Won some coin on UFC 134, lost a little bit on UFC 135, basically broke even at 136, so I am hoping that 137 is my return to the black. Here is my writeup for those that care.
I am making my biggest play of the year on this card.
Couple of things worth noting. Anyone who follows the NT: MMA Thread knows that I am a diehard BJ Penn fanboy. That being said, I feel that I have been fairly objective in my analysis of this fight.
BJ Penn 14.6u to win 12u over Nick Diaz (blended odds of -122 approximately).
BJ's skill has never been doubted. He has been touted as having the best boxing in MMA by many experts (including Freddie Roach), has (or atleast had) world class jiu jitsu skills, unbelievable dexterity and balance, and has dynamite power in both hands. The big question mark has always been his cardio/gas tank. My only real concern is BJ's tendency to mentally quit in difficult fights that arent going his way. Diaz definitely employs a style that can frustrate and annoy the best opponents, and there is a real risk that BJ will get flustered in this fight.
Diaz definitely is no slouch. His akward slap-box style is difficult to figure out and defend, he is very rangy and he utilizes that slap/jab to perfection. He will continue to slap away at his opponents racking up points, and also annoying his opponent into opening up and making a mistake. Do not doubt Diaz's power. While he may not have 1 punch KTFO power, he legitimately has the ability to KO dudes with pinpoint accuracy in his combos. Diaz is also an excellent jiu jitsu practicioner with a very active guard. Just getting top position against him is not enough. He will continue to attack looking for subs or sweeps, so much so that even the braindead NSAC appointed judges will take note. Diaz has one of the best gas tanks in the game. Dude will not gas. If he has any weakness in his game, it might be his takedown defense. The problem is, with his range and reach you may have to eat a few shots just to get close enough to attempt the takedown.
I think it all comes down to gameplan. If BJ decides to stand and turn this into a kickboxing match, its gonna be a damn close fight. What BJ needs to do is get this fight to the floor and grind it out. BJ showed excellent takedowns in his fight against Fitch, and I am hopeful that he attempts to employ the same strategy here. From a fans standpoint, I would love to see them stand and trade. From a bettors standpoint, I want to see 3 rounds of takedowns, top control, ground and pound. Even in a 3 round fight, BJ's cardio can be an issue, but I dont think it will come into play here due to Diaz's style. Diaz is not really a wrestling/takedown artist. He doesnt like to ground and pound. He doesnt like to press dudes up against the cage, dirty box, and grind them out. He likes to stand in front of them and punch them in the face. BJ's cardio has looked solid against strikers who like to stand and trade. His cardio looks worst against large wrestler types (Hughes, Fitch, GSP for example) who will physically grind him out. Who knows, maybe Diaz does an about face and actually tries to win this fight on points. Anything is possible. That being said, I dont think its in his DNA to do so. Diaz is a nutcase who just likes to inflict harm on people, not "win" fights on points. I think that will play into BJ's favor for this bout.
This again is my biggest play of the year. I had originally earmarked this as a big play when he was scheduled to meet Condit (who i think is a much easier matchup for BJ), but even against Diaz I think there is some value at close to even odds. The line continues to slip though. If you can get it at -125ish I think its worth a play. I see it at -140 on some books, and I believe it will continue to climb as we get closer to the fight.
Cheick Kongo +120 v. Matt Mitrione -140
I've been going back and forth on this one. Mitrione has looked damn good in most of his fights. Even his last fight against Morecraft (who is a very game fighter) he started slow but was able to finish strong. Kongo is going to be a step up in competition. Kongo is a striker/kickboxer by trade, but his wrestling seems to be getting better with every fight. This fight hinges upon whether or not he can get this fight to the ground. If he does, I think he definitely has a good shot of wearing Mitrione down and possibly even finishing him. On the feet, Mitrione's standup looks better and better each time out. I think that he will have the speed advantage in the standup, as well as the power advantage. If he touches Kongo's chin, Kongo is going to sleep.
I dont love the price on either side as is, so I will probably sit it out. If the Kongo line moves a bit, I may consider a small play there. If by some miracle Mitrione got closer to even money, I would definitely make a bet there, but I honestly dont see the line swinging that way.
Denis Siver +205 v. Donald Cerrone -245
As much as I hate Cerrone as a fighter, I have to give him credit. Dude can bring it. He is a very well rounded fighter with a great gas tank and an always aggresive come forward strategy. Siver is a very underrated fighter (who cost me some bucks when he fought GSot), but I just think that Cerrone will be too much for him here. Siver has 1 way to win (IMO). That is to keep the fight standing and find a way to outstrike Cerrone. Cerrone can win via takedown/gnp or sub, as well as outstriking Siver on the feet. Even at this price, I think Cerrone might be worth the play. I have yet to book myself, but will probably book to win 1u if the line holds.
Bart Palaszewski +260 v. Tyson Griffin -320
Palaszewski is an entertaining fighter to watch, but I dont think he is on Tyson's level. If Griffin doesnt fight dumb (which he can be prone to do) I think this should be a fairly easy fight for him. Griffin's wrestling is top notch as is his top game. While it may not be the most exciting fight of the night, if Griffin can get the takedown and stay busy enough on top to prevent a standup, I think a 30-27 night is in the future. Big odds, but might be worth a 1u play.
Cro Cop +235 v. Roy Nelson -275
I wanna believe Mirko when he says that he is 100% and is motivated to bring the fight to Roy. Mirko knows his back is up against the wall and if he loses, he is probably out of the game. I dont think I can make an unbiased assessment on this fight. I will probably wait and see if the Cro Cop line moves a bit more and then place a 1u "fans" bet on him, just to hope and pray that he doesnt get retired this weekend.