There are some big fights taking place at UFC 97 Redemption, April 18, as UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva defends his crown against the number one contender Thales Leites. UFC legend and former UFC light heavyweight Champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell squares off against Brazilian superstar Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, which promises to be one of the most explosive bouts of 2009. For a more in depth look click Anderson Silva vs Thales Leites and Chuck Liddell vs Mauricio Rua. Be sure to get your UFC 97 Redemption Betting Odds in now at SBGglobal.com
Anderson Silva (-500) vs Thales Leites (+350)
Whether or not you think Anderson Silva is the “best pound-for-pound fighter in the world” as the UFC is so quick to proclaim, one thing’s for sure: he’s easily one of the top three along with Fedor Emelianenko and Georges St. Pierre. Leites, who is somewhat of an unknown, especially among fellow title contenders, is 14-1 in his career, with the lone loss coming against Martin Kampmann. He doesn’t have a whole lot of top wins to his name, although his UFC 85 victory over Nate Marquardt looks better and better as time passes, despite the fact that it was a split decision. Leites has scored 9 of his 14 wins by submission, but Silva is a black belt on the ground in addition to his brilliant striking game. Leites is going to have a hard time mounting any kind of offense in this fight, and the only chance he seems to have against Silva is if he gets bored and makes a mistake.
Chuck Liddell (-200) vs Mauricio Rua (+160)
Both Chuck Liddell and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua have all the talent in the world, but they haven’t given very impressive performances in recent fights, especially Chuck who’s lost three of his last four fights. Liddell’s style has undergone some tweaks since he last fought, when he was knocked out by champion Rashad Evans. The hope is that he won’t leave himself open for big shots by keeping his hands up more often. Rua on the other hand is a pure muy thai striker by trade who is good all-around, but conditioning has been a problem in wake of some difficult injuries and that was on display in his last fight against Mark Coleman.
Brian Stann (+130) vs Krzysztof Soszynsk (-160)
Fellow WEC alum Brian Stann has an interesting matchup with Ultimate Fighter veteran Krzysztof Soszynski and even more Ultimate Fighter talent will be on display on Saturday as impressive prospects Vinicius Magalhaes and Eliot Marshall will go at it in another light heavyweight bout.
Antoni Hardonk (+240) vs Cheick Kongo (-300)
This bout should be a stand-up fan’s dream and a key bout in the future chase for the UFC Heavyweight Title as well. Both have a ton of potential and are fun to watch in the Octagon.
Steve Cantwell (+215) vs Luis Cane (-275)
Is an intriguing matchup between two guys who don’t have a ton of UFC experience but are both capable of making runs into the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division.
UFC 97 Redemption Predictions
When: Sat, April 18, 2009 10:00 PM ET
Line: SBGglobal.com
Point-Spreads.com UFC 97 Redemption Predictions
The Bottom Line: Be sure to get your UFC 97 Redemption Predictions in now at SBGglobal.com and receive a 60% sign-up bonus on your initial deposit!
