Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields UFC 129 Odds
by Sports Interaction - 4/26/2011
The Ontarian provincial government’s approval of mixed martial arts last year was another watershed for the fastest growing sport in the world. UFC 129 is happening this weekend in Toronto and sixty thousand people are expected to attend, thus proving that the Ontarian government had no option but to approve the sport – the people want it, and Canada is a democracy after all.
The huge attendance – the biggest gate in UFC history – is also due to the presence of a bona fide Canadian sports hero. Georges St-Pierre is the undisputed welterweight Champion of the UFC, and some say he’s the best pound for pound fighter in the sport. He’s 21-2-0 over his career, and has won eight straight since his last defeat, to Matt Serra in Houston four years ago.
GSP is a hot -500 Sports Interaction favorite against the challenger Jake Shields, who has joined the UFC from Strikeforce. St-Pierre will be unlike anyone else Shields has fought. St-Pierre’s skills are so numerous that opponents never know how he’s going to come at them, and they don’t find out until they’re on the mat or waking up back in the dressing room.
Shields is mainly a Jiu jitsu fighter and the scouting report is that he’s been working on his striking. His price of +1800 to knock GSP out tells its own story about that. GSP to win on points is the best bet here.
Mark Hominick, a proud son of Thamesford, Ontario, is a +280 underdog when he challenges Brazil’s José Aldo for his Featherweight belt. This fight should feature more striking than clinches but Hominick will have it all to do to take on Aldo. Aldo has a hammer in those gloves and if he lands a good one it’s goodnight.
The most interesting fight on the undercard of UFC 129 is the return of Randy Couture. Couture is forty-seven years old and he’s a +225 underdog against Brazil’s Lyoto Machida. Machida is coming off two straight defeats where his was the headline bout – Machida was grounded and pounded by Maurico Rua in Montreal last May and then lost a split decision to Quinton Jackson at Auburn Hills, Michigan, in November. The Jackson decision was controversial and it’s more than likely that Machida will climb into the octagon at Ontario feeling like a man with a point to prove.
Couture is one of MMA’s first and lasting stars, but Machida will surely have too much for him. Couture is a brawler, but Machida is nimble and quick. Couture can only make his brawling skills count if he can catch Machida in the first place.
By contrast, the Brazilian can stand off, go inside to rain in blows, and then skip back out of harm’s way. Couture is 47. He can’t keep up with that. Machita to go back to winning ways is the third and final pick for UFC 129.
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