While the popularity of UFC odds betting isn’t waning at all, the sport has something to prove to its fans after Anderson Silva and Thales Leites put viewers to sleep at UFC 97. Can the UFC 98 odds breathe life back into MMA betting? Hardcore fans should enjoy the main event, which will be a chess match between the sport’s best defensive fighters in Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida, but layman supporters probably won’t be on their feet again until sluggers Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva meet at UFC 99.Let’s make some picks for the main events in the UFC 98 odds.
Rashad Evans (18-0-1) vs Lyoto Machida (14-0) – for UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
UFC odds: Evans +160, Machida -200
“Sugar” Rashad Evans finds himself in a strange position at the sportsbook as a rare underdog champion. What does the man have to do to earn MMA betting fans’ respect? He’s undefeated, having beaten the likes of Michael Bisping, Tito Ortiz and, most recently, Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin via knockout. The latter two fights answered questions about Evans’ finishing ability, as fight fans were beginning to wonder if the outstanding wrestler could do anything besides “lay and pray.” Now that he’s demonstrated considerable power (especially in his huge knockout of Liddell), how could he possibly be an underdog?
The answer: Lyoto “the Dragon” Machida, also undefeated, is probably the best technical fighter Evans has ever faced. Machida’s unorthodox, upright Karate stance makes him extremely difficult to hit – more so than any fighter in MMA betting. Even though Evans’ strength isn’t striking anyway, he’ll have trouble just getting close enough to Machida to take him down. If Evans does successfully get Machida to the ground, he’ll still have to contend with a man proficient in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Evans is almost as good as Machida at evading attacks, so this fight should go to a decision, but the more versatile Machida should inflict more damage and win the title.
Sportsbook pick: Machida -200
Matt Hughes (43-7) vs Matt Serra (16-5)
UFC odds: Hughes -300, Serra +240
Grudge match alert! Finally, after endless trash talking and training injuries, Hughes and Serra settle their bad blood Saturday. The luster has worn off this MMA betting matchup, but don’t worry – as soon as the opening bell rings, things should get ugly here. Hughes is a massive UFC odds favorite with good reason – he’s a phenomenal wrestler, among the best of all-time in UFC betting, and that matches him up well against the diminutive Serra, whom Georges St-Pierre manhandled on the ground in their rematch.
Hughes is definitely getting long in the tooth and is coming off brutal losses to GSP and Thiago Alves, but he’s made it fairly clear that this is the last fight of his career, so he’ll leave everything in the octagon. Sports wagering fans should expect him to beat Serra.
Sportsbook pick: Hughes -300
