UFC: Fights to Look Forward To

With us all fully emerged in March Madness it is easy to forget that other sports exist.  There isn’t another major UFC event until April, but it is never too early to start thinking about how your are going to bet on these top matches coming up fast.  This is the biggest fights happening in the month of April.

UFC on Fuel TV 9:  Gustafsson Versus Mousasi (April 6)

Alexander Gustafssn is hot right now.  He hasn’t lost a fight since 2010, and it is not like he has been sitting around since then.  He has won six straight fights.  He is considered one of the top light heavyweights in the world.  He is likely on his way to fighting Jon Jones for the Light Heavyweight Championship.  That is as long as he doesn’t get derailed by Gegard Mousai.

Mousasi will be making his UFC debut in this fight, though he is not a newbie by any means.  He rampaged through Strikeforce with only one loss and has an overall 33-3-2 MMA record.  He will be looking to prove that he can compete with the top tier talent in MMA with a win over Gustafsson.

The early money line for this fight has Gustafsson as the favorite with a line set at -270.  The money line to bet on Mousasi is +210.

UFC on Fox: Henderson Versus Melendez (April 20)

Benson Henderson, the defending UFC Lightweight Champion, will defend his title on free-to-view TV against Gilber Melendez.

Henderson

Henderson seems unstoppable at the moment.  He has defeated the UFC’s best lightweights.  He prefers to go the distance and defeat opponents using his superior athleticism.

Melendez has yet to compete in the UFC.  He is coming up from Strikeforce to challenge Henderson.   He carries a similar strategy into his fights as Henderson with four of his last five fights being decided by decision.

The defending champ is the favorite with an early money line of -240.  To bet on Melendez the money line is at +190.

UFC 159:  Jones Versus Sonnen (April 27)

After losing to Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva about a year ago, Chael Sonnen will be trying his luck against Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.  Sonnen hasn’t fought in almost a year and will be out to prove he hasn’t missed a step.

Jones can beat you a number of different ways with a handful of submission, TKO and decision victories on his record over the years.  His only recorded loss in UFC was due to illegal elbow shots back on the Ultimate Fighter Finale in 2009.  Sonnen is going to have his hands full with the very talented Jones.

The early money line for this fight has Sonnen as a huge underdog.  Jones is the big-time favorite  to win this fight with a -800 money line.  Sonnen’s money line is at +500.