UFC 116 Betting – Lesnar Returns To Octagon
The UFC's fourth of July weekend card always serves as the promotion's biggest show of the summer, and this year figures to be no different.
Anchored by a main event featuring UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar taking on UFC interim heavyweight champ Shane Carwin, the card boasts significant star power. In the co-main event slot, a fight with huge international appeal will go down between number ten ranked middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama, and former Pride middleweight champ, Wanderlei Silva.
Brock Lesnar (4-1) vs Shane Carwin (12-0-0)
UFC 116 Odds: Lesnar -170
Fans of UFC betting will see Brock come in as a slight favorite in this fight. That fact alone should encourage many to get involved in the action, as Shane Carwin is seen as a legitimate threat to Lesnar's crown. Unbeaten in twelve professional fights, Carwin is coming off a fight with Frank Mir in which he absolutely smashed the former champ. While Mir is often criticized for a lack of durability, both he and Carwin's previous opponent, Gabriel Gonzaga were expected to be stern tests for Carwin. Carwin melted both men within the first round.
For his part, Brock will have been out just shy of one year by the time this fight happens. This fact alone is leading many fans of online betting to go with Carwin in this bout. While Carwin's skills cannot be discounted, Lesnar represents the biggest, strongest wrestler he's faced in his career, and it will be interesting to see how Carwin reacts to the takedown. Likewise, it will be interesting to see how Lesnar reacts to getting hit.
Look for Lesnar to take this one to the ground and earn a winning return.
UFC 116 Betting Pick: Lesnar
Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) vs Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1-2)
UFC 116 Odds: Silva -160
Akiyama is a big betting favorite against the Axe Murderer. While Silva's style is very exciting and fun, it's no match for a disciplined strategist like Akiyama. Silva will be coming out swinging for the fences whereas Akiyama will hope that he does exactly that. As a skilled technician, Akiyama will pick him apart and as long as he doesn’t get drilled by any home run hits, he should find a way to win.
Look for the sexy one to take a decision here in a fun and fast-paced fight.
UFC 116 Betting Pick: Akiyama
Stephan Bonnar (11-7-0) vs Krzystof Sosznynski (19-9-1)
UFC 116 Odds: Sosznynski -210
In other action on the card, Stephan Bonnar takes on Krzysztof Soszynski in a rematch of their fight that went down at UFC 110. Soszynski took the nod via TKO in that fight, but replays revealed a headbutt had caused the cut that stopped the fight. Despite petitioning for an appeal, Bonnar received no remedy. I like Bonnar in the rematch, who I felt was getting the better of the exchanges overall in the first fight.
UFC 116 Betting Pick: Bonnar
Chris Lytle (28-17-5) vs Matt Brown (11-8-0)
Chris Lytle will meet Matt Brown in a welterweight fight that has fireworks written all over it. Brown and Lytle are gritty fighters and sports betting fans know that the two men will stay in the pocket and throw punches until only one of them is still standing. I think Lytle has the edge in this fight via experience and a more technical ground game. Moreover, Lytle has a granite chin, and I don't see Brown having the power to be able to stop him. Look for Lights Out to take the win here.
