| UFC 84: BJ Penn vs Sean Sherk MMA Prediction Preview |
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| Written by Jeff Alexander | |||||||
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Thursday, 08 May 2008
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 The May 24, 2008 UFC lightweight title fight between Lightweight Champion BJ "The Prodigy" Penn and Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk headlines the UFC 84 main card and promises to be one of the best fights of the year. SportsBetting.com has listed BJ Penn as the –225 odds favorite to win the fight , but Sherk will gladly take the underdog role as he laughs in the face of doubt. Point-Spreads.com get to find out who Expert MMA Handicapper Jeff Alexander thinks will walk away with the lightweight division title in his BJ Penn vs Sean Sherk MMA prediction article.Penn has already proven himself as one of the most talented fighters the UFC has ever had. He solidified that claim at UFC 80 when he submitted Joe Stevenson in the second round to capture the vacant lightweight crown. That win made Penn an elite two-division UFC champion. Penn's athletic ability and versatility pose problems for any challenger. A combination of precision ground work, fatal blow power punches, and the heart of a lion make him a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Whether smart or not, Penn has added some extra salt to Sherk's wound by calling Sherk a cheater for testing positive for taking banned substances last July. This caused Sherk to abandon his lightweight crown and gave Penn the opportunity to swoop right in. Penn held nothing back when he said that he was the real lightweight champ and Sherk would know it on May 24th. Sean Sherk appears hungrier than ever to regain his title. "The Muscle Shark" has been on top of the sport for nearly a decade, racking up an unprecedented 36-2-1 mark. Sherk is a top-notch wrestler and pound-for-pound one of the toughest fighters in the UFC. Penn's athletic ability may give him an advantage over other fighters that face Sherk who aren't as good on their feet, but it is very difficult to keep Sherk from taking you down. And once he does, he's got you. Sherk defeated Kenny Florian for the vacant UFC lightweight title at UFC 84 in October of 2006 and now he is looking to take back his rightful title. Sherk has been playing close attention to the statements Penn has been making, and he plans on using them to fuel his fire. Sherk said, "to be the champion, you have to beat the champion" making a reference that Penn has not earned his belt. UFC 84 Prediction: Sean Sherk Sherk has a lot to prove here. He has to prove to the world that it was his skill and hardwork winning all of those fights and not a banned substance. He also has the motivation to dethrone a title holder which did not earn that championship by defeating him. Sherk has more experience than Penn in these big fights, and you don't compile a 36-2 record by mistake. In fact, Penn has two more losses in his short career than Sherk does in his decorated run. I'll take the underdog Sherk at +185 odds at SportsBetting to prevail as the rightful lightweight champ.                        |
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 May 2008 ) | |||||||