| UFC 73 Betting Odds |
Predictions, Suggestions, & Reviews
Reported by Jason Logan of Covers.com The Ultimate Fighting Championship didn’t name this Saturday’s pay-per-view event “Stacked” for no reason.
UFC 73 boasts three main events, making this the most anticipated card in mixed martial arts’ recent history. Covers.com couldn’t decide what big-name bout to focus on, so we did all three – giving you the inside edge from the sportsbooks’ points of view.
Nathan Marquardt (+145) vs. Anderson Silva (-175)
The reigning middleweight champion, Anderson “Spider” Silva, opened as a big -215 favorite and was driven up as high as -240 when UFC 73 lines were first posted. The Brazilian expert in muay thai, jiujitsu and boxing is a threat no matter where he is in the cage and is undefeated in his last four MMA fights. The most notable victory was a dominating win over Rich Franklin at UFC 64 to earn the UFC middleweight crown.
However late money has come in on the challenger, Nate Marquardt, who has had much success overseas. He held Japanese promotion Pancrase’s middleweight title multiple times and posts a 28-6-1 professional MMA record. This recent action has moved the odds to their current standing.
“Despite looks, Nate is probably the stronger fighter of the two and has better submissions and takedowns,” says MMA linesmaker Joey Oddessa. “While the five rounds benefits Silva, if Marquardt can set the pace for this bout, he could very well come out the winner. I think he presents the toughest challenge to date for Silva in the UFC.”
Rashad Evans (even) vs. Tito Ortiz (-130)
The Huntington Beach Bad Boy, Tito Ortiz, originally opened at -140, but steady action on the undefeated Rashad Evans has this fight down to a pick at some sportsbooks.
Evans, a product of The Ultimate Fighter series, is 15-0 after knocking out Scott Salmon with a devastating kick to the head at Fight Night 8 in January. Since then he has been touted as the next big thing and this upcoming bout with the sports’ most recognized fighter is a big piece in the puzzle.
But Ortiz is no pushover. The former light heavyweight champ’s last three losses have come against Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, two of MMA’s top talents. Despite some recent B-level opponents, Oddessa believes Ortiz is still a very dangerous fighter.
“I think the betting money against Ortiz is the squarer public money,” says Oddessa. “Tito has beaten better fighters and wrestlers than Rashad Evans in his past … I think Ortiz will find a way to win and maybe even stop Evans.”
Hermes Franca (+205) vs. Sean Sherk (-265)
The odds for this Saturday’s lightweight title fight have bounced anywhere between -265 to -175 in favor of UFC lightweight champ Sean Sherk.
The opening line of -220 dropped in the weeks leading up to the fight. But ever since Spike TV’s inside look at Sherk’s training camp this past Sunday, all the money has come in on the “Muscle Shark”.
“People look at this wrecking machine with an amazing physique and forget that MMA isn’t a bodybuilding contest,” says Oddessa.
Sherk’s impressive 35-2-1 record is matched only by his physical stature. He uses his overwhelming power and wrestling background to take down his opponents and has the conditioning to go the distance. This doesn’t play out well for Hermes Franca, who will have a tough time matching muscle on the mat.
Franca, who is renowned for his mat skills and jiujitsu, may have to stay on his feet in order to have a shot at the title. Most of his victories have come on submissions but his most recent win was a TKO of Spencer Fisher at Fight Night 8.
“It will be interesting to see what game plan (Franca) uses,” says Oddessa. “It’s hard to imagine him winning a decision fighting from his back with submission attempts. He will need to frustrate Sherk and cause him to make mistakes.”
