The UFC returns to network television tonight with an 11 fight card at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California (Start time 8:00pm ET). UFC on FOX 4 features a main event battle between former light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua and the once ballyhooed Brandon Vera. Rua vs. Vera Fight Predictions and Odds at offshore odds maker Sportsbook.ag have Rua listed as a heavy -400 favorite ($400 to win $100). This evening’s under-card will also showcase another former strap holder as Lyoto Machida squares off against Ultimate Fighter season eight winner Ryan Bader. Machida is drawing -370 odds to hand Bader his third career loss.
Mauricio Rua’s UFC career has been a mixed bag; the 30 year old Brazilian is 4-4 inside the Octagon with a championship win over Lyoto Machida as well as an ugly loss to current light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Rua, who is known for his heavy hands and brutal kicks, bounced back from his championship loss to Jones with a first round destruction of Forrest Griffin; however, he suffered a decision loss in his latest scrap, a scintillating five round battle with Dan Henderson last November.
Despite his recent inconsistencies, Rua, who won the PRIDE Grand Prix in 2005, is a more accomplished fighter than Vera. At one time Vera was considered a champion in waiting, but he has yet to live up to the hype, posting an 8-5-1 record in 14 UFC appearances.
Tonight may represent Vera’s last shot at top contender status as he is 1-2-1 in his last four fights. Should he lose to Rua, he can forget about any sort of title shot in the UFC.
UFC on FOX: Rua vs. Vera Fight Predictions: While Rua’s UFC record is modest; his career record stands an impressive 20-6. Rua has also faced a who’s who list of light heavyweight fighters, having squared off against Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, Alistair Overeem, and Chuck Liddell in addition to his aforementioned meetings with Griffin, Machida, Henderson, and Jones. Vera too has stood toe-to-toe with a number of top fighters, but unlike Rua, he has seldom been able to overcome them. Vera’s most notable victory came in 2006 when he scored a first round TKO against a recovering Frank Mir. He is 0-5-1 in his other six meetings with name fighters, losing to Tim Sylvia, Fabricio Werdum, Keith Jardine, Randy Couture, and Jon Jones while scoring a No Contest against Thiago Silva. Take Rua -400.
UFC on FOX: Rua vs. Vera Odds
Mauricio Rua (-400) vs. Brandon Vera (+300)
Lyoto Machida (-370) vs. Ryan Bader (+280)
Joe Lauzon (-115) vs. Jamie Varner (-115)
Mike Swick (-250) vs. DaMarques Johnson (+190)
Cole Miller (-140) vs. Nam Phan (+110)
Josh Grispi (-180) vs. Rani Yahya (+150)
Phil Davis (-600) vs. Wagner Prado (+400)
Manvel Gamburyan (-165) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (+135)
Phil De Fries (-220) vs. Oli Thompson (+170)
Ulysses Gomez (-200) vs. John Moraga (+160)
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