UFC 125: Resolution

[akatdrake]

I wish wish wish/ hope hope hope we could get a few people to discuss UFC/WEC, and other MMA... although I admittedly do not post all of my picks, nor do I keep track of them... but I will be starting now, this year, 2011.

Here's the New Year's Card... though with the injury to Jose Aldo, it's a little less heralded.

Date: January 1, 2011
Venue: MGM Grand
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Main Bouts (On Pay-Per-View):
Frankie Edgar (13-1) +110 vs. Gray Maynard (10-0) -140
Chris Leben (25-6) -160 vs. Brian Stann (9-3) +130
Thiago Silva (14-2) -160 vs. Brandon Vera (11-5) +130
Nate Diaz (13-5) -105 vs. Dong Hyun Kim (13-0-1) -125
Clay Guida (27-11) -150 vs. Takanori Gomi (32-6) +120

Preliminary Bouts (Non-Televised):
Marcus Davis (17-7) +200 vs. Jeremy Stephens (18-6) -260
Josh Grispi (14-1) -280 vs. Dustin Poirier (8-1) +210
Phil Baroni (13-12) +175 vs. Brad Tavares (6-0) -220
Mike Brown (24-6) -260 vs. Diego Nunes (15-1) +200
Daniel Roberts (11-1) -105 vs. Greg Soto (8-1) -125
Antonio McKee (25-3-2) -210 vs. Jacob Volkmann (11-2) +165

Think about six to eight months ago... you look at a typical card and if you're a casual fan, you don't see too many fighters you recognize. Now you look at the undercard and by shear records only, you have some potentially great fights!

I am using all of the lines as of now, from BetUS.

[akatdrake]

First with the undercard:

BTW, usually Spike TV or Versus have some free undercard bouts, but this card it's something called Ion Television... they're showing Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens // Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier // Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares...

Marcus Davis (17-7) +200 vs. Jeremy Stephens (18-6) -260

Someone with the knockout power that Davis does at this price is too good to pass up.

Josh Grispi (14-1) -280 vs. Dustin Poirier (8-1) +210

Again, another fight I thought would be closer. Poirier is the trash-talker, and with two one-loss fighters - I'm going to take the dog here.

Phil Baroni (13-12) +175 vs. Brad Tavares (6-0) -220

Passing on this fight. Tavares should win this, but Baroni looks like a freaking steroid machine. Baroni not worth this price - his chin just isn't worth it.

Mike Brown (24-6) -260 vs. Diego Nunes (15-1) +200

Another weird line here... Brown has the wins, against Faber twice, Leonard Garcia, but the losses against Aldo, Gamburyan by punches - clearly the class at the position. Nunes more of a wrestler, as four of his last five have went to the judges. Again, at this price, gotta go with the dog.

Daniel Roberts (11-1) -105 vs. Greg Soto (8-1) -125

Love the way Roberts looks at the weigh-ins, but I don't want fave price. TAKE this if you get it as a true dog!

Antonio McKee (25-3-2) -210 vs. Jacob Volkmann (11-2) +165

Also like Volkmann here but McKee looks good at the weigh-in too. Passing here.

All bets for one unit.

My picks in bold.

[akatdrake]

And now the Main Event:

Really love this card, again even though Aldo is not on it, and once-slated heavyweight fight Shane Carwin vs Roy Nelson, turns out not too bad.

Main Bouts (On Pay-Per-View):

Frankie Edgar (13-1) +110 vs. Gray Maynard (10-0) -140

Say what you want about this guy, but he just wins. As an underdog, he's beaten Penn twice (one as the largest underdog SU win in recent memory +750!), Sherk, Griffin, and Spencer. His only loss to the matched Maynard. I'll roll with him as a dog, again.

Chris Leben (25-6) -160 vs. Brian Stann (9-3) +130

Passing on this fight, but super-stoked to see it. Both of these fighters are always amped, and Leben is always a treat to watch. They won't hold back. My guess for fight of the night.

Thiago Silva (14-2) -160 vs. Brandon Vera (11-5) +130

I have a man-crush on both of these fighters, and am going to lean Vera, but after two straight losses - one where his face. got. broke. against Bones Jones and then the loss to The Natural. Silva is going to be fun to watch, though lost two of his last three... both will have something to prove. This will be fun.

Nate Diaz (13-5) -105 vs. Dong Hyun Kim (13-0-1) -125

Another fight I'm going to pass on, don't have too much of an opinion here.

Clay Guida (27-11) -150 vs. Takanori Gomi (32-6) +120

Guida has excellent cardio, and hasn't faced anyone with the guns like Gomi. You almost always find a great fight with Guida, and after Gomi's lackluster opening in the UFC in his loss to KenFlo, he responded by knocking out Tyson Griffin! Love the dog here!

Best of luck guys. Any speculation, thoughts, suggestions, let me know!!!

[akatdrake]

Had a good night, but could have been a lot better.

Marcus Davis was on his way to a decision victory until Stephens nails a right-handed bomb that turns a +200 to a loss. Nailed Poirier and Nunes for the dogs, lost Gomi (btw Guida looks impressive), and the Edgar fight goes to a draw.

UFC 125: 2-2-1, +2.1 units