UFC 100 Betting - Secondary Fights

Is it football betting season? There's so much sportsbook buzz that you'd think so, but the truth is that the current betting rush revolves around UFC 100. The title fights are getting the press, but the secondary fights deserve attention too. Here are a few picks you may not find elsewhere.

Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1) vs Alan Belcher (13-4)

Yoshihiro Akiyama is a relative unknown, as he's making his UFC debut. However, he may very well be the next big thing in the middleweight division. He's ranked by MMA Weekly as the No. 10 middleweight in the world. He's a versatile fighter, capable of knocking out opponents with his hands or feet, and he uses his Judo to take opponents down and set up submissions.

Alan Belcher is somewhat of a stepping stone in in UFC betting. He's a well-rounded fighter who never goes quietly—in other words, he's an ideal guy for semi-accomplished fighters to debut against, as he likely won't beat them but he'll certainly make them work hard. Expect Belcher to battle Akiyama but fail in the end. However, anything can happen, as fighters who arrive from overseas don't always take their success with them.

Daily sports pick: Akiyama

Jon Jones (8-0) vs Jake O'Brien (11-2)

Many fight fans—not to mention sportsbook software—project Jon Jones as a future star in MMA. He's tall and lanky, with a long reach, and a great natural athlete. He wowed the crowd in his last fight when he showed off some creative throws and spinning elbows in his victory over Stephan Bonnar. "Bones" is a next-generation mixed martial artist who should improve with every fight.

He has a solid challenge in Jake O'Brien, who was 10-0 (and beat Heath Herring) before running into star fighters like Andrei Arlovski and Cain Velazquez, both of whom knocked him out. he's more experienced than Jones and will test him with his knockout power. Remember, O'Brien is a former heavyweight dropping down, so he'll pack more punch than your average light heavyweight.

In the end, this fight is still more of a showcase for Jones than anything else. He should pull a few new exciting tricks out of his bag and win, setting himself up for a much better opponent next time.
Daily sports pick: Jones