UFC 89 Predictions and Picks – Bisping vs. Leben
J.D Driscoll - October 16th, 2008 .
UFC returns on Saturday for UFC 89: Bisping vs Leben in Birmingham, England. The card will air free on Spike TV in the US and live in the UK. All lines listed below come from BetUS.com sportsbook, check them out if you’re still looking for a place to bet on the event. Our UFC 89 predictions and betting picks are listed below.
MICHAEL BISPING VS. CHRIS LEBEN
This isn’t one of the bigger main events the UFC has put on in recent years however it looks like a very entertaining fight non the less. Neither fighter is at the very top of the middleweight division but both tend to deliver fast paced bouts that rarely go the distance.
Bisping returns to England after his controversial decision victory at UFC 75 over Matt Hamill. His UFC record in front of his home fans stands at 2-0. However he failed to impress in both bouts. A solid performance in his UFC debut was overshadowed by his split decision victory over Matt Hamill that had MMA fans furious at the time.
A close decision loss to Rashad Evans in November led to his decision to move to the middleweight division. Decisive victories over Charles McCarthy and Jason Day followed for TUF 3 winner.
Chris “The Crippler” Leben is coming of a impressive first round TKO victory over Alessio Sakara at UFC 82. He seems to have rejuvenated his career after a couple of difficult years in 2006 and 2007 losing to Anderson Silva, Jason MacDonald and Kalib Starnes. He isn’t the most technically gifted striker but his rock solid chin and aggression make him a threat to most in the division.
Bisping’s overall record is still one of the best in the UFC however he has yet to really test himself against elite competition. Its uncertain how the hometown support will effect him either. Having spent only a few minutes at middleweight still unclear where Bisping stands at 185th.
Odds: Chris Leben +190 vs. Michael Bisping -250
Prediction: Leben has a good chance to take a decision here. As the underdog all the pressure will be on the hometown favourite Bisping who has yet to defeat anyone of note. Take Leben at +190. *Best Bet
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BRANDON VERA VS. KEITH JARDINE
Brandon Vera (9-2) looked like the most exciting UFC prospect in years however two upsets loses have forced him out of the heavyweight division. A lacklustre win over UFC debutant Reese Andy at light heavyweight failed to reignite his fortunes.
Vera’s agility and quickness at heavyweight failed to translate at the lower weight however he remains a major talent that has his best days ahead of him.
Keith Jardine (13-4-1) is also desperate for a win after one of the most brutal knockout losses in recent UFC history. He holds impressive victories over Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Wilson Gouveia. He is solid counter striker with heavy leg kicks. Unfortunately for the TUF 2 contestant Vera has a similar skill set.
Odds: Brandon Vera +155 vs. Keith Jardine -180
Prediction: At his best Vera is one of the most dynamic and well rounded strikers in the UFC. He’ll use his speed and athleticism to pick apart the slower Keith Jardine. Vera TKO Round 2.
RAMEAU THIERRY SOKOUDJOU VS. LUIS CANE
Sokoudjou was a highly touted UFC new comer that everyone was ready to write of after his loss to Lyoto Machida. He rebounded well with a first round win over former Pride veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura. At only 24 years of age he has all the talent necessary to become one the UFC biggest stars however he’ll have to get past another undiscovered talent in Brazilian Luis Cane.
Cane holds a 8-1 MMA record with his only loss coming via a DQ (Knee to the head on the ground). He is well rounded fighter with impressive stand up and strong BJJ background. He is one of the most underrated fighters in the division at moment.
You wont want to miss this fight. If there were odds on “Fight of the Night” I‘d certainly put my money on this match-up.
Odds: Sokoudjou -115 vs. Luis Cane -110
Prediction: The odds makers have it spot on this one could really go either way. If Cane can take it to the ground it could turn into a long night of Sokoudjou however I give him a slight edge in the stand-up. Sokoudjou K.O Round 2.
MARCUS DAVIS VS. PAUL KELLY
The turn around of Marcus Davis may be one of the most surprising MMA stories of the past two years. His career looked all but over after his stint on The Ultimate Fighter 2 but 11 straight MMA victories established him is one of the top ten UFC welterweights. His run ended after a unanimous decision loss at UFC 85 to Mike Swick.
Paul Kelly holds a perfect 8-0 MMA (1-0 UFC) record and is part of the Wolfslair MMA academy alongside The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner Michael Bisping, French striker Cheick Konog and former UFC champion Rampage Jackson. This is a big step up for a fighter that only a year ago was fighting for ‘Cage Gladiators’.
Odds: Marcus Davis -300 vs Paul Kelly +250
Prediction: Again the odds makers have it right, Marcus Davis is the deserving favorite but in front of a precocial home crowd I would not be surprised if Kelly can pull of the upset. Marcus Davies Decision.
PRELIMINARY CARD:
Shane Carwin vs. Neil Wain
Akihiro Gono vs. Dan Hardy
Jess Liaudin vs. David Bielkheden
Samy Schiavo vs. Per Eklund
Sam Stout vs. Terry Etim
David Baron vs. Jim Miller
Don’t forget to check out our UFC 89 odds post. For live play by play visit the guys over at Sherdog. For fight card updates visit the UFC 89 Wiki page. For more free MMA picks visit our homepage.
