Sports Interaction betting analyst Al Dannity breaks down the big fights at UFC 117 this weekend.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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Winning won’t be enough for Anderson Silva this weekend. The UFC Middleweight champion has to entertain the fans too. That’s not just me talking, it’s the message sent down from Dana White himself. After a bizarre showing against Demian Maia in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Abu Dhabi</st1lace></st1:City>, Silva’s been told a repeat performance will get him kicked out of UFC. Chael Sonnen will certainly prove a tricky customer for the Brazilian master. Sonnen has already made headlines this week with bizarre comments about 7 times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. On Saturday Sonnen had better leave the talking to one side and focus on the biggest challenge of his life.<o></o>
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Sonnen has a great wrestling pedigree and has been in with the best of the rest but there’s only one Anderson Silva. The champion isn’t content with being the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Silva wants to prove that he is able win with class and style. Remember, for the first two rounds against Demian Maia it looked like he might do that before everything went downhill. I like Anderson Silva to take a more intelligent approach to this fight and win inside of four rounds. Bet on Anderson Silva at -500 to win big with Sports Interaction.<o></o>
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A shot at the heavyweight title is on the line when Junior dos <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Santos</st1:City></st1lace> takes on Roy Nelson. The winner of this match has been guaranteed a title fight and I like Junior dos <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Santos</st1:City></st1lace> to take full advantage at -385 with Sports Interaction. Amazingly this is the first time dos <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Santos</st1lace></st1:City> will take on an American in an MMA fight. That’s not to say the young Brazilian lacks an impressive resume, he’s put in the hard work to enter title contention. He’s never faced anyone like Roy Nelson before. Nelson looks better suited to competitive eating than the octagon but he’s remarkably athletic, for a man of any size. This fight should last longer than the barnstorming wins dos <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Santos</st1lace></st1:City> enjoyed over Gilbert Yvel and Gabriel Gonzaga. Look for Junior dos <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Santos</st1:City></st1lace> to win with a third round stoppage.<o></o>
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Matt Hughes will restore some pride back to the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">USA</st1lace></st1:country-region> when he takes on Ricardo Almeida. Hughes is the underdog but he showed great poise in an easy win over Renzo Gracie at UFC 112. I like Hughes to use his veteran instincts and pull off the upset at +125 with Sports Interaction.<o></o>
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Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves have at least one thing in common; the last loss on both their records was to UFC Welterweight champion Georges St Pierre. This promises to be a great fight and I like it to go the full three rounds. Fitch already owns one win over Thiago Alves and with Alves out of the octagon since UFC 100, I like the American to go two for two. Bet on Jon Fitch at -120 to win big with Sports Interaction.<o></o>
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> </o>Winning won’t be enough for Anderson Silva this weekend. The UFC Middleweight champion has to entertain the fans too. That’s not just me talking, it’s the message sent down from Dana White himself. After a bizarre showing against Demian Maia in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
ffice:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Abu Dhabi</st1lace></st1:City>, Silva’s been told a repeat performance will get him kicked out of UFC. Chael Sonnen will certainly prove a tricky customer for the Brazilian master. Sonnen has already made headlines this week with bizarre comments about 7 times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. On Saturday Sonnen had better leave the talking to one side and focus on the biggest challenge of his life.<o></o><o
> </o>Sonnen has a great wrestling pedigree and has been in with the best of the rest but there’s only one Anderson Silva. The champion isn’t content with being the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Silva wants to prove that he is able win with class and style. Remember, for the first two rounds against Demian Maia it looked like he might do that before everything went downhill. I like Anderson Silva to take a more intelligent approach to this fight and win inside of four rounds. Bet on Anderson Silva at -500 to win big with Sports Interaction.<o
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> </o>A shot at the heavyweight title is on the line when Junior dos <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Santos</st1:City></st1lace> takes on Roy Nelson. The winner of this match has been guaranteed a title fight and I like Junior dos <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Santos</st1:City></st1lace> to take full advantage at -385 with Sports Interaction. Amazingly this is the first time dos <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Santos</st1lace></st1:City> will take on an American in an MMA fight. That’s not to say the young Brazilian lacks an impressive resume, he’s put in the hard work to enter title contention. He’s never faced anyone like Roy Nelson before. Nelson looks better suited to competitive eating than the octagon but he’s remarkably athletic, for a man of any size. This fight should last longer than the barnstorming wins dos <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Santos</st1lace></st1:City> enjoyed over Gilbert Yvel and Gabriel Gonzaga. Look for Junior dos <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Santos</st1:City></st1lace> to win with a third round stoppage.<o></o><o
> </o>Matt Hughes will restore some pride back to the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">USA</st1lace></st1:country-region> when he takes on Ricardo Almeida. Hughes is the underdog but he showed great poise in an easy win over Renzo Gracie at UFC 112. I like Hughes to use his veteran instincts and pull off the upset at +125 with Sports Interaction.<o></o><o
> </o>Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves have at least one thing in common; the last loss on both their records was to UFC Welterweight champion Georges St Pierre. This promises to be a great fight and I like it to go the full three rounds. Fitch already owns one win over Thiago Alves and with Alves out of the octagon since UFC 100, I like the American to go two for two. Bet on Jon Fitch at -120 to win big with Sports Interaction.<o
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