The Ultimate Fighting Championship is in Calgary, Alberta, Canada tonight as Uriah Faber and Renan Barao battle for the interim bantamweight title at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The two decorated fighters will headline UFC 149, which has a scheduled start time of 10:00pm ET; the event can be seen live on Pay-Per-View. UFC 149: Faber vs. Barao Fight Predictions and Odds at offshore bookmaker Sportsbook.ag have Barao listed as a -200 moneyline favorite ($200 to win $100) in the main event showcase. Faber, the former WEC lightweight champion, is drawing +160 odds ($160 to win $100) to defeat the dangerous Brazilian.
Uriah Faber was scheduled to fight current UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz for a third time, but Cruz, who coached opposite Faber on the latest season of the Ultimate Fighter, tore his ACL in the spring. The champ’s injury and extended rehab opened the door for an interim championship match between top contenders Faber and Barao.
While Faber is the bigger name, it is Barao the odds makers envision taking the temporary strap. Barao dropped his first professional fight back in 2005, but he has not lost since, compiling a 30-0-1 record. The jiu-jitsu fighter, who has 13 submission victories, is 3-0 since joining the UFC in 2011, earning wins over Cole Escovedo, Brad Pickett, and Scott Jorgensen.
Faber is 26-5 as a professional and 2-1 inside the Octagon after scoring a second round submission against Brian Bowles last November. Faber is still a dominant force and he appears to have regained some fire since dropping to bantamweight; however, the 33 year old California native may never again enjoy the type of run he experienced in his WEC days.
Faber ruled the promotion, which was absorbed by the UFC last year, by successfully defending his lightweight title five times between January 2007 and June 2008.
UFC 149 Faber vs. Barao Odds:
Renan Barao -200 vs. Urijah Faber +160 (Bantanweight)
Hector Lombard -340 vs. Tim Boetsch +260 (Middleweight)
Brian Ebersole -400 vs. James Head +300 (Welterweight)
Shawn Jordan -125 vs. Cheick Kongo -105 (Heavyweight)
Matt Riddle -175 vs. Chris Clements +145 (Welterweight)
Court McGee -120 vs. Nick Ring -110 (Middleweight)
Ryan Jimmo -150 vs. Anthony Perosh +120 (Light Heavyweight)
Francisco Rivera -140 vs. Roland Delorme +110 (Bantamweight)
Bryan Caraway -250 vs. Mitch Gagnon +190 (Bantanweight)
Anton Kuivanen -150 vs. Mitch Clarke +120 (Lightweight)
Daniel Pineda -260 vs. Antonio Carvalho +200 (Featherweight)
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