On Saturday May 23rd, UFC 160 will take place in Las Vegas at MGM Grand in what is the most stacked card of the year. Antonio Silva will try to avenge his loss as he competes against Cain Velasquez for the UFC Heavyweight title. Junior Dos Santos will take on the hard-headed Mark Hunt. The rising star Glover Teixeira faces off against James Te Huna. Gray Maynard will face TJ Grant, Donald Cerrone takes on KJ Noons. The main card is stacked, but to start we will look at some rising stars on the undercard.
Nurmagomedov vs Trujillo
The up and coming superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov will take on Abel Trujillo. I see him fighting for the belt in 2014, and there is no doubt in my mind he will destroy Trujillo. Khabib is 19-0 and has finished 14 of his 19 opponents. While Trujillo has an impressive 5-fight winning streak and is coming out of the Blackzillians, he will be simply outmatched. Chances are Nurmagomedov will finish, so take the prop of him winning inside the distance for -105 (5dimes).
Pyle vs Story
Also on the undercard, the veteran Mike Pyle will take on Rick Story. Rick Story has impressive wins over Thiago Alves and Johnny Hendricks, as well as Jake Ellenberger 5 years ago. At one point in time he looked like a future superstar. Mike Pyle has only lost to Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger over his last 9. Pyle clearly has the experience here, but I expect Rick Story to put a pace on him that he cannot keep up with. He will be in Pyle’s face, and grind him to a decision, using his clinch and takedowns. I expect an aggressive Rick Story to show up, and if he does he will win this fight. Take Story by decision at +265 (5Dimes).
Cerrone vs Noons
In the Cerrone vs K.J. Noons fight, we should all expect a standup war. KJ has lost 4 of his past 5 fights, but all have been against strong opponents; 1 of them being Josh Thompson and the other Nick Diaz. Cerrone on his game is one of the best at lightweight. When he isn’t, just take a look at the fights against Diaz and Pettis. I still think he is a safe bet to win, but do not expect a knockout in this fight. Take Cerrone winning at -290 (Bookmaker).
Maynard vs Grant
Gray Maynard vs TJ Grant will be a huge fight for both fighters. Maynard is itching for another title shot while Grant, ranked at #10, is looking to move up the ladder. Maynard will be able to neutralize Grant’s Jiu Jitsu with his wrestling, and more than likely grind out a decision victory. Grant has a tough chin so I don’t expect him to be finished, so take Gray by decision at -120 (5Dimes).
Te Huna vs Teixeira
If there’s one thing MMA fans know about James Te Huna, it is that he can take a shot. Glover Teixeira and Te Huna is expected to be a war, and Glover is the favourite for a reason. He is coming off an impressive victory over Rampage, beating him at his own game. Te Huna’s last fight was a war. Most men would have fallen from the shots landed in that fight. Te Huna showed he can take a beating and more. This is why it is so hard for me to do this, but I believe Glover can knock him out. Glover is some of the most clean power shots in the division. If Te Huna believes he can absorb them and move forward, in my opinion he is wrong. Teixeira at +350 (5Dimes) for the KO/TKO is great odds, so I advise you to take it.
Dos Santos vs Hunt
Junior dos Santos vs Mark Hunt will be featured in the co-main event. JDS was originally scheduled to fight Overeem, and when that was called off Mark Hunt stepped in to take the fight. Hunt is coming off an impressive win over Stefan Struve, where he literally cracked his skull. The punch was so hard it cracked the top of Struve’s head and broke his jaw. That being said, Struve is nowhere near the striker that JDS is. JDS will use his reach, speed, and explosiveness to wear down Hunt. Hunt’s cardio will be a big factor in this fight, because if he can’t catch his breath he won’t be able to catch Junior. Hunt might probably have the strongest jaw the MMA world has seen, so you can bet he won’t be knocked out. Hunt is very hard to knockout, and I expect JDS to win. Take Junior winning by decision at +175 (5Dimes) is a great bet.
Velasquez vs Silva
The main event will feature a rematch between Cain Velasquez vs Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. The first fight was a bloodbath. Cain grounded and pounded Bigfoot until he had a deep enough cut for the fight to be stopped. Bigfoot made a ridiculous mistake in low-kicking Cain to start the fight, with which Cain capitzlied on and took Silva down. I think the fight may have been slightly closer had Bigfoot not thrown the kick at the beginning while Cain was full of energy. Bigfoot has beaten some big names, which include Fedor and Overeem. Cain tends to take some big shots in fights before getting the takedown or finish. Bigfoot has some big hands, and could connect. I think the odds in this fight sway too much in Cain’s favour, though he is clearly the favourite. Due to odds, I am taking the upset, and if Silva is to win the fight it will not be by decision, so take your chances on him winning inside the distance at +814 (5Dimes).
Big Foot Silva • Cain Velasquez • Junior Dos Santos • Mark Hunt • UFC 160