UFC Betting – Decision Made On Next UFC Light Heavyweight
UFC Betting – Decision Made On Next UFC Light Heavyweight Contender Following UFC on Fox 4 Finale
After watching the first three UFC on Fox events, it seemed as though the promotion’s latest venture on the network was destined to somehow letdown MMA fans. However, the UFC on FOX 4 turned out to be a pleasant surprise, setting the stage for the future of the UFC Light Heavyweight division with a co-main event that to some degree exceeded expectations. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, Brandon Vera, and Ryan Bader were divided in to two fights to determine who would become the No. 1 contender for the UFC Lightweight title.
UFC President Dana White took those bouts to the next level by explaining that it wasn’t just winning that counted, but who made the best impression in their win that would help determine who gets the next shot at the championship belt. That provided two incredible tilts to close out the card, with a decision on who the next contender would be once it was all said and done.
The co-main event began with Machida taking on Bader, who had a better record than Vera going in to the night but lacked the resume of Rua or Machida. Any chance for either Machida or Bader to earn a title shot would rely on a knockout win, and the way that the two fighters came out it was clear that both men understood that. For as bas as he wanted it, Bader barely escaped the opening round and lasted just 1:32 in to the second round before Machida knocked him out with a clean right hook. Machida had certainly set the bar high heading in to the finale, and what followed was arguably the most entertaining fight from a UFC on Fox event to date.
For as focused and aggressive as Rua was, Vera stayed with him for an entire four rounds before Shogun finally put him away in the final minute. The fight was far from perfect as neither combatant looked like a legitimate challenger for Jones, but at this point it is hard to make an argument that any fighter in the world is ready to take on the UFC Light Heavyweight champion. Vera has his moments in the fight, particularly early on when he locked in that guillotine submission in the opening round, but the longer it progressed the more it seemed to swing in Rua’s favor. A knockout win pushed Rua up with Machida as the choice to become the next No. 1 contender, and that is where White made his surprising decision.
White chose Machida over Rua as the next No. 1 contender for the UFC Light Heayvweight title, and while fans were immediately quick to judge his decision, his revelation of why he made that choice made it very easy to understand it. In a recent interview, White talked about how Machida had been pestering him for a title fight and asking for his shot, while Rua didn’t seem to show the same urgency. Machida did score the earlier knockout and was in control for his entire fight, so based on White’s stipulation of the more impressive performance getting the title shot the Dragon does deserve it. Machida won’t find out whom he will fight for the UFC Light Heavyweight title until Jones defends his belt against Dan Henderson at UFC 151 in September, but you can bet he will be doing everything he can in the meantime to prepare for whomever he might face. For all of the latest UFC odds, make sure to check out the best sports betting sites.
