UFC Fight Night betting – Fight for the Troops

Online sportsbook odds: Koscheck’s UFC sendoff?

• WHO: Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
• WHAT: UFC Fight Night betting
• WHERE: Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC
• WHEN: Wednesday December 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET
• PICK: Koscheck

While UFC Fight Night betting may be one of the last combat sports events of 2008, its main event may wind up being one of the best fights of the year.

UFC betting fans have seen their fair share of excitement lately, including an excellent UFC 91 card last month. In a shocking turn of events, Brock Lesnar, a veteran of just three MMA fights, captured the UFC Heavyweight title by defeating Randy Couture. Lesnar’s devastating knockout will certainly be replayed for years to come, however the fight of the year at this probably goes to welterweights Thiago Alves and Josh Koscheck for their performance at UFC 90.

Koscheck lost the fight against Alves, however, in doing so, an MMA superstar was born. The former NCAA wrestler took the fight on just two weeks notice and showed a vastly improved stand-up repertoire, going toe-to-toe with an accomplished kickboxer. In the loss, Koscheck solidified himself as aTtop-10 middleweight, and thus will be favored on UFC Fight Night lines on December 10, where he will face Yoshiyuki Yoshida.

UFC Fight Night odds will peg Yoshida as a significant underdog after several months of inactivity. The Japanese sensation hasn’t fought since UFC 84, where he turned in a thrilling finish of his own, polishing Jon Koppenhaver off with an Anaconda Choke in the first round.

Yoshida is a grappler at heart, with a specialty in Judo, however in lower-level promotions he’s been able to strike his way to victory. “Zenko” rose to prominence by rattling off three TKO victories to become the first Cage Force welterweight tournament winner.

However, as fans have observed in the past two years, Koscheck is one tough customer. He may be, pound for pound, the best grappler in the UFC, and it’s highly unlikely Yoshida can keep him grounded for any length of time. Not to mention Koscheck’s gutsy showing against Alves should tell UFC betting fans all they need to know about his stand-up game.

Most interestingly, this may be Koscheck’s last with the UFC—and certainly will be if he doesn’t manage a victory. “Kos” and Dana White have been in heated contract disputes over the past few weeks, stemming from the UFC’s desire to own his exclusive rights.

JACK’S PICK: Whether he intends on sticking around or simply winning the fight to stick it to White, Koscheck will be a man on a mission. Yoshida has not proven he can stand and brawl at a high level, forcing him to rely on taking it to the mat—somewhere he doesn’t want to be with a former collegiate champion wrestler. When making your UFC Fight Night picks, bet on Josh Koscheck.

For more UFC Fight Night odds and tips on betting sports, be sure to visit The Betting Edge regularly.

Jack “ the Hammer” Howard is new to the MMA handicapping game, but his roots in the sport run deep. He enjoyed a brief amateur career in mixed martial arts and also has some boxing experience under his belt, making him an authority on the subject. Thoughts or questions?.