UFC 101 Betting - Silva vs Griffin

If Community Shield betting ain't your thing, you're probably a fight fan. Why not bet on one or both of the main events at UFC 101? Let's handicap the Silva/Griffin bout.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Anderson "The Spider" Silva
Record: 24-4
Notable victories: Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin, Nate Marquardt
Odds to win: -330

BOOM: He's right up there with the best pound-for-pound fighters on planet Earth, as he can do it all in the Octagon. His striking is amazingly fast, accurate and powerful. He can crush people with his knees in the Muay Thai clinch, he can bust out head kicks or spinning backfists, and his elbows are great too. On the ground, he controls opponents with his lanky limbs and can submit opponents. He's a fantastic evader of punches, bobbing and weaving like Muhammad Ali.

BUST: Unless you want to say he's susceptible to submission because of that one flying heel hook from Ryo Chonan, there's not much to dislike about Silva. I suppose you can say his dedication is in question after he seemed disinterested in his last two wins, but that's it.

Forrest Griffin
Record: 16-5
Notable victories: Rampage Jackson, Shogun Rua
Odds to win: +255

BOOM: Few fighters can match Forrest Griffin's heart and chin. He's a self-proclaimed "dog," willing fo fight anyone and never giving up. He's fast for his size and can really slow opponents down with his accurate leg kicks. He's decent on the ground, as his Jiu-Jitsu keeps improving—and that's a product of his smarts and eagerness to learn.

BUST: Forrest has no power. Just two of his 16 wins came via knockout and, since he's inferior to Silva on the ground, I'm betting he won't finish Silva. He also leaves himself open to big shots because of his brawling style, so Silva may seriously hurt him in the clinch.

Pick: Griffin will do everything in his power to make this fight worth watching for those who pay per head, but Silva will win. He's better in almost every way and Griffin's aggression will only bring out the best in him.