The UFC returns to Fuel TV for the eighth time this evening as MMA legend Wanderlei Silva takes on former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann. Tonight’s UFC fight card, which takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan, has a scheduled start time of 10pm ET. The latest UFC on Fuel TV 8 Fight Predictions and Odds have Stann listed as a -295 favorite ($295 wins $100) in this evening’s main event. The UFC on Fuel TV 8 undercard includes a key heavyweight clash between Stefan Struve and Mark Hunt as well as intriguing matchups between Diego Sanchez and Takanori Gomi and Hector Lombard and Yushin Okami. Struve, Sanchez, and Lombard are favored at -170, -225, and -200 odds respectively.
Wanderlei Silva (a.k.a. 'Mister Surprised Eyebrows'...thank you, Chael Sonnen), the former PRIDE 205lbs. champion, is no longer an unstoppable force inside the cage, but his power, experience, and aggressiveness make him a dangerous fighter nonetheless.
Silva, who enjoys a huge following in Japan from his PRIDE days, is 3-5 since retuning to the UFC, but two of his three wins came by knockout. The Brazilian scored a first round KO of Keith Jardine in 2008 and he took out Cung Le with a second round TKO in November of 2011.
There is no doubt Silva is on the downside of his career, but he has demonstrated that he can still compete with fighters like Stann (Michael Bisping, Rich Franklin, etc.). That alone makes him an intriguing option at +235.
Stann, who owns a 12-5 professional record, has a nice skill set, but he is not on par with elite light heavyweight fighters and his record proves it. Since joining the UFC, Stann has losses to Krzysztof Soszynski, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, and Michael Bisping while his most notable win came against the always tough but inconsistent Chris Leben.
Stann may well win this fight, but his history against bigger name opponents would suggest the -295 line is too steep.
Free Pick(s): Take Silva +235. Potential Parlay: Struve (-170), Lombard (-200). Going Big (parlay): Struve (-170), Gomi (+175), Lombard (-200), Dong Hyun Kim (-260), Silva (+235). Live Dogs: Wanderlei Silva +235,Takanori Gomi +175.
Silva vs. Stann UFC Odds:
Wanderlei Silva +235 vs Brian Stann -295
Stefan Struve -170 vs Mark Hunt +140
Diego Sanchez -225 vs Takanori Gomi +175
Hector Lombard -200 vs Yushin Okami +160
Dong Hyun Kim -260 vs Siyar Bahadurzada +200
Mizuto Hirota -115 vs Rani Yahya -115
Riki Fukuda -115 vs Brad Tavares -115
Takeya Mizugaki -225 vs Bryan Caraway +175
Cristiano Marcello -145 vs Kazuki Tokudome +115
Hyun Gyu Lim -300 vs Marcelo Guimaraes +240
Alex Caceres -125 vs Kyung Ho Kang -105
UFC Free Picks: Diego Sanchez vs Takinori Gomi (Best Bet)
What UFC bettors need to know about Diego Sanchez vs Takinori Gomi in UFC on Fuel TV on Saturday (3/02/13) - a best bet from Pregame.com's, Vegas Runner, with host RJ Bell.