark Hominick (-600) vs Eddie Yagin (+400)

Mark Bocek (-450) vs John Alessio (+325)

Travis Browne (-250) vs Chad Griggs (+195)

Stephen Thompson (-300) vs Matt Brown (+230)

Anthony Njokuani (-200) vs John Makdessi (+160)

Mac Danzig (-190) vs Efrain Escudero (+155)

Maximo Blanco (-325) vs Marcus Brimage (+250)

Chris Clements (-230) vs Keith Wisniewski (+180)

Frankie Edgar may not look the part, but the Summit, New Jersey native has proven himself one of the most well rounded fighters in mixed martial arts. Edgar comes into tonight’s championship clash with a 14-1-1 record and three successful lightweight title defenses.

This evening’s fight will provide a change of pace for the diminutive 30 year old, though, as he has not faced anyone other than BJ Penn or Gray Maynard since squaring off against Matt Veach in December of 2009.

Following the Veach fight, which Edgar won via a second round submission, the current champ earned his first shot at Penn and the lightweight belt. Edgar entered the fight with Penn, who was coming off three successful title defenses, a heavy underdog, but, despite being out-struck 72 to 63, he secured a unanimous decision victory.

Less than five months later Edgar solidified his position with another unanimous decision win over Penn, only this time he out paced the Hawaiian legend 142 to 56 over the course of their five round battle.

Edgar’s second title defense came against Gray Maynard, the only fighter every to defeat “The Answer” in the Octagon. Edgar retained his title once again, but the fight with Maynard was ruled a draw. The pair met again last October and Edgar left no doubt that he was the more complete fighter as he scored a fourth round TKO against the former Michigan State wrestling star.

Benson Henderson, as evidenced by the odds, possesses the kind of skill set that could end Edgar’s impressive run. The Colorado native held the WEC’s lightweight title, which he successfully defended against Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone. Henderson lost the strap to Anthony Pettis, who is also on tonight’s card, just before the UFC absorbed the now defunct league, but that setback did not deter his progress inside the cage.

Since joining the UFC, Henderson, who shares a wrestling background with Edgar, has won three straight fights against top flight competition, defeating Mark Bocek, Jim Miller, and Clay Guida all via unanimous decision. The 28 year old enters tonight’s scarp with a 15-2 overall record; his only losses came against the aforementioned Pettis and Rocky Johnson (2007).

UFC 144 Prediction: While Henderson is a great fighter, I expect Edgar to retain his belt tonight. After Edgar survived what he did in the two meetings with Maynard it is difficult to envision anyone taking his title anytime soon.

UFC 144 Odds: Provided by Bovada.lv

Main Card -

Frankie Edgar (-135) vs Ben Henderson (+105)

Cheick Kongo (-300) vs Mark Hunt (+230)

Quinton Jackson (-210) vs Ryan Bader (+170)

Jake Shields (-300) vs Yoshihiro Akiyama (+230)

Yushin Okami (-450) vs Tim Boetsch (+300)

Hatsu Hoki (-170) vs Bart Palaszewski (+140)

Anthony Pettis (-240) vs Joe Lauzon (+190)

Preliminary Card -

Norifumi Yamamoto (-325) vs Vaughan Lee (+250)

Takanori Gomi (-225) vs Eiji Mitsuoka (+175)

Riki Fukuda (-300) vs Steve Cantwell (+230)

Takeya Mizugaki (-210) vs Chris Cariaso (+170)

Zhang Tiequan (-285) vs Issei Tamura (+225)

Betting on the fight is hot and heavy for in Las Vegas as well as offshore sports shops. Online super sportsbook BODOG.eu lists Pacquiao favorite to win the fight outright regardless of the round or method of victory, coming off at -800 odds. Backers of Marquez are getting +500 odds to pull out a upset victory.

"I have two wins and no victories," Marquez said at a pre fight presser, reflecting on the two previous bouts. "The fans know I won; the media knows I won; and I suspect, deep down Manny Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach know I won too."

At least Saturday night all the posturing about who won or didn't will be settled in the ring at MGM Grand. Boxing fans interested in betting odds can find a full fight board at BODOG.eu or see an abreviated board posted here.

 
Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez betting odds (Bodog.eu)

WBO Welterweight Title

Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao -800 ($800 bet to win +100)
Juan Manuel Marquez        +500 ($100 bet to win $500)

Over/Under Round Betting: Simply predict whether or not the fight will go over 1 minute and 30 seconds into the 11th round.

Posted Round total price: 10 1/2

Over  +110
Under -150

Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez prop odds

Pacquiao wins by KO, TKO, or DQ -160
Pacquiao by Decision +180
Marquez by KO, TKO, or DQ +900
Marquez by Decision +900
Draw +2400

Pacquiao vs. Marquez

Fight goes 1:30 of round 10: -130
Fight won't go 1:30 of round 10: -110

Fight goes 1:30 of round 8: -210
Fight won't go 1:30 of round 8: +170

Fight goes 1:30 of round 6: -400
Fight won't go 1:30 of round 6: +250

Fight goes 1:30 of round 4:  -750
Fight won't go 1:30 round 4: +400

Individual Props betting

Either fighter knocked down or out -400
No knockdowns or knockouts +250

Total knockdowns in Fight Over/Under

Over 1.5 knockdowns -200
Under 1.5 knockdowns +140

The UFC 136 Results’ $75K bonuses were all well deserved: Leonard Garcia vs Nam Phan earned Fight of the Night in what became an instant classic, Edgar got Knockout of the Night for finishing Maynard, and Joe Lauzon took home the cash for Submission of the Night in his win over an overly confident, Melvin Guillard.

There’s so much to talk about in last night’s UFC 136 Results that I don’t even know where to start… I guess Chael Sonnen vs Brian Stann would be a good way to get this ball rolling! Coming in as an overwhelming UFC 136 Betting Odds favorite, Sonnen delivered in the most improbable fashion.

The former NCAA Division I All-American proved to be the No.1 contender in the middleweight division even after a long layoff. Dominating his opponent from the opening bell, Sonnen eventually forced Stann to tap (arm-triangle) at 3 minutes and 51 seconds of round 2. Then, the show got underway! With Anderson Silva sitting cage side, Sonnen sounded off like only he can, in what people are calling the best post-fight interview ever:

“Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck! Super Bowl weekend: the biggest rematch in the history of the business,” Sonnen said hinting at a potential rematch with the Brazilian in early 2012. “I’m calling you out Silva but we’re upping the stakes: I beat you, you leave the division! You beat me, and I will leave the UFC forever!”

Heck, even former NBA star and expert trash-talker, Charles Barkley, who was sitting right next to “The Spider,” got a good laugh out of that! The funniest thing about it all is that people immediately began complaining about the UFC turning into the WWE and how this whole thing was done in a calculated manner.

Nevertheless, the big difference is that there was nothing staged about Sonnen’s latest rant. In fact, cameras clearly showed how Silva sat very uncomfortably in his chair while Chael tried him in front of millions watching. UFC president Dana White addressed the entire situation at night’s end, claiming Sonnen is just crazy:

“You’re never going to see another Chael Sonnen. This guy’s is not trying to be WWE. He’s out there, man, ” said White. “I don’t know if he hates Anderson Silva as much as he says he does, but… Anderson Silva hates him, man! Anderson Silva hates this guy. Hates him with a passion and he just keeps talking more and more. It’s going to be interesting.”

In the main event, Edgar was finally able to avenge the only loss in his MMA career, but it was anything but your typical successful title-defense. In what looked like an exact, and I do mean exact, replay of their second fight, Maynard rocked Edgar time and time again in the opening stanza, smashing him all over the Octagon.

Struggling to stay on his feet after getting hit in the face countless times, a bloodied up Edgar did his best impersonation of “crazy legs” up until he got “saved by the bell”. For the second consecutive fight, Maynard had this kid knocked out on his feet and just could not finish him!

The rest of the fight looked like their second meeting, with Edgar taking control of the second and third rounds. With everyone looking at their scorecards saying, ‘here we go again’ both fighters began the fourth round knotted up. But Edgar had seen this movie before. So, the champ knew better than to leave it in the hands of the judges once again, and at 3 minutes and 54 seconds of the fourth, Edgar TKO’d Maynard, retaining his title.

“I was thinking, ‘Damn! Not again,’” Edgar said in his post-fight press conference. “He came at me. He hits hard. I was definitely out of it, but I knew obviously from the previous fight that I was able to come back, so there was no doubt in my mind that I could come back this time around.”

Once the main card gets going, fireworks will begin flying. The first bout scheduled to air live on PPV this evening matches up two terrific 155-pounders, as (46-9-3, 1 NC) Melvin Guillard [-500] will take on UFC 136 Odds underdog, (20-6-0) Joe Lauzon [+350]. This fight is sure will have tremendous implications in the UFC lightweight division, as well as in tonight’s bonuses. Definitely a great fight to watch!

The second bout on the main card promises to be a slugfest, as the always, excitingly wild (19-7-1) Leonard Garcia [+175] takes on former TUF 12 cast-member, and UFC 136 Odds favorite, (16-10-0) Nam Phan [-225].

This will be the second time that these 145-pounders meet in the cage, following a controversial decision in Garcia’s favor. The judges gave the “Bad Boy” the victory, despite the fact that the Vietnamese was the clear victor.

The third bout on tonight’s UFC 136 schedule is sure to bring the house down! Fighting for a right to take on UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, former No.1 contender and UFC 136 Odds favorite, (11-3-0) Chael Sonnen [-175] will take on a rising star in the UFC in ex-WEC title-holder, (26-10-1) Brian Stann [+215]. This is a fight that could easily be a headliner in any UFC PPV event, and is my personal favorite one to see!

We finally reach the two main events of the evening, which will be for the 145 lbs. and 155-pound crowns! The first main event of the night will be a fight I will be watching closely to see if top-three p4p, (19-1-0) Jose Aldo [-500] can weather the (16-5-0) Kenny Florian [+350] storm. Despite being the underdog in this fight, we’ve all seen what Kenflo can do in the cage.

Can Florian ultimately get over the hump and win a UFC title — something that eluded him his entire UFC career? Is 145-lbs the place where he will finally become a UFC champion after so many tries at 155?

“I see a guy who hasn’t been pushed,” Florian said of the Brazilian. “He’s faced a lot of opponents who have been intimidated. I don’t think he’s faced anybody like me. He’s faced a lot of guys who haven’t done a lot of great things in the sport, the exception being Urijah Faber. But Faber didn’t match up well against him. I’m going to have tremendous reach on him (four inches), and a different set of skills and experiences.”

The UFC 136 night will close out with a trilogy for the ages. Seeking closure more than anything else, reigning lightweight champion, (13-1-1) Frankie “The Answer” Edgar [-140] battles the only man to beat him in his MMA career, The Bully, (11-0-1, 1 NC) Gray Maynard [+110]. This would be the third time these fighters will meet in the Octagon, but only the second time for 155-pound supremacy.

After losing a unanimous decision to Maynard in 2008, the ever-underrated Edgar went on a tear, winning five consecutive fights over the who’s-who of MMA. Before fighting Maynard to a draw the second time around, Edgar had defeated names like: Hermes Franca, (former UFC champion) Sean Sherk, Matt Veach, and ex-welterweight/lightweight title-holder, BJ Penn, twice. 

Edgar hopes the third time is the charm, as he takes on a guy he just can’t seem to figure out. Can Edgar finally avenge his only pro loss, or will Maynard prove that he has always been better then Edgar by taking his title this evening? These little guys are guaranteed to put on a quite a spectacle with so much riding in this fight!

“We put our lives into this,” Maynard said. “At least I do. I put everything into going after that belt, and I didn’t get it. It hurts. There is no good feeling coming out of that. I put everything I had into that training camp and into that fight, because I wanted to win the belt. No matter what happened in the fight, no matter what me or you or anyone else thinks, I didn’t get the belt. That hurts.”

The rest of the UFC 136 Odds go as follow:

Tiequan Zhang [-145] vs Darren Elkins [+115]

Steve Cantwell [-160] vs Mike Massenzio [+130]

Aaron Simpson [-400] vs Eric Schafer [+300]

Stipe Miocic [-300] vs Joey Beltran [+240]

Anthony Pettis [-325] vs Jeremy Stephens [+250]

Demian Maia [-300] vs Jorge Santiago [+230]

“It’s always a test,” Cruz said. “Benavidez was a test on speed. Faber was a test on speed. You can’t get a lot quicker than those guys. The difference is there are different types of speed. But range nullifies speed. As long as I keep the range where I want to keep it, and as long as I keep the fight where I want to keep it, I know I’m quick too, and fight differently than anybody else that he’s fought.”

This 135-pound battle will serve as the co-co-main event for a terrific night of free, UFC fights. We will then go from the smallest guys in the UFC to the largest, as the UFC Live 6: Cruz vs Johnson Fight Predictions co-main event of the evening promises to be a dandy. Two guys coming off tough loses will meet in the center of the cage when 6’11”, (25-5-0) Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve [+155] takes on UFC Betting Odds favorite, 5”11” (6-3-0) Pat “HD” Barry [-185].

“The UFC has cut fighters before after two losses,” Struve said. “I need to win fights. Having said that, I didn’t go through this training camp thinking about that. Of course, you always want to win your fights and I’ve prepared for this fight to do just that.”

Finally, another fight considered worthy enough to be the main event will be the welterweight battle between (9-3-0) Anthony “Rumble” Johnson [-200] versus the underdog, (14-2-0) Charlie “The Spaniard” Brenneman [+160]. Johnson is coming off a decision win over Dan Hardy, while Brenneman is riding a 2-fight win streak — over Rick Story and Amilcar Alves.

“Charlie has a good chin, a good style of fighting,” Johnson said of his opponent tonight. “I actually really like his style; he has a nice little swagger when it comes down to fighting, and he puts it together really well. I don't have any doubts in Charlie at all. I think he can do anything he wants to do, but when he's fighting somebody like me, it's going to be a lot tougher.”

My UFC Live 6: Cruz vs Johnson Fight Predictions: Funny enough, I’m agreeing with the UFC Live 6 Betting Odds tonight in every fight! I like Cruz to keep his title by unanimous decision, Barry to knock out Struve, and Johnson to barely edge Brenneman by split decision.

This UFC 135 main event will be a battle between one of the fastest rising starts in the UFC as Jon “Bones” Jones [-575 ML] takes on one of the longest enduring names in MMA in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson [+375 ML]. The winner of this bout will walk away with the UFC Light Heavyweight belt wrapped around his waist and will likely face No.1 contender “Sugar” Rashad Evans early next year.

"I had to keep it real with him. I'm gonna end his hype tomorrow. That's what I had to tell him," Jackson said after he finally got Jones to look at him in the eyes during the stare-down at the UFC 135 weigh-ins. “It's about time he grows up and starts acting like a real MMA fighter and quit throwing [out] a front for these fans. Stare people down! That's what we do.”

The main event of the evening might not be as exciting, but it still has two big names going at it. Much like Jones vs Rampage, this will also be a battle of “New School vs Old School”, as Matt Hughes [+300 ML] will be listed as a huge underdog against  UFC 135 Odds favorite Josh Koscheck [-500 ML]. This would be the very first time that these welterweights will meet in the Octagon.

Both Hughes and Koscheck are coming off defeats in their last fights. For Hughes, he suffered the most embarrassing loss of his career his last time out. Meeting for the third time in their careers, tied at one win apiece, BJ Penn left no doubt, as he put Hughes to sleep at 21 seconds of the very first round.

But Hughes isn’t the only one coming off a humbling defeat. “Kos” was also humiliated in his last fight, as Georges St-Pierre put on a boxing clinic by fracturing his fellow TUF coach’s orbital bone in his right eye. Now healthy and with his eye finally healed, Koscheck hopes to send his opponent into retirement and climb back into title-contention at 170 pounds.

“I’ve been in with a lot of good guys who hit hard, ‘“King’” Mo, Luke Rockhold, I could have fought a while ago,” said Koscheck, who will be subbing in for Diego Sanchez at UFC 135 on 19-days notice. “I wanted to take some personal time off. It was great having time off.”

Here’s the rest of the UFC 135 Odds:

UFC 135 Main Card:

Jon Jones [-575] vs Quinton Jackson [+375]
Matt Hughes [+300] vs Josh Koscheck [-500]
Travis Browne [-340] vs Rob Broughton [+260]
Nate Diaz [-240] vs Takanori Gomi [+190]
Ben Rothwell [-300] vs Mark Hunt [+240] 

UFC 135 Prelims Odds:

Tony Ferguson [-350] vs Aaron Riley [+275]
Nick Ring [+120] vs Tim Boetsch [-150]
Junior Assuncao [-115] vs Eddie Yagin [-115]
Takeya Mizugaki [-225] vs Cole Escovedo [+185] 
James Te Huna [-150] vs Ricardo Romero [+120]