UFC 97

UFC 97 Preview - Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites

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.

That huge advantage along with the rest of his MMA game has given Silva the huge edge in the Sportsbook, going off at -600 to while Leites is an enticing +350.

Silva (-600) is a huge favorite against Leites (+350) who is 14-1, a better winning percentage than the man some consider the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world. But Silva has shown a far more diversified game, especially in regards to his striking, which may be without peer in the MMA world right now.

Liddell and Rua’s matchup might be the one that sells the most pay-per-views, as there is a sizeable UFC fan base that still believes The Iceman has a chance to recapture the same magic in his big right hand that saw him reign atop the light heavyweight division for months upon months.

This fight is a good bet to be one of the best of the year because of each fighter’s striking prowess and because of how much is at stake in Montreal for UFC 97. Liddell is a solid favorite right now at BetUS, going off at -200 while Rua is listed at +150.

The fight that really illustrates the depth of not just the card but the UFC in general these days is the Jason MacDonald (-115) vs. Nate Quarry (-125) matchup. These are two well-liked and well-rounded fighters who should put on an undercard war.

Antoni Hardonk (+200) vs. Cheick Kongo (-300) 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.

Luiz Cane (-275) vs. Steve Cantwell (+190) is also 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.

Fellow WEC alum Brian Stann (+115) has an interesting matchup with Ultimate Fighter veteran Krzysztof Soszynski (-155) 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.

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