Hugh Citron is the first oddsmaker to post lines on MMA fights in Las Vegas. He contributes to The Linemakers on Sporting News for key UFC events.
UFC Fight Night comes to a Saturday from London, England with a middleweight fight between MMA legend Anderson Silva and Michael Bisping. Silva, now 40, is a little more than 3-to-1 favorite to get back to his winning ways with Bisping the underdog getting about +250.
Silva ruled the middleweight division from 2006 when KO'd Rich Franklin with a knee in the first round until July of 2013 when as a heavy favorit, he was KO'd by Chris Weidman in the second round. A rematch in December of that year also ended in the second round, this time with Silva breaking his leg on a kick checked by Weidman. Silva's last fight two years later was a unanimous decision win over Nick Diaz. That fight would later be ruled a no contest as Silva had a positive drug test.
MORE: McGregor opens as big favorite in UFC 196
Bisping, the underdog, has had a pretty good career but has never gotten that signature win. His last two fights were decision wins over Thales Leites and C.B. Dollaway. In November of 2014 a second-round submission loss to current middleweight champion Luke Rockhold seemed to pretty much derail any chance Bisping would have to get back to the top of the division.
This fight could turn out to be a lot closer then the oddsmakers' current number. Long gaps in between fights and fighting in another fighters home country can be a tough task to ask any fighter. Surely Silva would like to keep this fight on the feet where his superior striking can be most effective.
Bisping, despite not having that one big win, has been pretty reliable when facing similar or lesser competition. He also has always shown moments of brilliance even in some of his loses. Seems like the odds here are just too high to play the favorite so taking a lean to the underdog. If Bisping can stretch this fight into the later rounds we have to wonder how much at this point in his career Silva has left.
Pick: Take Michael Bisping to upset the legend Anderson Silva in the main event Saturday night.