The Cheat Sheet is a new, regular feature at The MMA Manifesto where we give you a quick, easy and (hopefully) informative preview of an upcoming major MMA event. Next up UFC 135
UFC 135 – Sat, Sept 24th – Pepsi Center – Denver, Colorado
Fight Card (courtesy of Wikipedia) and Betting Odds (courtesy of Sportbet)
Main Card
Light Heavyweight Championship: Jon Jones (-531) vs. Quinton Jackson (+444)
Welterweight bout: Matt Hughes (+415) vs. Josh Koscheck (-485)
Heavyweight bout: Travis Browne (-370) vs. Rob Broughton (+325)
Lightweight bout: Nate Diaz (-239) vs. Takanori Gomi (+211)
Heavyweight bout: Ben Rothwell (-341) vs. Mark Hunt (+299)
Preliminary Card
Lightweight bout: Tony Ferguson (-331) vs. Aaron Riley (+289)
Middleweight bout: Nick Ring (+153) vs. Tim Boetsch (-167)
Featherweight bout: Junior Assunção (-107) vs. Eddie Yagin (-107)
Bantamweight bout: Takeya Mizugaki (-205) vs. Cole Escovedo (+180)
Light Heavyweight bout: James Te Huna (-157) vs. Ricardo Romero (+143)
Strength of Card:
Excitement Level: Moderate. The main event match pitting Bones vs Rampage is exciting, but what other than that does this card offer to get one excited?
Who Should Buy This PPV?: Fans who have $49.99 to spend one a one-bout fight card. As mentioned above, other than the main event this card offers no other match of significance or meaning. No top contender match. No “big name” match, other than Matt Hughes vs Josh Koscheck, which should be a one-sided affair. No grudge matches. If this card puts up good sales numbers, it’s all due to Rampage and Bones.
Projected PPV Buyrate: 500,000
Fight of the Night: Jon Jones vs Rampage Jackson. Every Jon Jones fight is must-see TV just so you can see what crazy move he’ll pull off next. Whether Rampage can make this into a fight is yet to be seen, but if he can get his hands on Jones it could get very interesting since the champ hasn’t ever really had his chin tested.
Best Fight on the Undercard: Takeya Mizugaki vs Cole Escovedo
Best Bet (if you are betting man/woman): Takanori Gomi (+211). Gomi’s opponent, Nate Diaz, doesn’t tend to be the smartest fighter in the cage, often choosing to get into firefights on his feet (while he talks trash, of course), instead of taking his opponent down to the mat where he does his most damage. That could play right into the strengths of the heavy-handed Gomi.
Win or Go Home: Nate Diaz. Nick Diaz’s little brother has lost two-straight fights, and since the start of 2009 is 3-5 inside the Octagon. Time to back up his talk with action.
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