NFL betting last weekend saw plenty of big-name players take a beating, and the same may happen at UFC 103 this Saturday. The main two events feature pure strikers so we could see a pair of knockouts. Let's make some sports picks for the big event.
Catchweight (195 lbs) bout: Rich Franklin (25-4) vs Vitor Belfort (18-8)
UFC 103 odds: Franklin -150, Belfort +136
Is Rich Franklin underrated? Newer fight fans remember him more for his brutal losses to Anderson Silva. However, his only career defeats are to Silva, Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson, and many people felt he beat Dan Henderson, myself included. Franklin has quietly been a dominant fighter most of his career; he combines great cardio with a tricky southpaw stance, knockout power and excellent submission defense.
Vitor Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, makes his much-anticipated return to Octagon. Though he hasn't fared well in big fights, he's tangled with MMA's best, including Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture. There's no denying his punching power and he's looked dominant since dropping to middleweight, as he showed with a 37-second knockout of Matt Lindland.
PICK: Franklin. The fight certainly won't be easy for Franklin, who sometimes looks intimidated against aggressive Brazlian fighters. But Belfort hasn't faced elite competition in years and needs to earn back bettors' trust. Go with Franklin.
Heavyweight bout: Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (25-6-2) vs Junior Dos Santos (8-1)
UFC 103 odds: Cro Cop +118, Dos Santos -130
One of the deadliest heavyweight strikers of all time, Mirko Cro Cop is eager to prove he isn't finished and wants to inch closer to a title shot. He looked a bit sluggish in his last fight, a first-round victory over Mostapha Al Turk, but there's no denying his prodigious knockout power. Cro Cop has a tough opponent in the up-and-coming Junior Dos Santos, who exploded onto the MMA scene with a shocking knockout win over Fabricio Werdum. His hands are among the heaviest in the heavyweight division.
PICK: Dos Santos. As much as fans (and I'm betting management of the UFC) want to see Cro Cop return to prominence, he's lost a step and, more importantly, his chin has weakened after his devastating head-kick loss to Gabriel Gonzaga a few years ago. Dos Santos could drop him at any moment.
Catchweight (195 lbs) bout: Rich Franklin (25-4) vs Vitor Belfort (18-8)
UFC 103 odds: Franklin -150, Belfort +136
Is Rich Franklin underrated? Newer fight fans remember him more for his brutal losses to Anderson Silva. However, his only career defeats are to Silva, Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson, and many people felt he beat Dan Henderson, myself included. Franklin has quietly been a dominant fighter most of his career; he combines great cardio with a tricky southpaw stance, knockout power and excellent submission defense.
Vitor Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, makes his much-anticipated return to Octagon. Though he hasn't fared well in big fights, he's tangled with MMA's best, including Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture. There's no denying his punching power and he's looked dominant since dropping to middleweight, as he showed with a 37-second knockout of Matt Lindland.
PICK: Franklin. The fight certainly won't be easy for Franklin, who sometimes looks intimidated against aggressive Brazlian fighters. But Belfort hasn't faced elite competition in years and needs to earn back bettors' trust. Go with Franklin.
Heavyweight bout: Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (25-6-2) vs Junior Dos Santos (8-1)
UFC 103 odds: Cro Cop +118, Dos Santos -130
One of the deadliest heavyweight strikers of all time, Mirko Cro Cop is eager to prove he isn't finished and wants to inch closer to a title shot. He looked a bit sluggish in his last fight, a first-round victory over Mostapha Al Turk, but there's no denying his prodigious knockout power. Cro Cop has a tough opponent in the up-and-coming Junior Dos Santos, who exploded onto the MMA scene with a shocking knockout win over Fabricio Werdum. His hands are among the heaviest in the heavyweight division.
PICK: Dos Santos. As much as fans (and I'm betting management of the UFC) want to see Cro Cop return to prominence, he's lost a step and, more importantly, his chin has weakened after his devastating head-kick loss to Gabriel Gonzaga a few years ago. Dos Santos could drop him at any moment.
