All posts by Chris Blain

Atlanta Hawks vs Detroit Pistons 11/22/19 NBA Betting Odds and Prediction

November 22, 2019Basketball, PicksChris Blain

The Atlanta Hawks travel to the Motor City to take on the Detroit Pistons at the Little Caesars Arena on Friday, November 22, 2019.

Both these teams head to Motown on losing streaks. The Hawks have lost four straight games and are 4-10 SU on the year, 5th in the NBA’s Southeast Division. On the other hand, the Pistons enter this home game with five consecutive defeats. Detroit is 4-10 SU on the season and they are 4th in the Central Division standings. Atlanta defeated Detroit 117-100 in their first meeting of the season on October 24, 2019, in Detroit.

Four Consecutive Losses

After snapping a three-game losing skid with an upset win over the Denver Nuggets, the Atlanta Hawks have reverted to their losing ways with four consecutive losses. In their last game, the Hawks gave the highly favorited Milwaukee Bucks a tough time before eventually bowing 127-135 in Atlanta.

De’Andre Hunter played the best game of his career with 27 points and 11 rebounds against the Bucks. Trae Young added 25 points, 8 assists and 3 steals for the Hawks. Cam Reddish also contributed 17 points while Jabari Parker, Vince Carter and Allan Crabbe also scored in twin digits for Atlanta who played minus the suspended John Collins and the injured Kevin Huerter.

The Hawks rank 19th in scoring at 107.6 points per game this season. Atlanta is 24th in rebounding at 43.2 boards per contest and 19th in passing at 22.9 assists per outing. The Hawks are allowing the 5th most points in the league at 116.9 points per game and they are the NBA betting underdogs in this game.

What are the Moneyline Odds?

Atlanta Hawks

+210

Detroit Pistons

-250

Odds from TitanBet as of 11/21/19

Five Straight Losses

Like the Hawks, the Pistons head to this game looking to end their own struggles. Detroit has lost five straight games and has won just twice in their 10 assignments. In their last game, Detroit’s offense sputtered as they scored only 89 points in a 20-point loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Derrick Rose led the Pistons with 18 points while Blake Griffin added 16 points and 8 rebounds. Christian Wood posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards but the Pistons shot just 33% from the floor 24% from behind the three-point line against Chicago. Reggie Jackson is out with a back injury and he has not played in the last three weeks.

Detroit is averaging 107.3 points per game this season, 12th best in the NBA. The Pistons are 29th off the glass with an average of 41.5 rebounds per game and they are 13th in assists with 24.6 dimes per contest. Detroit is giving up an average of 112.0 points per game this season.

Who Wins?

Atlanta is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games played. The Hawks 2-5 SU in seven road games played this season, 0-5 SU in their last five games against the Eastern Conference, and 1-4 SU in their last five games against the Central Division. Detroit is 0-5 SU in their last five games played. The Pistons are 3-3 SU in their last six games played and 1-5 SU in their last six games against the Eastern Conference. Head to head, the Pistons are 6-3 SU in their last nine games played.

The Hawks definitely miss John Collins who is still suspended but they have gotten big efforts from Trae Young and De’Andre Hunter. Atlanta is 2-5 SU on the road this season but they have been competitive even in losses. Atlanta gave the Bucks a good fight before losing the game and that kind of effort is hard to ignore.

Meanwhile, the Pistons have struggled to get going because of injuries. Blake Griffin is back but he missed the start of the season. Reggie Jackson is still out with a back injury and has not played in the last three weeks. Markeiff Morris and Tony Snell are questionable and the entire team is banged up this early in the season.

The Hawks have the younger and fresher team here and they are coming off a one day rest. The Pistons can’t seem to find momentum because of the injuries they are dealing with. When I look at these two teams, it’s Atlanta who looks more ready and more cohesive. Prediction: Atlanta Hawks

Other Bets To Make

The Hawks are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games played. Atlanta is 2-5 ATS in their last seven games played on the road. The Pistons are 4-12-2 ATS in their last 18 games played. Detroit is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games played at home. Head to head, the Hawks are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played against the Pistons. Atlanta is also 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games against Detroit.

WHAT ARE THE SPREAD ODDS?

Hawks

+6.5 (-110)

Pistons

-6.5 (-110)

Odds from TitanBet as of 11/21/19

Atlanta is 5-2 ATS in their last seven games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game. Detroit is 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against an opponent with a losing SU record and 1-8 ATS in their last nine games after a SU loss of more than 10 points. I’ll take the plus points and the underdogs here. Prediction: Hawks +6.5

The total has gone over in each of the last seven games played by the Hawks. The over is also 5-0 in Atlanta’s last five games played on the road. The total has gone over in four out of the Pistons’ last six games played. The Pistons have seen the total go over in 10 out of their last 15 November games. Head to head, the over is 6-4 in the last 10 games between these two teams.

WHAT ARE THE OVER/UNDER ODDS?

Hawks

O 225 -110

Pistons

U 225 -110

Odds from TitanBet as of 11/21/19

The Hawks and Pistons have combined to score an average of 215.2 points per game in their last 10 meetings and 219.0 points per game in their last three encounters. Atlanta has allowed an average of 133.75 points per game in their last four games including 150 against the Clippers last week. Meanwhile, the Pistons are allowing their opponents to shoot 48% from the floor and 38.2% from the three-point territory. With both teams having soft defenses, this will most likely be a high-scoring game. The over is 6-0 in Detroit’s last six games after losing a game by double digits and the over is 5-0 in Atlanta’s last five games when playing on one day rest. Prediction: Over 225

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies 3/25/19 NBA Odds, Preview and Prediction

March 25, 2019Basketball, PicksChris Blain

The Oklahoma City Thunder head to the FedExForum for a showdown with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

The Thunder snapped out of a four-game losing streak with a big win over the East’s 2nd seeded Toronto Raptors. The win kept the Thunder in pace with the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers for the 5th to 7th places in the Western Conference.

OKC trails the Portland Trail Blazers by 2.5 games for the 4th seed in the West and the Houston Rockets by three games for the 3rd seed.

What are the Moneyline Odds?

Oklahoma City Thunder

N/A

Memphis Grizzlies

N/A

Moneyline Odds Not Yet Available As Of This Writing

The Grizzlies’ four-game home winning streak was snapped by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night as the Wolves prevailed 112-99. The loss was the second straight overall for Memphis and their fourth defeat in their last five games. The Grizzlies are already out of the playoffs but they’ve said that they will use their remaining schedule to build the chemistry of their overhauled team.

Who Wins?

The Thunder are 4-6 SU in their last 10 games played and Oklahoma City is 3-3 SU in their last six road games. The Grizzlies are 5-5 SU in their last 10 games played and Memphis is 4-1 SU in their last five games at home. Head to head, the Thunder are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games played against the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies actually have a better Last 10 games record than the Thunder but we know that the Oklahoma City is coming off a huge win over the Raptors in their last game. Memphis usually has trouble containing Russell Westbrook in the past and I don’t see that changing here. I’m picking the Oklahoma City Thunder to beat the Memphis Grizzlies on 3/25/19.

Other Bets To Make

Oklahoma City is 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played and 3-3 ATS in their last six games on the road. Memphis is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played and the Grizzlies are 4-1 ATS in their last five games played at home. Head to head, the Thunder are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 meetings against the Grizzlies.

WHAT ARE THE SPREAD ODDS?

Thunder

-6 (-110)

Grizzlies

+6 (-110)

Odds from betonline.ag as of 3/25/19

Oklahoma City is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games when playing on two-days rest but the Thunder are only 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games against their Western Conference rivals and 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall. Memphis is 5-1 ATS in their last six games when playing on one-day rest, 4-1 ATS in their last five games and the home team is 13-5 ATS in their last 18 head to head meetings. Memphis has played well against the spread while Oklahoma has been hit and miss lately. However, the favorite is 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings and the Thunder are coming off a win over Toronto. Prediction: Thunder -6

The under is 5-4-1 in the Thunder’s last 10 games played. The total has gone under in 22 out of the 38 road games played by Oklahoma City this season. The under is 41-31 in the Grizzlies’ 72 games played this season and the total has gone under in 19 out of the 36 road games played by Memphis this season. Head to head, the under is 2-1 in the last three games played between the Thunder and Grizzlies.

WHAT ARE THE OVER/UNDER ODDS?

Thunder

O 219.5 -110

Grizzlies

U 219.5 -110

Odds from betonline.ag as of 3/25/19

The under is 3-0-1 in OKC’s last four road games, 3-0-1 in their last four road games against an opponent with a winning road record and 6-1 in their last seven games after an ATS win. Memphis has also seen the total go under in 12 out of their last 14 games played on a Monday, 19-7-1 in their last 27 games when playing on one day rest. Memphis’ offensive woes are just as well known as their elite defense so those shouldn’t help here. Prediction: Under 219.5

UFC 229 Aftermath: Possible Scenarios For Khabib and McGregor

October 8, 2018Gambling News, Sports News & PicksChris Blain

We saw the fight and then we saw a fight after the fight. It was pure chaos on Saturday night after Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor at the main event of UFC 229 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Nurmagomedov battered McGregor on the ground for three rounds before choking out the Irishman in round four of their UFC lightweight title fight. But before Khabib could be officially declared the winner, all hell broke loose after Nurmagomedov leaped out of the octagon to attack McGregor training partner Dillon Danis at ringside. Fortunately, the brawl was contained before it escalated to the stands.

Khabib and McGregor already gave their statements of the incident. However, days later, fans from both sides continue to put the blame on the other side. But while many are still fighting over the brawl, let’s talk about what could be next for both fighters.

Khabib vs Ferguson, Finally?

The win last Saturday meant that Khabib Nurmagomedov retained his UFC lightweight belt. In the normal course of business, the next fight to make would be against the next top challenger and in this case, it is Tony Ferguson.

Entering UFC 229, Ferguson was the 2nd ranked lightweight in the promotion. The former Ultimate Fighter tournament winner was the interim UFC lightweight champion a couple of months back and he was scheduled to meet Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 last April. However, Ferguson suffered a freak knee injury during a media event for UFC 223 and was removed from the bout. He was stripped of the interim belt and Khabib was awarded the regular UFC lightweight title after defeating Al Iaquinta at UFC 223.

Actually, Ferguson and Khabib have been booked to fight each other four times already. But each time that they have been scheduled to fight, one had to pull out because of injury. They were first slated to meet in 2015 at the finale of TUF 22 but two months before the bout, Khabib suffered a rib injury. The following year, the UFC booked the pair again for UFC on Fox 19 but this time around, it was Ferguson who begged off after suffering an illness that caused blood and fluid build up inside his lungs.

Then at UFC 209, they were one day away from fighting when Khabib was hospitalized on the day of the weigh-ins because of weight cutting issues. That was as close as Khabib and Ferguson have been to fighting. But with Ferguson’s brutal and bloody Fight of the Night win over Anthony Pettis in the UFC 229 co-main event, their paths are set to cross once again. But if there’s a potential roadblock to this fight, it may no longer be injuries.

McGregor Wants More?

Less than 24 hours after the loss, Conor McGregor was already tweeting about a rematch: “Good knock. Looking forward to the rematch”. One day later, the brash Irishman reiterated his thoughts and further insinuated a run back, saying via Twitter again” We lost the match but we won the battle. The war is not over.”

When Conor McGregor lost to Nate Diaz at UFC 196, he immediately asked for a rematch. Of course, the UFC obliged and what we saw next was the biggest PPV event in UFC history at UFC 202. Now UFC President Dana White was talking about UFC 229 breaking that record. By the looks of it, he may be correct. So if 229 is going to break the record, what more for a rematch after all the madness and everything that has followed? For the UFC, McGregor asking for a rematch is sweet music to their ears.

McGregor recently signed a new 8-fight deal with the UFC. Even his Proper 12 Irish Whiskey is part of his new deal. The Irishman also recently signed multi-million dollar deals with Reebok and Monster Energy. With millions of dollars and probably even more on the line here, you can’t expect the UFC to put Conor McGregor on the shelf too long. There’s too much at stake financially if the last image of the Notorious One would be that of him helplessly tapping out to Khabib last Saturday.

Conor McGregor is a stubborn man because he has plenty of confidence in himself. I’m not sure though if he honestly thinks he can beat Khabib if they fight again. But he knows that if he made easy $50M last Saturday, he’ll make much more in a rematch. What’s sure though is the UFC surely doesn’t want to see him get tapped out by Khabib again, so while they want McGregor to be back inside the octagon soon, it may not be against Nurmagomedov.

Will Khabib Be Stripped?

It’s funny because right after the brawl, Dana White was already talking about the possibility of Khabib facing a lengthy suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission which has withheld Khabib’s $2M purse for now pending investigation on the incident. To add to that, White also said that a long suspension could lead to Nurmagomedov being stripped of the title.

It can be recalled that Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier engaged in a brawl at the UFC 178 pre-fight press conference. Although that brawl wasn’t as large scale as Saturdays, no suspensions were handed out during that incident. When McGregor and Nate Diaz figured in a bottle throwing incident in the lead-up to UFC 202, the NSC only fined the fighters. But perhaps because the UFC 229 brawl was worse, the NSC could end up suspending Khabib for his role in starting the brawl. But even then, we don’t know if and how long that suspension would be. So why talk about stripping Khabib already?

Stripping Khabib would create a vacuum in the lightweight division. With that, a new champion will be crowned. For sure, Tony Ferguson would be one party to that title bout because after all, El Cucuy already earned the right to fight Nurmagomedov next. But who will Ferguson’s opponent be? That’s where this gets interesting.

Of course, the next highest ranked challenger would be none other than Conor McGregor. If McGregor has a chance of winning the UFC lightweight belt again, it would be against Ferguson. Make no mistake, Tony is a bad dude with an 11 fight win streak. But he doesn’t have Khabib’s grappling and wrestling. Ferguson is also vulnerable on his feet although he’s shown incredible recovery. But between Khabib and Ferguson, the UFC would rather take its chance on McGregor redeeming himself against Ferguson.

Marinating The Rematch

If McGregor beats Ferguson, that would set up a potential rematch with Khabib. By that time, whatever lengthy suspension the NSC may hand out on the Dagestani should be over. By that time, the Khabib vs McGregor rematch will have been marinated and will become an even bigger event.

The bigger the event, the bigger the chance to make more money. For the UFC, it’s always been profit first before sport. Remember that the new owners paid $3B for the UFC a couple of years back. With McGregor out of the octagon in the previous two years, the owners have suffered much financially. McGregor’s return surely boosted the UFC’s bottomline this year. The numbers aren’t out yet but UFC 229 is expected to be a record breaker. You can only imagine the earning potential of the rematch.

But while the rematch may be a financial hit, beating Khabib may be another story for Conor McGregor. We talked about Khabib vs McGregor as a stylistic battle between a striker and a grappler and that how McGregor will always have a chance because every fight starts on the feet. However, as we saw last Saturday, McGregor wasn’t even dominant on the feet as it was Khabib who scored the fight’s only knockdown.

Meanwhile, McGregor showed his weakness on the ground once again. It didn’t take a minute for Khabib to grab a hold of his leg and ultimately take him down. Conor has lost four times in his MMA career, all of them have been via submission. Unless McGregor grows a ground game overnight, the rematch won’t probably end differently. Don’t tell that to Conor though. Nothing is impossible to him, especially at the right price.

16th Stage of 2018 Tour De France Briefly Delayed After Farmers’ Protest

July 24, 2018Gambling News, Sports News & PicksChris Blain

The 16th stage of the 2018 Tour de France was briefly halted today after protesting farmers interrupted the race.

The farmers have been protesting against a cut in aid from the state and organized the protest demanding to be seen by France’s Minister of Agriculture, Stéphane Travert. They blocked the roads with hay bales approximately 16 miles (26 kilometers) into the 135-mile Stage 16, which featured two first-category climbs at the Pyrenees.

Pepper-Sprayed

A police source said the race was stopped because organizers wanted to gas the farmers in order to disperse the protest. But instead, the pepper spray, or tear gas, inadvertently got into the eyes of several riders, forcing treatment from medical staff. According to Agence France Presse, video evidence “appeared to show liquid being blown back into the advancing peloton after being sprayed by an officer from France’s national gendarmerie against a protestor.”

Among the riders who were injured were overall tour leader Geraint Thomas and four-time Tour de France defending champion Chris Froome. Thomas was seen rubbing his nose after the incident, while Froome was seen trying to clear his eyes. Green jersey points leader Peter Sagan was also seen on TV being given medical drops following the episode. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries reported, and the race was re-started at 12:36 pm (10:36 GMT) after a delay of around 15 minutes.

This was not the first time that the race has been marred by protest, although this one had nothing to do with the Tour de France, really. Last week, though, Team Sky riders were targeted by hazardous smoke flares set off in the crowds. Froome, in particular, has repeatedly been booed on the road and on the podium, pushed by a fan, and spat at by road-side spectators. 2014 Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali was thrown off his bike by fans who encroached the road. Nibali was forced to withdraw from the race with a fractured vertebra.

The hostility towards Froome stems from his controversial doping violation at last year’s Vuelta a España, where he was found to have excessive levels of salbutamol, an asthma drug, in his system. Froome insisted his innocence, and after a nine-month investigation, cycling’s governing body, the ICU, dropped the case upon the advice from the World Anti Doping Agency just before the race started, allowing Froome to seek a fifth Tour de France title.

Thomas Retains Lead

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe eventually won Stage 16 with a time of 5 hours, 13 minutes, and 22 seconds. Gorka Izagirre finished second, while Adam Yates came in at third. Yates, fresh from signing a new contract with Mitchelton-Scott yesterday, made his charge on the climb to Col du Portillon and led the stage by around 30 seconds with one kilometer of climbing left.

But with the roads a little damp after a short downpour earlier in the day, the British rider’s wheels slipped from under him, and he crashed on the final descent. Yates never recovered his bearings, and Alaphilippe took advantage to win his second stage in the current 2018 Tour de France.

Geraint Thomas of Team Sky kept the overall lead after the 218-kilometer stage from Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon. Thomas entered the stage with a lead of 1 minute and 39 seconds and completed the stage with the same advantage over teammate and defending champion Chris Froome.

Thomas has worn the yellow jersey since winning Stage 11 at La Rosiere in the Alps by 20 seconds, while much of Froome’s 1:39 deficit was a result of his Stage 1 crash where he landed on grass but came away unhurt.

As the Tour enters its third and final week, Thomas stands as the biggest obstacle to Froome’s dreams of capturing a fifth Tour de France. Thomas has often referred to Froome as “the man” in the past, while the latter has made statements that it would be a good result if either of them win the tour and that their current standing is a “dream situation.”

One-Two Finish By Team Sky?

The rider with the biggest chance of derailing Team Sky’s one-two punch would be Tom Dumoulin. The Sunweb rider is currently just 11 seconds behind Froome and has mounted several challenges against Thomas and Froome, including an unforgettable duel at the Alpe d’Huez. Dumoulin is the reigning time trial champion and the 2017 Giro d’Italia winner.

Meanwhile, Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic, a former ski jumper who won the Junior World Ski Jumping champion in 2007, is still considered a threat at 4th place, 2:38 behind Thomas. The rest of the riders in the top 10 are now considered longshots to win the race unless they and Dumoulin’s Skyweb and Roglic’s LottoNL can somehow gang up on Team Sky, which is rather unlikely.

But Saturday’s 19-mile individual time trial is so short that Dumoulin, Roglic, and the rest of the pack would have to make up for quite a lot of time in the upcoming stages at the Pyrenees if they are to challenge Team Sky’s one-two finish because both Thomas and Froome are known to be strong in the time trials.

Wednesday’s Stage 17 is short at just 40 miles, and it ends in one of the toughest climbs in the race, and the guess is that stage is going to make the difference in the final classification. Thursday’s stage also features two “uncategorizable” climbs before a downhill finish, and that could probably be just as crucial, too.

Bet On The Tour de France

Leo Santa Cruz vs Abner Mares 2 Odds, Preview and Pick

June 5, 2018FightingChris Blain

Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares renew their hostilities as the two Los Angeles based featherweights fight for Santa Cruz’s WBA ( super ) featherweight world title at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on June 9, 2018.

Battle Of Los Angeles

This will be the second time that Santa Cruz and Mares will share the squared circle as the two went toe to toe in the highly publicized “Battle of Los Angeles” in 2015. Santa Cruz emerged victorious in that closely fought 12 round war as the judges awarded him with a 117-111, 117-111 and 114-114 majority decision win.

Santa Cruz came off the gates fast but it was Mares who finished the fight strong. The back and forth action plus the fact that it was one of the most viewed boxing matches on ESPN made it easy to talk a rematch. But instead of booking it right away, the fighters took separate roads first.

Separate Roads

After Santa Cruz captured the WBA ( super ) featherweight title against Mares, he took a title defense against former IBF super bantamweight titlist Kiko Martinez. Santa Cruz knocked out Martinez in five rounds to keep his belt. In April 2016, Santa Cruz ventured to a showdown with Belfast star Carl Frampton who was moving up from the super bantamweight division. Frampton upset Santa Cruz and handed the Mexican the first defeat of his career via majority decision.

Six months later, Santa Cruz would get an immediate rematch. In an equally close contest, Santa Cruz turned the tables on Frampton and won by a similar majority decision. Following the win, Santa Cruz was ordered by the WBA to fight Mares who was declared as mandatory challenger and the WBA ( regular ) champion. Mares won that title by defeating Jesus Cuellar in December 2016.

Bragging Rights

But the negotiations for their rematch didn’t go as planned and both ended up fighting different opponents. However, to keep the interest of their rematch burning, they were booked to fight on the same fight card last October. Santa Cruz ended up fighting Chris Avalos, winning that bout via 8^th round knockout. Mares meanwhile, fought Mexican champion Andres Gutierrez in October 2017 and won the fight via technical decision.

With their designated victims beaten and all negotiation obstacles finally settled, the runback was finally penciled for June 9^th. Of course, there was no better place to host the rematch than the city which both of these featherweight calls home. The winner doesn’t just get the belt but also the bragging rights.

High Volume Puncher

The 29-year-old Santa Cruz owns a record of 34-1-1 with 19 knockouts. At 5-7 and with a reach of 69 inches, he holds a significant size advantage over Abner Mares who stands 5-4 and has a reach of 66 inches. In his loss to Carl Frampton, Santa Cruz didn’t have his father Jose Santa Cruz to train him. The elder Santa Cruz had recently been diagnosed with stage 3 multiple myeloma. With his father conquering cancer since Leo’s motivation has never been higher.

Santa Cruz is known as one of the sport’s most voluminous puncher. He throws tons of punches and keeps on coming forward. His work rate and accuracy are what makes him stand out from the field. He doesn’t have knockout power but it’s his speed, volume, and timing that give him stoppage wins.

LEO SANTA CRUZ VS ABNER MARES
12 RD WBA ( SUPER ) FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE
ODDS: SANTA CRUZ -400, MARES +300
( PER Bovada as of 6/5/18 11:22 am (EST) )

Pressure Fighter

Like Santa Cruz, Mares throws a lot of punches. The 32-year-old former Olympic boxer from Mexico has a professional record of 31-2-1 with 15 knockouts. Mares was Golden Boy’s top prospect when he was upset by Jhonny Gonzalez in 2013. He never got to avenge his loss to Gonzalez but he’ll get an opportunity to get his revenge on Santa Cruz on Saturday night.

Mares puts a lot of pressure on his opponents by staying busy with rapid-fire combinations. He loves to work the body and often gets too aggressive that he lands low and gets penalized. Compared to Santa Cruz, he has inferior punching power. But he makes up for that with his tireless work ethic and determination. He never gives up and he never stops punching.

Fight Of The Year?

Like the first bout, this one has all the recipe for a fight of the year candidate. Both fighters are offensively gifted and a chess match is the last thing you’d see in this fight. There was no dull moment in the first bout as both fighters willingly stood in front of each other and traded punches. With both fighters possessing granite chins, their first bout was an instant classic that had fans going crazy.

Not only was their first bout action-packed, it was a back and forth affair. As we said earlier, Santa Cruz had the better start but it was Mares who poured it on late in the bout. Unfortunately for Mares, Santa Cruz had built a big lead on points and his comeback came up short.

Pure Boxer

These are two equally special fighters who are both champions. But between the two, Leo Santa Cruz is the pure boxer who also has more punching power and the advantage in size. Abner Mares is tough and persistent as they come but unless he stops Leo Santa Cruz, he will need to fight the perfect bout to win.

Santa Cruz can choose to fight from the outside and with his three-inch advantage in height and reach, he can easily outpoint Mares and coast for the victory. But that’s not who Leo Santa Cruz is. He is going to pour it on from start to finish. And that could give Mares an opportunity.

Our Pick

Abner Mares doesn’t have the knockout power to stop Leo Santa Cruz but he can overwhelm him with pressure. However, given that Santa Cruz also applies the same ( or even more ) pressure, it’s going to go down to who lands more and who lands the better blows. In the first bout, it was Leo Santa Cruz. There is no reason to believe that is going to change in the rematch. It’s gonna be another exciting war but we’re picking Leo Santa Cruz to win by unanimous decision.

Place Your Bet Here

Fight Guide for May 19, 2018

May 18, 2018FightingChris Blain

Another weekend, another loaded day of fight sports in store for fight fans.

In Canada, the WBC light heavyweight title is on the line, while the IBF featherweight championship will be disputed in England. Meanwhile, the UFC makes its first trip to Chile with UFC Fight Night 129 also scheduled for May 19^th.

Check out the fights, the odds, and our preview and picks for May 19^th, 2018:

Adonis Stevenson vs. Badou Jack
12 rounds, WBC Light Heavyweight Championship
Odds: Stevenson -165, Jack +135

Adonis Stevenson defends the WBC light heavyweight title against former two-division champion Badou Jack at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Stevenson’s Toughest Challenge

Stevenson has held the WBC belt since defeating Chad Dawson in 2014. He’s made eight consecutive successful title defenses to date. In six of those defenses, Stevenson has won via stoppage. Despite being one of the sport’s oldest champions, he’s never looked his age.

This will only be Jack’s second fight at 175 pounds, and he won the WBA title in his light heavyweight debut by knocking out Nathan Cleverly in five rounds. Prior to his campaign at this weight class, Jack also captured the WBC super middleweight title against Andre Dirrell. Without question, Jack is going to be Stevenson’s toughest challenger to date.

Issues with Southpaws

Stevenson is the favorite here at -165, while Jack was pegged at +135. Although Stevenson has campaigned at light heavyweight much longer, Jack is the physically bigger fighter, as we saw in their face-offs. Jack the Ripper is two inches taller, although Superman has a four-inch reach advantage.

One of Jack’s main weaknesses is that he has the tendency to lunge forward, making him susceptible to counterpunches. Against someone like Adonis Stevenson who possesses a thunderous left hand, that is a death sentence. Jack has also had issues with southpaws, as shown in his title bouts with Bute and DeGale.

Leaving It to the Judges

Another Issue with Badou Jack is that in some of his recent fights, he has left his fate in the hands of the judges, and that has left him with two close majority draws which he could’ve easily lost. With the Stevenson fight to be held at Montreal’s Bell Centre, Jack cannot leave this one in the hands of the judges. If he does, though, he must finish strong and win decisively knowing that he’s in Stevenson’s backyard.

Stevenson doesn’t exactly have the best defense, so that’s where Jack can take advantage. However, Superman has a proven chin and can take body punches without wearing down too much. The concern, though, is whether he still has these attributes given his advanced age.

Advanced Age

At 40, he may not be the same Superman we have been accustomed to. And considering that he’s fought just four times in the last three years, including one each in the last two years, you’ve got to think about ring rust, too. Other than those, Superman has looked solid and doesn’t have too many weaknesses.

This one’s going to be fought in Canada, Stevenson’s home country and where Superman has fought most of his bouts. Although Jack won his two world titles on hostile ground, this is his first bout in Canada. Stevenson not only has home court advantage, but he also has the power to end this with one punch. And knowing that he has a four-inch reach advantage, you bet Stevenson will be going for the kill.

Our Pick

We’re picking Adonis Stevenson to beat Badou Jack.

Place Your Bet Here

Lee Selby vs. Josh Warrington
12 rounds, IBF Featherweight Championship
Odds: Selby -400, Warrington +270

Lee Selby defends his IBF featherweight title against domestic rival Josh Warrington at the Elland Road football ground in Leeds, England.

Mandatory Challenger

Selby won the IBF featherweight title in 2015 when he handed Evgeny Gradovich the first loss of his career. Lightning Lee masterfully outboxed Gradovich and won via decision to join boxing’s elites. He has since defended the belt four times. In his most recent bout, Selby knocked out the previously-unbeaten Eduardo Ramirez.

Josh Warrington burst into the picture with a big win over former world champion Kiko Martinez in 2017. Last October, Warrington gave Dennis Ceylan his first professional loss and secured a title shot with the victory. Warrington is Selby’s mandatory challenger, and there is no love lost between the two. The local rivals engaged in boasts and trash talk leading to this fight. Now that it’s on, Warrington hopes to silence Selby, put an end to his reign, and win his first-ever world title.

Welsh Mayweather

Selby is favored here at -400, while Warrington is the underdog at +270. Selby has established himself as one of the best featherweights in the world during his title reign. Known as the Welsh Mayweather, Selby is a very high-IQ fighter who also has an excellent defense.

Lightning Lee isn’t flashy, nor does he have that one-punch knockout power, but he gets things done inside the boxing ring. Selby is an excellent ring tactician who forces his opponents to make mistakes and capitalizes well on them. He isn’t really as dominating as some champions are, but he knows what it takes to win rounds and always gets the job done.

Ready for a Title Fight

Warrington has been building up his resume in the last couple of years, and with what he has accomplished, he does appear ready to take the next step and fight for a world title. He’s been calling out Selby for quite some time now, and he couldn’t be happier to finally settle their beef in this grudge match.

Like Selby, he has a solid defense. He also has quick hands and great head movement. Warrington is an entertaining fighter who always brings the fight to his opponents. He enters the ring with tons of confidence, and for some opponents, that can be very intimidating.

Aggressiveness Could Be Key

Warrington won his last bout by knockout, but with just 6 knockouts in 26 wins, he is no power puncher. So given that this is a fight between two fighters who don’t possess that one-punch knockout power, his aggressive fighting style is going to be key in this bout.

If Warrington takes the fight to Selby early on and dictates the pace of the fight, Lightning Lee could be in for a long night. But Selby is the much more complete fighter who has the better skill set. We’re going to learn a lot about Warrington in this fight, but he’s not fought someone as polished as Lee Selby. It’s going to be entertaining, but in the end, the better boxer wins a fight without knockdowns.

Our Pick

We’re picking Lee Selby to successfully defend his title.

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Demian Maia vs. Kamaru Usman
5 rounds, UFC Fight Night 129 Main Event
Odds: Maia +300, Usman -400

Kamaru Usman faces Demian Maia in the main event of UFC Fight Night 129 at the Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile, on May 19, 2018.

Adding a Big Name

The UFC’s first-ever trip to Chile took a big hit when Usman’s original opponent, Santiago Ponzinibbio, got hurt, and the co-main event bout between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Volkan Oezdemir was moved to the July 22 event in Hamburg. But the UFC made up for those losses by putting in a big name to replace Ponzinibbio. And for Usman, it couldn’t have been a better name.

Usman had been calling out Maia several times in the past. Now he finally gets his crack at the man known as the human backpack for his ability to ride his opponents’ back en route to submitting them. Without doubt, Maia is the best opponent that Usman has ever been matched up with. And he may also be the most dangerous to date.

Greatest Submission Artist

Maia is considered one of the greatest grapplers to ever grace the sport of MMA. With 12 submission wins in his resume, he is one of the most dangerous submission artists in the UFC today. Maia is known to ride his opponent’s back and go for the choke. All but one of his submission victories have come via some variation of a choke.

But Maia is right up there in age at 40. And the older he’s become, the more his younger and much stronger opponents have been able to stuff his takedown attempts. If Maia doesn’t put you down, he can’t do his thing. That’s why Maia lost his last two bouts against current top contender Colby Covington and current welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.

On a Roll

Usman is the favorite here at -400, while Maia has been pegged at +300. The Nigerian won the TUF: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians tournament in 2015 and has been on a roll since winning seven consecutive fights in the UFC and 11 overall in his MMA career. Now he’s looking for that signature win over a big name that gets him to the elite level.

Usman is a dynamic striker who has power in his fists. Not only that, but he is also a polished wrestler who has excellent grappling. He has 28 takedowns in 7 UFC fights, and 8 of these takedowns were recorded in his most recent unanimous decision win against Emil Weber Meek.

A Grappling Affair

This one could turn out to be a tactical grappling affair because as we know, Demian Maia’s game begins and ends with takedowns. During his 7-fight win streak, Maia had 19 takedowns landed, but in his last two bouts (which he lost), he didn’t land a single takedown.

If Maia gets to Usman’s back, then the human backpack can win this fight. But given that Usman is younger, stronger, and faster, I doubt if Maia can force a submission on the Nigerian Nightmare. Usman, meanwhile, has the ability to grapple with Maia and has the edge standing up. On the ground, he may not have Maia’s submission skills, but his ground and pound can be dominating.

This may turn out to be a boring affair, but only because it’s gonna be fought on the ground. Maia’s ground game has been terrific, but Usman is going to challenge it and win this fight by knockout or decision.

Our Pick

We’re picking Kamaru Usman to beat Demian Maia.

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Alexa Grasso vs. Tatiana Suarez
3 rounds, UFC Fight Night 129 Co-Main Event
Odds: Grasso +165, Suarez -190

Alexa Grasso takes on the undefeated Tatiana Suarez in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 129 at the Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile.

Undefeated Newcomer

The Ultimate Fighter season 23 winner Tatiana Suarez is slowly climbing up the rankings ladder with five straight wins to begin her MMA career. After Suarez defeated Amanda Cooper via D’Arce choke in the TUF 23 Finale, she went on to record a unanimous decision win over Viviane Pereira. Now she’s looking at her first Top-10 foe to date in the 9th-ranked Alexa Grasso.

Grasso was an undefeated 8-0 fighter when she signed with the UFC in 2016. Since coming over, she’s fought thrice and has won twice under the UFC banner. Grasso beat Heather Clark in her UFC debut but lost to Felice Herrig in her next bout. She is coming off a split decision win over Randa Markos in a fight that was fought at a catchweight of 119 pounds because Grasso missed weight.

Brawler vs. Striker

Grasso has the heart of a brawler, and she’s at her best when she’s throwing big punches. She’s also showed decent grappling, but as we saw in her previous fights, she’d prefer to fight in the stand up where she has one-punch knockout power. Grasso has four wins by knockout due to punches.

Tatiana Suarez is the opposite. She likes to go for the takedowns because she is a beast when she secures top position. Suarez has good submission skills, with two of her last four wins coming after her opponents tapped. Suarez has landed four takedowns in two UFC fights.

Stealing the Show

This could be one of the sleeper fights on the card with the potential of stealing the show in Chile. Grasso is the favorite at -170, while Suarez came back as the underdog at +145. Both fighters are young, hungry, and eager to prove themselves. And when you have those, you have a recipe for a classic. On the negative end, this fight could also turn out very sloppy with both fighters not that experienced in the sport.

Having said that, this one could go either way, really, as you can make a case for both fighters. This should go down to who could dictate the fight with her style of fighting. Grasso will prefer to fight this on her feet, while Suarez is going to try and force this to the ground. So where this fight goes most probably determines the winner.

Advantage in Experience

But as they say in MMA, every fight starts on their feet. Having said that, Grasso will always have her chance to land her big punches on Suarez. Suarez has the edge on the ground, but Grasso has a decent 68% takedown defense, so she won’t be taken to the ground that easily.

Statistics-wise, their significant strikes landed per minute are almost identical, with Suarez having the slight edge at 4.65 vs. 4.64. But most of Suarez’s strikes are from the ground. Both are physically almost identical, too, both in height and reach, and when you have almost everything even, the fight goes down to striking ability, and Grasso has that plus the experience over Suarez.

Give me Alexa Grasso to teach Tatiana Suarez a lesson in striking. Suarez is going to have her moments on the ground, but once they get back up, it’s going to be Grasso piling up points from punches. If she doesn’t get a quick KO, she’s going to win this fight by decision.

Our Pick

We’re picking Alexa Grasso to beat Tatiana Suarez.

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May 12, 2018 Fight Guide: Boxing/MMA Odds, Preview and Predictions

May 11, 2018Fighting, Sports News & PicksChris Blain

One of boxing’s top pound for pound fighter returns to action against perhaps his toughest challenge to date while one of the UFC’s two reigning female champions defends her belt for the third time. Likewise, there are a couple more crucial UFC bouts scheduled for UFC 224, including a legacy fight between two Brazilian MMA legends. At the same time, Bellator’s Heavyweight Grand Prix continues with another colossal encounter that is expected to provide plenty of fireworks.

Check out the fights, the odds plus our preview and predictions for May 12, 2018:

Vasyl Lomachenko vs Jorge Linares
12 rounds, WBA Lightweight Championship
Odds: Lomachenko -1200, Linares +800

Vasyl Lomachenko returns to the ring to challenge Jorge Linares for the WBA Lightweight title on May 12, 2018 at the fabled Madison Square Garden in New York.

Pound for Pound

Considered one of the best pound for pound fighters on the planet, Lomachenko has been nothing short of spectacular in his young but very successful pro career. Hailed as the greatest amateur fighter of all-time, Lomachenko is 10-1 with 8 KOs. His only loss was a controversial split decision defeat to Orlando Salido in 2014.

Loma has won 9 fights in a row with the last 7 coming by way of stoppage. In his most recent fight, Lomachenko easily outboxed Guillermo Rigondeaux and forced him to quit after six rounds. Prior to Rigo, Loma’s last three opponents also retired on their stools, including Nicholas Walters in November 2016.

Consensus Best Lightweight

Jorge Linares is the consensus best fighter at lightweight. He’s won 13 fights in a row and has not lost since back to back losses to Antonio DeMarco and Sergio Thompson in 2011 and 2012. Most recently, Linares beat Mercedito via 12 round unanimous decision. This will be his fourth defense of the title he won from Anthony Crolla in September 2016.

Lomachenko is a heavy favorite here at -1200 while Linares came back at +800. But this fight may be closer than that line because not only is Linares the naturally bigger fighter here, he also has very quick hands and excellent combinations. So don’t be surprised if we see Linares stealing a couple of early rounds and keeping the fight close early on until maybe perhaps the halfway mark of the fight.

Nothing Loma Can’t-Do

But while Linares may prove to be the biggest challenge for him, there is nothing that Vasyl Lomachenko can’t do inside the boxing ring. He can box, he can slug, he has high boxing IQ, punching power and the ability to control the fight. More importantly, Loma has the ability to make adjustments on the fly so that if things don’t go well early, he’s going to be able to figure it out before the fight is over.

We should see Linares get his moments in this fight. He’s not the best lightweight in the world for nothing. Being a well-rounded fighter should give Lomachenko some problems but as we said, there has so far been no problem inside the boxing ring that Lomachenko can’t fix.

The Bigger Punch

Loma’s moving up in weight but each time he’s moved up in the past, he’s carried his punching power with him. At lightweight, we still think he will have the bigger punch than Linares and given that Linares’ chin is suspect because all three of his losses were by knockout, then a knockout isn’t too far fetched here. Another factor to consider is that Linares won’t be with his lead trainer because of a scheduling conflict. That’s not good, especially since this is the biggest fight of his career.

All things considered, this should be an exciting affair. It can be close early but once Loma has things figured, he’s going to run away with this like the rest of his fights. Skill-wise, Loma is next to none. And maybe the only way he loses if he moves up in weight too fast and loses most of his advantages like size and power. But lightweight is still good for him.

Our Pick

We’re picking Vasyl Lomachenko to win a fight that will be closer than most people think it will be.

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UFC 224 Main Event
Amanda Nunes vs Raquel Pennington
5 Rounds, UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Odds: Nunes -550, Penington +375

Amanda Nunes will defend the UFC women’s bantamweight title against Raquel Pennington at the main event of UFC 224 at Jeunesse Area in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Challenging Cyborg

This will be Nunes’ third defense of the title she won from Ronda Rousey in 2016. Nunes retired Ronda Rousey during their remarch and then went on to defeat Valentina Shevchenko via split decision at UFC 215 last September.

After that win, Nunes expressed her desire to move up in weight to challenge featherweight champion Cris Cyborg but that hasn’t been seriously discussed yet. But if Nunes goes on to defeat Pennington in this bout, then the superfight with Cyborg could be on her horizon.

Rocky Start

Raquel Pennington had a rocky start to her MMA career with two losses in her first four bouts. But she’s picked it up as of late and has won four in a row to improve her record to 9-5. In her last bout, Pennington officially sent former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate to retirement at UFC 205.

Pennington was booked to fight Nunes at UFC 219 but she suffered a leg injury due to a car accident so the fight was moved. Pennington has not lost since December 2015 when she dropped a close split decision to former champion Holly Holm.

Ring Rust For Penington

Nunes is favored here at -550 while Penington is the underdog at +375. Raquel Pennington is one of the tougher fighters at this weight class. She’s never been knocked out before with all of her losses coming by way of decision. Definitely, she can hold her own against Nunes if this turns out to be a striking affair.

Pennington also has excellent cardio and given that cardio was one of Amanda Nunes’ perceived weaknesses, this bout could become very interesting. The main concern about Pennington is the fact that she hasn’t fought in one and a half years so there has to be some ring rust on her.

Too Many Weapons

Amanda Nunes has built a reputation as one of the best female strikers in the sport. Her combination of speed, accuracy, and power make her tough to beat in the stand-up. Once she gets her offense going, there’s nothing much opponents can do about it.

Having said that, Raquel Pennington’s best chance may be to turn this fight into a grappling contest because that takes away many of Nunes’ weapons. Pennington has also shown improved grappling and ground work lately so that could work for her. That’s easier said than done though against Nunes who has been on a tear as of late.

On their feet, Amanda Nunes simply has too many weapons. She’s fighting at home in Brazil where she is 7-1. Pennington will try to turn this into an ugly affair but Nunes should be able to dictate the pace of the fight.

Our Pick

We’re going to see many exciting moments here but in the end, Amanda Nunes wins this. We’re picking Amanda Nunes to beat Raquel Pennington.

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UFC 224 Co-Main Event
Kelvin Gastelum vs Ronaldo Souza
3 Rounds, UFC Middleweight Division
Odds: Gastelum +110, Souza – 140

With a possible title shot on the line, middleweight contenders Ronaldo Souza and Kelvin Gastelum square off in the co-main event of UFC 224.

Gastelum vowed he would never fight in Brazil again after the Brazilian Athletic Commission overturned his 2017 first round TKO win over Brazilian Vitor Belfort after he tested positive for marijuana. But with the chance to move up further in the rankings and possibly get a shot at middleweight gold, Gastelum is making an exception.

Moving To Middleweight

Gastelum was one of the most feared welterweights because of his punching power but after missing weight in a couple of bouts and his continued trouble trimming down, he moved to middleweight in 2016. Gastelum knocked out Tim Kennedy in his middleweight debut and that was followed by the Belfort fight.

In his next bout, he suffered his third defeat in seven fights after he was submitted by Chris Weidman at UFC on Fox 25. Gastelum was set to face Anderson Silva next but after Silva was suspended over a failed drug test, Gastelum went on to knockout former champion Michael Bisping in one round at UFC Fight Night 122.

Long Wait For Title Shot

Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza recently returned to the win column with a head kick knockout of Derek Brunson at UFC on Fox 27 in January. One fight earlier, he was knocked out by current middleweight champion Robert Whitaker at UFC on Fox 24.

Ronaldo Souza has been one of the most consistent middleweights in the UFC. Despite having an 8-2 record in the promotion, he’s never gotten a title shot. He hopes that a win over the 5th ranked Gastelum finally earns him the shot at gold that he’s long waited for.

Size Matters

This is a pick ‘em fight really with Souza just a -140 favorite against Gastelum who is at +110. But the bookies may have been too kind to Gastelum to put the fight this close. For one, Gastelum doesn’t really have the size of a middleweight and when faced with a top contender like Weidman, the size difference mattered.

Jacare Souza is one of the best grapplers ever in the UFC, regardless of weight class. Not only does he have 17 submission wins under his belt, Jacare almost often gets the fight to the canvass where he has every advantage he needs. Souza also has knockout power so Gastelum can’t be too confident to trade with him.

Puncher’s Chance

Gastelum is known for his power and because of that, he will always have the puncher’s chance to win any fight. Even during his defeat to Chris Weidman, Gastelum landed several powerful shots at Weidman. Had it not been for Weidman’s granite chin, Gastelum could have won that fight.

Gastelum wouldn’t want to grapple with Jacare so look for him to take out Souza early with a barrage of punches. We’ve seen Souza get knocked out by a similarly powerful striker in Whitaker so if Gastelum can land, it may be over in a hurry. But Souza may be too big for Gastelum. He’s also the more balanced fighter and can keep up with him in the striking game. Jacare is 9-1 fighting in Brazil and has not lost there in 15 years. Souza takes Gastelum down before the latter can connect with a big punch.

Our Pick

We’re picking Ronaldo to Souza to beat Kelvin Gastelum, likely by submission.

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UFC 224 Featured Bout
Lyoto Machida vs Vitor Belfort
3 Rounds, UFC Middleweight Division
Odds: Machida -270, Belfort +210

Vitor Belfort will end his storied MMA career with a showdown against countryman Lyoto Machida.

Retirement Fight

After a career that spanned two decades and one that had an incredible 25 fights in its resume, Vitor Belfort is calling it quits. Belfort rose to fame when he won the UFC 12 Heavyweight tournament as a teenager. Known as the Phenom, Belfort also won the UFC light heavyweight title during his better days.

But age has caught up with Belfort in recent years. Four knockout losses, three of which came in round one, made the Phenom re-think about his future. Belfort continued to fight and most recently, he got a win over Nate Marquardt at UFC 212. Despite that, Belfort decided that it would be time to leave but not after giving his fans one more treat inside the UFC octagon where he became a legend in the fight sport.
Has Seen Better Days

Like Belfort, Lyoto Machida has seen his better days pass him by. The former UFC light heavyweight champion has just gotten out of a three-fight losing streak with a narrow win over Eryk Anders last February. Machida has split his last 16 fights and you’ve got to wonder if this should be his last fight too.

Machida has beaten the likes of Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, Randy Couture and Dan Henderson so his resume is impressive. However, since 2014, victories have been few and far between. He hasn’t declared that this is his final fight but if he loses this one, this could be it for him too.

Lost A Step or Two

This one comes as a surprise because Machida is the favorite here at -270 while Belfort came back at +210. At his best, Machida was a striking machine owing to his karate background. He was never known as a power puncher but his wide array of striked often overwhelmed his opponents.

But his last meaningful win was against C.B. Dolloway and that was in 2014. This Dragon has lost plenty of fire in recent years and he has surely lost a step or two inside the octagon. If this fight happened say ten years ago, it would be one of the most explosive fights in middleweight history.

Still Carries Power

Like Machida, Belfort has lost a couple of steps too. His reflexes are no longer the same and he is easier to hit now than before. But the thing with Belfort is that he still carries the same punch. And compared to Machida, Belfort still has some of the explosiveness left in him too.

Machida has looked worse in the last couple of years and all it takes for Belfort to win is one strike. Between the two, Belfort doesn’t just have the better pop, he also appears to be quicker too. This is the swan song bout for the Phenom and he definitely wants to end his career with a highlight win.

Our Pick

Because of recent form, we’re picking Vitor Belfort to beat Lyoto Machida.

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Bellator 199 Main Event
Ryan Bader vs Muhammed Lawal
5 Rounds, Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals
Odds: Bader -310, Lawal +255

Bellator MMA’s Heavyweight Grand Prix continues as Bellator light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader hopes to win a second belt in his new home. His journey to a second-word title begins at Bellator 199 when he faces Muhammed ‘ King MO’ Lawal.

Bellator Success

Ryan Bader broke into the UFC scene by winning season 8 of the Ultimate Fighter in 2008. But despite fighting in the promotion for over a decade, Bader never got his title shot nor was he close to getting it. So Bader moved to Bellator MMA where so far, he’s achieved nothing but success.

In his Bellator debut, he won the Bellator light heavyweight title against fellow UFC alumnus Phil Davis. Last November 2017, Bader successfully defended his belt with an impressive TKO win over Linton Vassell.

One More Gold

King Mo is a former Strikeforce Heavyweight champion who also worked as a professional wrestler for TNA ( Total Non-Stop Action ) Wrestling in the past. Most recently, King Mo won the Rizin Fighting Championships Heavyweight Grand Prix, officially making him a two-time world champion.

Lawal has lost two of his last four bouts, dropping a decision to Phil Davis and getting knocked out by Mirko Cro Cop in the 2016 Rizin Grand Prix 2nd round. At age 37, Lawal is looking for one more golden hardware before he retires.

More Gas Left

Bader is favored here at -345 against King Mo’s +245. Bader hasn’t lost since 2016 when he was knocked out in the first round by Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson and at age 35, he is the guy who has more left in the tank. In fact, you can’t consider Bader to be over the hill yet. He’s looked very solid in two fights at Bellator MMA.

Bader is a very polished wrestler who almost always gets his takedowns. He is also a high volume striker who loves to rush his opponents. Bader has power in his punches as well as his kicks and he’s a really dangerous man to face, especially in the 2nd tier Bellator promotion.

No Pushover

King Mo though is no pushover. He’s a smart fighter who has power in his fists and also has a deep background in wrestling. He’s got good takedowns and has a massive ground and pound game if he gets on top position. Despite his age, he is still very athletic and can still knock people out.

But between two striking dudes, you’ve got to pick the one who has more stamina and conditioning. Given his age and recent form, that’s Bader. Lawal has a five-inch reach advantage but Bader’s aggressiveness and power should negate that.

Our Pick

We’re going with the younger, more powerful and quicker guy here. Our pick here is Ryan Bader to win possibly by knockout.

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The Most Important Positions to Consider in Basketball Betting

May 9, 2018BlogChris Blain

There are three basic positions in the game of basketball. These are guard, forward, and center.

Guards are normally the shortest players on the team and are also called backcourt players since they are generally positioned at the backcourt. The backcourt is the side of the half court away from the basket. Forwards and centers are the taller players on the court, with the center being the tallest. The forward and center positions are called front-court positions because these players are commonly lined up in front of the basket.

There are two types of guards. These are the point guard and the shooting guard. Likewise, there are also two forward positions, and these are the small forward and the power forward. The center is one of a kind.

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Point Guard

The point guard is usually the shortest player on the team. He is often referred to as the ball handler and playmaker because his main task is to bring the ball to the team’s offensive end and direct the offense.

As a point guard, a player needs to be unselfish because the point guard sets up his teammates and gets them involved in the offensive play. That player also needs to have a good basketball IQ because a point guard has to read what the defense is giving them and adjust the plays accordingly. This is the reason why the point guard is sometimes called the floor general. He is the coach’s extension on the basketball court.

Shooting Guard

The position’s title is pretty much self-explanatory. A shooting guard is usually the team’s main scoring option. As the name says, the player is primarily designated to shoot the ball and score points for his team.

Since the shooting guard is the team’s top scoring threat, that player should be able to score from all parts of the basketball court, whether it’s from behind the three-point line, the mid-range, close to the basket, floaters, layups, or dunks.

Small Forward

The title of the position sounds contradictory. Small and forward. Smaller players are often in the team’s backcourt, while forwards are the taller players in the squad. The small forward is the most versatile position on a team.

He is a cross between a guard and forward, meaning he can shoot and pass like guards but can rebound and defend like forwards. Likewise, because he is a “cross-breed” on the court, he has to be able to play both on the inside and outside.

Power Forward

Usually the second-tallest and second-biggest player on the team, the power forward is an inside operator who, alongside the center, is in charge of manning the team’s interior. As with its adjective, this player has to have “power,” meaning he should be a force inside the paint.

When we say “force,” we mean controlling the boards and getting rebounds, blocking or altering shots, and also scoring around the basket with post moves or short baskets.

Center

As the title suggests, this position is at the heart of the formation. The center is the tallest player on the team and is positioned nearest to the basket. This player is the key to the frontline, which is the team’s main defensive unit. As such, he spends most of his time close to the basket, either protecting the rim on defense or scoring inside points on offense.

Rim protection doesn’t just mean getting rebounds and blocking shots. It also includes getting deflections or altering shots.

Position by Numbers and Hybrid Positions

These five positions are sometimes also referred to by numbers. The point guard is called one, the shooting guard two, small forward three, power forward four and the center five positions. The first player off the bench, regardless of position, is called the team’s sixth man.

As the game of basketball has evolved over the years, so have the positions. With the arrival of multi-talented basketball players in the scene, some “hybrid” positions have been created.

One such position is the point forward. The point forward is a traditional forward (either forward positions) who functions as the point guard. This type of position creates mismatches because of the player’s height and length.

Another position that has emerged in recent years is the stretch Four. This position is a power forward (four position) who is able to stretch the defense with his ability to shoot from the outside, most notably from behind the three-point line.

No “I” in a Team

As they say, there is no “I” in a team. A team is composed of 12 players, with 5 playing together at one time. These five players have different roles, but they are all interconnected.

The point guard starts the offense by calling out the play. The play may be designated for the shooting guard, either forward, or the center. Regardless, though, of who ends up taking the shots, the play is always directed by the point guard.

On defense, the center is the defensive anchor. Because he is in the middle, he sees the entire floor better. The guards harass the ball carriers and pressure the passing lanes. But once the offensive players elude these guards, it’s the frontline that helps. When the forwards help, it’s the center that’s left manning the middle. He is the last line of defense, and that’s crucial.

So you see, one player cannot do it all by himself. Basketball is a team sport, but if there are two most crucial positions on the basketball court, it’s the point guard on offense and the center on defense.

Height Is Might

Basketball is historically a big man’s game. That’s because the taller you are, the closer you are to the basket, and when you are that close, it’s easier to put the ball through the hoop. Likewise, when you are longer, it’s easier to defend your opponent, especially with outstretched arms.

The greatest team in the history of NBA basketball had a dominant man in the middle. The Boston Celtics won 10 championships during an 11-year period. The one constant during that period? Center Bill Russell. In fourteen NBA years, Russell won 11 NBA titles, proving that height is might in basketball.

Aside from Russell, some other dominant centers were George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Bill Walton. Most recently, big men Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, and Tim Duncan led their teams to multiple championships in the NBA.

In recent years, though, teams have won titles without a dominant big man. Michael Jordan won six without one. LeBron won a couple in Miami and one in Cleveland without a top-notch big man. Currently, the Warriors are dominating the NBA with small ball basketball. So while the big man is important, he isn’t the only key to winning games – and wagers, if you’re betting on the game.

Basketball Positions and Betting

While we said that a big man doesn’t solely determine the outcome of a game, having one is most advantageous. A dominant center gets rebounds and blocks. These lead to possessions, possessions to points, and points, as we all know, determine the outcome of the game. Sure, it’s the scorers who put points in the hoop. But without possessions, there are no baskets to score in the first place.

Aside from the center, the most important player on a team is the point guard, because as we said earlier, every play begins with him. He is responsible for putting the ball in the hands of the shooters. You can be the best shooter in the world, but if you don’t get the ball, you don’t get to score. The point guard does that, both directly and indirectly. Most of the time, he delivers the assist pass. But there are times when all he does is read the defense and call the right play. Either way, he is responsible for calling out the play.

Sometimes, when we make a basketball bet, we do so with our heart. We all have our favorite teams by some affinity. But no matter how good our favorite teams are, basketball is a game of match-ups. As they say in boxing, styles make fights. So while there is no foolproof strategy in sports betting, there are the basics.

The point guard and the center are the keys to offense and defense, respectively. The better these players are, the more chances the scorers will have of getting their scoring opportunities. That’s all the advantage you need when you want to win games. And wagers, too.

2018 NBA Playoffs Odds, Previews and Picks For May 8, 2018

May 8, 2018Sports News & PicksChris Blain

The Western Conference bracket has gone as planned with the Top two teams in the conference – who were also the top two teams in the NBA, advancing to round two after easy round one outings. But the second round hasn’t been easy out West as it has been in the East.

The top-seeded Houston Rockets lost at home in Game 2 while the defending champions Golden State Warriors were ambushed in Game 3. With the Rockets and Warriors up by just 2-1 heading to Game 4, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant played big for their respective teams as Houston and Golden State took commanding 3-1 leads in their respective series.

Everybody expected the Rockets and Warriors to square off in the Western Conference Finals and they are not about to disappoint. With Game 5 returning back to their respective home courts, this could be the last game of the season for the Pelicans and Jazz.

Will the Rockets and Warriors end their series at home? Or Will the underdogs have one more upset left in them? Check out the odds, our previews and picks for May 8, 2018.

Utah Jazz at Houston Rockets, Game 5

Odds: Rockets -1100, Jazz +700

The Houston Rockets are one win away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2015 when the Golden State Warriors eliminated them in 5 games en route to the Dubs’ first NBA title. Back then, Chris Paul was still with the Los Angeles Clippers. Now that he’s with Houston, he could be the difference maker. But first things first for the Rockets.

After leading the NBA with 65 wins during the regular season, the Rockets have received little resistance in the playoffs. They dropped a game against the Wolves in Round 1 and were surprisingly upset by the Jazz in Game 2 of the current series. Other than those two games, the Rockets have been dominant, winning seven playoff games by an average of 15.4 points per game.

We talked about Chris Paul earlier and for the Rockets, he has been huge in the playoffs. After playing just 58 games during the regular season with minor injuries, CP3 has played every playoff game for the Rockets.

Paul is averaging 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game for the Rockets in the postseason. We know that he has always been capable of putting up those numbers but playing alongside Harden hasn’t affected the point god’s brilliance at all. In fact, he’s provided Harden the much-needed scoring support, with the Bearded One struggling a bit in the postseason.

Harden opened the playoffs with a monster 44 point effort in Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. But he’s struggled to shoot the ball ever since. Harden’s overall field goal shooting hasn’t suffered that much as he’s shooting 41.7% in the postseason as compared to 44.9% during the regular season. But his three-point shooting has taken a big dip from round 1 to round 2 as it’s regressed from 38.5% against the Wolves to 32.4% against the Jazz.

Clint Capela had his breakout game not just of this postseason but of his entire playoff career. Houston’s starting center had 12 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 blocks in a career-high 37 minutes in Game 4. With Utah having the universally recognized best defensive player in the NBA in Rudy Gobert, Capela’s interior presence is a must for the Rockets to win.

Speaking of Gobert, the Stifle Tower has been a non-factor in this series as the Rockets have averaged 107.7 points per game in the series and have scored at least 100 points in each game. Gobert has averaged 12.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in the series, not far from his regular season numbers. But if the Jazz want to extend the series to a Game 6, Gobert must make an impact.

The Utah defense suffered a big blow with Dante Exum’s injury in Game 4. Exum was the best defender on James Harden with the Beard shooting 1-11 with Exum as the primary defender and him shooting 49% against other defenders. If Exum is out, then Harden could have the big night Utah doesn’t want.

Ricky Rubio’s absence has dealt a big blow to the Jazz in this series. Rubio was averaging 14 points and 7 assists per game in the playoffs before he got hurt. Sources say he is close to returning but if he doesn’t play Game 5, then we may not see him return until next season.

Our Pick

Credit Donovan Mitchell for his effort in trying to carry the Jazz in this series. But if he was able to do so against the Thunder, it won’t be enough against the high powered Rockets. Houston simply has too many weapons at Mike D’Antoni’s disposal. The Jazz don’t have the answers. It’s been a great run for Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz but all will come to an end in Game 5.
We’re picking the Rockets to win big in Game 5 at home.

Place Your Bet Here

New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors, Game 5

Odds: Warriors -1000, Pelicans +700

The Golden State Warriors are right where they want to be in this postseason. After injuries to key players late in the regular season, the Warriors looked like they were at their most vulnerable ever. But the return of Stephen Curry has put everything back in order and the Warriors look like they’re going to stroll their way to the next round.

After missing round one of the playoffs, Curry returned in Game 2 of this series and right away his presence was felt. The Dubs are 2-1 with Curry this postseason and his shooting has dictated the outcome. Curry made 9-19 ( 47.3% ) of his three-pointers during the victories while he shot just 3-9 ( 33.3% ) in Game 3 where they lost.

Durant topping the defending champs in scoring, averaging 28.8 points per game in this series thanks in part to New Orleans putting the much smaller Jrue Holiday on him for most past of the games. Holiday did a good job in Game 3, holding KD to 8-18 shooting but other than that, Durant’s height has been the difference in the match-up.

Durant has shot 53% against shorter defenders but only 40% against taller defenders. If the Pelicans want to slow him down, they need to put a big man on him. But that would mean putting Anthony Davis on KD and that takes away the many things that Davis does for the Pelicans. If Boogie Cousins were not injured, it would have been a different story.

Klay Thompson has struggled thru the first four games of the series, shooting just .364 from the floor including .286 from behind the three-point line. While that looks good on paper, that’s bad news for the Pelicans as we know what Thompson is capable of doing. And with him struggling that bad so far, he’s due for a big night. It could be Game 5 at home, the closer.

Anthony Davis has had an MVP season. But his average has dipped from 33.0 points in Round 1 to 26.3 points per game this series. Remember that he scored 33 in Game 3 which the Pelicans won. If New Orleans wants to play at home again, Davis must have a big night for his team.

Jrue Holiday has been consistently good for the Pelicans but Nikola Mirotic has been the missing link in this series. He’s only averaging 11.33 points in their three losses and shooting 36.6% from the floor in those games. Mirotic averaged 18.3 points per game against the Blazers and shot 57.1% from the floor during that series.

You can’t take anything away from the Pelicans in this series. They’re playing without their all-star center in DeMarcus Cousins. With Cousins playing, Anthony Davis could have helped to defend KD.

Our Pick

Without the length to minimize Durant’s output, New Orleans is helpless. Expect the Splash Brothers to come out shooting in Game 5 but even if they struggle, the Dubs are just going to ride with KD’s offense. The Warriors are too experienced for the Pelicans.
We’re picking Golden State to win by double digits here.

Place Your Bet Here

2018 NBA Playoffs Odds, Previews and Picks For May 7, 2018

May 7, 2018Gambling NewsChris Blain

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are just one win away from setting up a rematch in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Despite losing Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving to injuries, the Boston Celtics have defied the odds by putting a beating on the young and talented Philadelphia 76ers. The key to the series has been Celtics’ coach Brad Stevens who was masterfully utilized whatever is left of his roster.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers have surprised the East’s top seeded Toronto Raptors behind the brilliance of LeBron James. James is by far having the best postseason of any player in the league and he has single-handedly carried his team on his broad shoulders.

The difference tonight is that while Boston tries to close out their series on the road in Philadelphia, the Cavs try to do the same at home. Will both advance to the next round? Or will one of them be stalled? Check out the odds, our preview and picks for the games on May 7, 2018.

Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, Game 4

Odds: Celtics +225, Sixers – 275

The Philadelphia 76ers are facing elimination for the first time in these playoffs and if they want to extend the series, they need to have a big game from Ben Simmons.

Simmons has been a super rookie all-season long. But after an impressive first round series against the Miami Heat, he has struggled against the Celtics all-series long. After averaging 18.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 9.0 assists in Round 1, Simmons’ number is down to 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game in the second round.

For the Sixers to have a shot at winning Game 4, Simmons needs to get his game together because while Joel Embiid is their main man, everything begins with Ben Simmons. Based on his Game 3 performance, Simmons seems to have gotten his bearings back, well except for the crucial turnovers that cost them the game. But given his IQ, you’d expect him to be ready for Game 4.

Joel Embiid has averaged 24.3 points and 15.3 rebounds in the series but has not shot the ball well both from the field and from the free throw line. Embiid is taking an average of 4 three point shots per game but has made just 25% of them against the Celtics. The big man must force his way inside the paint inside of taking outside shots because no one in Boston can defend him.

Despite playing without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, the Celtics have turned to ‘scoring by committee’ to manufacture wins in the postseason. Credit goes to coach Brad Stevens for making the right moves so far.

Back-up point guard Terry Rozier leads Boston in scoring at 19.0 points per game although if you look up his numbers, he plays better in Boston rather than away. Jayson Tatum has scored at least 20 points per game in the last five games and Boston has been 4-1 in those games.

The return of Marcus Smart has bolstered the Celtics’ campaign. Although Smart is averaging just 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, his defensive intensity has inspired his teammates.

But the main reason why Boston is up 3-0 in this series has been Al Horford. Horford has made the big plays for Boston in this series and if the Sixers need to stop somebody from Boston, it’s Al Horford. Horford has proven to be steady in close games so if Game 4 comes to that, they must let the other Celtics take the big shots and beat them.

It’s not that the Celtics have been dominant in this series. The Sixers led by 22 in Game 2 before the Celtics rallied back and were ahead 94-89, late in Game 2 only to collapse in the closing moments. The Sixers have the better players and used to be the better team. Remember they won 20 out of 21 games before this series.

Nobody has gotten out of that 0-3 hole before but the Sixers certainly still have plenty of spunk left. They are playing at home and even if they may not play here again, they want to leave a good impression on their fans.

Our Pick

Redick is coming off his lowest scoring game in the last five outings. He’s due to explode. Simmons wants to prove his worth in this series and Embiid wants to atone for Game 3. We’re picking the Sixers to finally win one, for their hometown crowd.

Place Your Bet Here

Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers, Game 4

Odds: Raptors +180, Cavaliers -220

The Cleveland Cavaliers have turned their postseason around 360 degrees. After struggling to put away the Indiana Pacers in 7 games in round one, they have dominated the Eastern Conference’s top seeded Toronto Raptors.

The secret to Cleveland’s success is no secret – LeBron James. King James is having his best postseason in years, maybe his best ever. He’s averaging 34.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game for the Cavs. James’ 348 points thru 10 playoff games this year are the most since Michael Jordan’s 354 in 1992.

The concern on James though is that he’s played too many minutes this season. James played all 82 games in the regular season and is averaging 41.7 minutes per game in the playoffs. At age 33 and in season 26, that doesn’t sound good. But he’s the King and so far, he’s not shown any signs of slowing down.

Kevin Love has found his all-star self in the last two games after struggling the entire season and at the start of the playoffs. Love has averaged 26 points and 13.5 rebounds per game in the last two games while shooting 51.4% from the floor. If Love keeps up this pace, the Cavs will be harder to beat.

One of the main reasons why the Cavs have been dominant in the series has been Kyle Korver. The sharpshooting guard is averaging 14 points per game in round 2 after just 8.3 points per game in the previous series. Korver has made 50% of his three pointers in the series and was particularly hot at 4-6 in Game 3, which was also played in Cleveland.

Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan needs to get back on track if the Raptors want to extend this to a Game 5. DeRozan shot just 3-12 and scored 8 points in Game 3. He also sat out the entire 4th quarter when the Raptors made a run. With all due respect to coach Dayne Casey, he must put DeRozan in the fourth quarter even if he’s 0-50. The guy is the team’s best player and their best shot at beating the Cavs.

DeRozan is averaging 23.8 points per game in the playoffs although he is scoring just 18.0 points per game against Boston. Game 3 was his worst game of the playoffs and if Casey gives him enough time, he’ll have a big Game 4 that’s for sure.

Kyle Lowry was brilliant in Game 3 as he almost single-handedly carried the Raptors back in the game. Lowry is shooting the ball at 62.9% in this series and if the Raptors want to take the series back to Toronto, he must be able to compliment DeRozan in Game 4.

Unlike the Celtics vs Sixers series, this has been pretty much one-sided. And it has been so because of one reason: LeBron James. With James playing fantastic basketball in this series, his teammates have fed off him. Cleveland has all sorts of momentum here and with this game played in Cleveland, that spells all the difference.

The Raptors could not stop King James in Toronto. There’s no reason they can stop him at his home. James knows that there is nobody on the opposing side who can guard him. He’s going to take it to the basket all night long and kill Toronto with points in the paint.

Our Pick

They say LeBron owns the Raptors in the playoffs and sad to say, that is correct. Toronto won’t go down without a fight. But the King has been too much for the Raptors. Give me another outstanding game from King James and the Cavs will win Game 4 and advance to the next round.

Place Your Bet Here

Four Consecutive Losses

Five Straight Losses

Who Wins?

Other Bets To Make

Who Wins?

Other Bets To Make

Khabib vs Ferguson, Finally?

McGregor Wants More?

Will Khabib Be Stripped?

Marinating The Rematch

Pepper-Sprayed

Thomas Retains Lead

One-Two Finish By Team Sky?

Battle Of Los Angeles

Separate Roads

Bragging Rights

High Volume Puncher

LEO SANTA CRUZ VS ABNER MARES 12 RD WBA ( SUPER ) FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE ODDS: SANTA CRUZ -400, MARES +300 ( PER Bovada as of 6/5/18 11:22 am (EST) )

Pressure Fighter

Fight Of The Year?

Pure Boxer

Adonis Stevenson vs. Badou Jack 12 rounds, WBC Light Heavyweight Championship Odds: Stevenson -165, Jack +135

Stevenson’s Toughest Challenge

Issues with Southpaws

Leaving It to the Judges

Advanced Age

Lee Selby vs. Josh Warrington 12 rounds, IBF Featherweight Championship Odds: Selby -400, Warrington +270

Mandatory Challenger

Welsh Mayweather

Ready for a Title Fight

Aggressiveness Could Be Key

Demian Maia vs. Kamaru Usman 5 rounds, UFC Fight Night 129 Main Event Odds: Maia +300, Usman -400

Adding a Big Name

Greatest Submission Artist

On a Roll

A Grappling Affair

Alexa Grasso vs. Tatiana Suarez 3 rounds, UFC Fight Night 129 Co-Main Event Odds: Grasso +165, Suarez -190

Undefeated Newcomer

Brawler vs. Striker

Stealing the Show

Advantage in Experience

Vasyl Lomachenko vs Jorge Linares 12 rounds, WBA Lightweight Championship Odds: Lomachenko -1200, Linares +800

Pound for Pound

Consensus Best Lightweight

Nothing Loma Can’t-Do

The Bigger Punch

UFC 224 Main Event Amanda Nunes vs Raquel Pennington 5 Rounds, UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship Odds: Nunes -550, Penington +375

Challenging Cyborg

Rocky Start

Ring Rust For Penington

Too Many Weapons

UFC 224 Co-Main Event Kelvin Gastelum vs Ronaldo Souza 3 Rounds, UFC Middleweight Division Odds: Gastelum +110, Souza – 140

Moving To Middleweight

Long Wait For Title Shot

Size Matters

Puncher’s Chance

UFC 224 Featured Bout Lyoto Machida vs Vitor Belfort 3 Rounds, UFC Middleweight Division Odds: Machida -270, Belfort +210

Retirement Fight

Lost A Step or Two

Still Carries Power

Bellator 199 Main Event Ryan Bader vs Muhammed Lawal 5 Rounds, Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals Odds: Bader -310, Lawal +255

Bellator Success

One More Gold

More Gas Left

No Pushover

Point Guard

Shooting Guard

Small Forward

Power Forward

Center

Position by Numbers and Hybrid Positions

No “I” in a Team

Height Is Might

Basketball Positions and Betting

Utah Jazz at Houston Rockets, Game 5

New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors, Game 5

Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, Game 4

Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers, Game 4

LEO SANTA CRUZ VS ABNER MARES
12 RD WBA ( SUPER ) FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE
ODDS: SANTA CRUZ -400, MARES +300
( PER Bovada as of 6/5/18 11:22 am (EST) )

Adonis Stevenson vs. Badou Jack
12 rounds, WBC Light Heavyweight Championship
Odds: Stevenson -165, Jack +135

Lee Selby vs. Josh Warrington
12 rounds, IBF Featherweight Championship
Odds: Selby -400, Warrington +270

Demian Maia vs. Kamaru Usman
5 rounds, UFC Fight Night 129 Main Event
Odds: Maia +300, Usman -400

Alexa Grasso vs. Tatiana Suarez
3 rounds, UFC Fight Night 129 Co-Main Event
Odds: Grasso +165, Suarez -190

Vasyl Lomachenko vs Jorge Linares
12 rounds, WBA Lightweight Championship
Odds: Lomachenko -1200, Linares +800

UFC 224 Main Event
Amanda Nunes vs Raquel Pennington
5 Rounds, UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Odds: Nunes -550, Penington +375

UFC 224 Co-Main Event
Kelvin Gastelum vs Ronaldo Souza
3 Rounds, UFC Middleweight Division
Odds: Gastelum +110, Souza – 140

UFC 224 Featured Bout
Lyoto Machida vs Vitor Belfort
3 Rounds, UFC Middleweight Division
Odds: Machida -270, Belfort +210

Bellator 199 Main Event
Ryan Bader vs Muhammed Lawal
5 Rounds, Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals
Odds: Bader -310, Lawal +255