Ultimate UFC Betting Guide: Miocic vs. Overeem

The ultimate UFC betting guide is back to break down the betting lines set by Bovada for the five main card fights during UFC 203: Miocic vs. Overeem

Joanne Calderwood +115 vs. Jessica Andrade -145

Joanna “Jojo” Calderwood moves back down to 115 pounds after one successful fight at flyweight in June. That was perhaps the most impressive performance of her career, as she stopped former title challenger Valerie Letourneau via TKO in the 3rd round. Calderwood is now 11-1 in her professional career, and could emerge the next title contender with a win on Saturday.

In order to do that, she will have to get past an incredibly tough Jessica Andrade. Brazil’s Andrade fought the majority of her career at 135 pounds, despite standing only 5ft 2 inches tall. She was oversized by nearly all of her opponents at that weight and lost key fights that kept her from being a contender. Last June, Andrade made her 115 pound debut, and demolished the very tough Jessica Penne in the 2nd round.

Joanne Calderwood is the only UFC fighter representing Scotland (photo: foxsports.com)

This will be a tough fight for both women. They both prefer to strike, with Calderwood the more technical and Andrade more of a brawler. If Calderwood can stay on the outside and pick her shots, she should win this fight handily, but Andrade’s power on the inside is terrifying. The Bovada betting lines are close for this one, and for good reason.

Urijah Faber +110 vs. Jimmy Riviera -140

You can never count Urijah Faber out of a fight. He has only lost one fight in his 42-fight career that was not a title fight, and that was outside his natural fighting weight. “The California Kid” showed some signs of aging in his most recent loss to Dominick Cruz, but that is likely more due to Cruz being one of the best fighters on earth. Faber is still elite, and this fight will tell a lot about where he stands in his career.

If you’ve never heard of Jimmy Riviera, we don’t blame you. The New Jersey-based fighter has flown under the radar thus far in his UFC career, and is getting a massive opportunity here to shine. He has an impressive 19-1 pro record, with his most recent win coming by UD against tough Brazilian Iuri Alcantara. Riviera will face his toughest test here, and will likely break into the top 10 with a victory.

Like we said before, you can never count out Urijah Faber. He really only loses to the elite of the elite, and has a tendency to make good fighters look average. A win over Riviera would signify he’s still relevant, but with 4 losses in 4 UFC title fights, one has to wonder where his career is headed. Riviera coming into this fight as the favorite made US gambling news, and our UFC betting guide experts feel a bet on the underdog might be a good choice here.

CM Punk +300 vs. Mickey Gall -400

We at GamingZion already broke down a few reason why a bet on CM Punk winning this weekend may not be such a bad idea. He has a number of intangibles heading into this fight, and is determined to show the world he is much more than just a fake wrestler.

With that being said, Gall is the clear favorite heading into the match. The 24 year old made enough of an impression in his pro debut to get this fight, and he wants to seize the opportunity. Gall is a very well rounded fighter, showing solid punching power and an impressive ground game over just 45 seconds in his first UFC fight. Gall is the biggest favorite listed on our UFC betting guide, and wants to show the world that’s for a reason.

Will CM Punk’s WWE experience help him at all in MMA (photo: wwe.com)

If CM Punk wins this fight it will be incredible. The MMA community is counting him out here, but as we’ve seen time and time again, anything can happen in MMA. Punk is a massive +300 underdog, meaning a $50 bet will earn you $100 in profit. If you’re a CM Punk fan, or just have a hunch he will get the victory, don’t hesitate to put some money down at Bovada.

Fabricio Werdum -225 vs. Travis Browne +175

For fight featuring the former (tongue-twister) heavyweight champion of the world, this one is not getting much attention. After Fabricio Werdum submitted Cain Velasquez in June of 2015, many considered him the greatest heavyweight of all time. It took less than 3 minutes for Stipe Miocic to erase that thought, and Werdum must now crawl back into the title picture.

It should be noted that this fight has already happened. Werdum and Browne fought in April of 2014, and to put it bluntly, Werdum beat the brakes off Browne. It’s unclear whether Travis has really improved since that time. He has gone 2-2, with both losses coming by way of TKO. If anyone on this card desperately needs a win, it’s Travis Browne. Another loss would be devastating for his career, and likely relegate him to gatekeeper status moving forward.

If their last fight was any indication, Werdum should take this one handily. Browne hardly offered anything in that contest, and that was with a full training camp. It’s almost surprising he’s not more of an underdog, but that is likely because these men are heavyweights, and it just takes one shot to win a fight.

Stipe Miocic -135 vs. Alistair Overeem +105

The baddest men on the planet will face off this Saturday night, and current champ Stipe Miocic will be looking to defend his title for the first time. Miocic shocked the world when he knocked out Fabricio Werdum last May, and will look to repeat that performance on Saturday. Our UFC betting guide experts are torn on whether to truly believe in Miocic though, as he holds two losses in the UFC, one of which came to the inconsistent Stefan Struve.

Overeem might be the best striker in MMA today. The former K1 Grand Prix winner is riding a four fight win streak with 3 victories coming by KO. If Overeem could show a better resistance for taking punches, he would likely enter this fight as a massive favorite, and those that like to bet on sports in the US would be flocking to bet on him. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and Overeem has been KO’d 3 times in his UFC career alone.

Knees could be a big part of Alistair Overeem’s game plan on Saturday night (photo: ufc.com)

If Stipe Miocic can get on the inside and catch Overeem with a punch, this should be his fight. He needs to employ a similar game plan as he did against Andrei Arlovski, move forward and throw hard shots. Overeem will likely look to either stay far on the outside and use his kicks and long punches, or tight in the clinch where he utilizes devastating knees. The betting lines set by Bovada are close here, and at this point it’s either mans fight to take.

What do you think of our UFC betting guide for this weekend’s card? Who do you think wins the main event? Leave your comments below, and make sure to check out GamingZion’s list of online sportsbooks in the US to find all the best websites for betting on MMA.