Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011 | 4:30 p.m.
No light heavyweights in the UFC have drawn more praise than Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida over the last three years.
The 23-year old Jones cruised past every opponent on his way to becoming the youngest UFC champion ever earlier this year. Jones has dominated so thoroughly that fans now survey the 205-pound weight class and wonder if anyone can beat him.
The same concerns were thrown around in regards to Machida two years ago when he began his career 16-0 and won the title. Although Machida eventually lost two in a row, it was hard to foresee anyone like Jones coming up who sports books would post as a major favorite against him.
Jones is a staggering -450 (risking $4.50 to win $1) favorite against Machida, who comes back at +350 (risking $1 to win $3.50), entering Saturday’s UFC 140 in Toronto.
The Las Vegas Sun picks panel agrees with oddsmakers’ assessment of Jones. All four prognosticators liked Jones to beat Machida.
Check below to find breakdowns and betting odds for all 12 fights as well as picks from Las Vegas Sun’s Case Keefer (110-66), ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto (93-51), ESPN Radio/Cagewriter.com’s Steve Cofield (107-69) and KSNV’s Kevin West (106-70).
Lyoto Machida
- Age: 32
- Height: 6’1''
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 9-2
- MMA record 17-2
- Out of: Belem, Brazil
- Betting line: +350
Jon Jones
- Age: 24
- Height: 6’4''
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 8-1
- MMA record 14-1
- Out of: Albuquerque, N.M.
- Betting line: -450
Light Heavyweight Championship Bout
Main Event
Last fight: Second round knockout victory against Randy Couture at UFC 129.
Punch list: Machida baffled opponents for the first six years of his career, using his karate style and keeping distance to dictate fights and win 16 in a row. The question is if he’ll be able to implement his style against Jones, who now has taken Machida’s place as an indestructible 205-pounder. Jones will hold reach and speed advantages.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Jones
Cofield: Jones
Last fight: Fourth round submission victory over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 135.
Punch list: Four fights in one year is a lot for any mixed martial artist, especially a champion. But Jones says he’s fresh and unbothered by the constant quick turnarounds. If Jones beats Machida, he will complete one of the best single years in MMA history. With a win, he will have beaten three former champions and previously undefeated Ryan Bader.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Jones
Okamoto: Jones
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
- Age: 35
- Height: 6’3”
- Weight: 240
- UFC record 4-2
- MMA record 33-6-1
- Out of: Bahia, Brazil
- Betting line: +210
Frank Mir
- Age: 32
- Height: 6’3''
- Weight: 260
- UFC record 13-5
- MMA record 15-5
- Out of: Las Vegas
- Betting line: -260
Heavyweight Bout
Co-Main Event
Last fight:First round knockout victory over Brendan Schaub at UFC 134.
Punch list: A few too many people had written Nogueira off earlier this year. He entered the matchup against Schaub as a decided underdog, but dropped him with a right hand to finish the fight within three minutes. Once again, a lot of people are doubting Nogueira heading into UFC 140. Mir is a younger, quicker and stronger heavyweight.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Mir
Cofield: Nogueira
Last fight: Unanimous decision victory over Roy Nelson at UFC 130.
Punch list: Although he’s already held the UFC heavyweight championship strap twice, Mir is more determined than ever to get it again. He feels a victory over Nogueira and one other opponent should be enough to make him the No. 1 contender. He had one of his most well rounded performances against Nelson, dominating the fellow local with strikes and knees on the feet and also taking him down several times.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Mir
Okamoto: Mir
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
- Age: 35
- Height: 6’2’’
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 2-2
- MMA record 19-5
- Out of: Bahia, Brazil
- Betting line: -210
Tito Ortiz
- Age: 36
- Height: 6’2’’
- Weight: 206
- UFC record 15-9-1
- MMA record 16-9-1
- Out of: Huntington Beach, Calif.
- Betting line: +170
Light Heavyweight Bout
Featured Contest
Last fight: Unanimous decision defeat to Phil Davis at UFC Fight Night 24.
Punch list: Nogueira needs a win every bit as badly as Ortiz. “Lil Nog” has officially lost two in a row, but also won a questionable decision over Jason Brilz before that. Like his brother, his strengths rest with his boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Staff picks:KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Nogueira
Cofield: Ortiz
Last fight: Second round TKO defeat against Rashad Evans at UFC 133.
Punch list: Is Ortiz really back or was a win this summer against Ryan Bader a glorified fluke? That’s what UFC 140 should answer. Ortiz bounced right back from the Bader victory to challenge Evans as an injury replacement. He held his own in the first round and it looked like a competitive fight until Evans found his rhythm in the second round.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Nogueira
Okamoto: Ortiz
Brian Ebersole
- Age: 31
- Height: 6’0''
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 2-0
- MMA record 48-14-1
- Out of: Sydney, Australia
- Betting line: -125
Claude Patrick
- Age: 31
- Height: 5’11''
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 3-0
- MMA record 14-1
- Out of: Toronto
- Betting line: -105
Welterweight Bout
Pay-Per-View Fight
Last fight: First round TKO victory over Dennis Hallman at UFC 133.
Punch list: The long-roaming Ebersole has found a home. He belongs in the UFC. After bouncing around in smaller promotions for 11 years, Ebersole got his shot in the octagon earlier this year and has taken advantage. Former UFC champion Frank Shamrock will be in his corner at UFC 140.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Ebersole
Cofield: Ebersole
Last fight: Unanimous decision victory over Daniel Roberts at UFC 129.
Punch list: Because of an injury to Rory MacDonald, Patrick receives the step-up in competition he deserves with Ebersole. Now it’s time to find out how he handles it. None of his three UFC fights against lower-tier competition have so much as fazed Patrick.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Ebersole
Okamoto: Ebersole
Chan Sung Jung
- Age: 24
- Height: 5’9’’
- Weight: 143
- UFC record 1-0
- MMA record 11-3
- Out of: Pohang, South Korea
- Betting line: +300
Mark Hominick
- Age: 29
- Height: 5’8’’
- Weight: 145
- UFC record 3-1
- MMA record 20-9
- Out of: London, Ontario
- Betting line: -400
Featherweight Bout
Pay-Per-View Opener
Last fight: Second round submission victory over Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24.
Punch list: Can “the Korean Zombie” drag Hominick into the type of brawl that best suits his style? Jung is adept both on the feet and on the ground, but likes to mix it up and get in wild wars. His UFC debut was a memorable one, as he became the first fighter to ever win via twister submission.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Hominick
Cofield: Hominick
Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Jose Aldo at UFC 129.
Punch list: The death of longtime trainer Shawn Tompkins will weigh heavily on Hominick at UFC 140. It will be the first time in many years that he goes into competition without Tompkins behind him. As a tribute, Tompkins’ brother will be one of Hominick’s corner men.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Hominick
Okamoto: Hominick
Igor Pokrajac
- Age: 32
- Height: 6’0’’
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 2-3
- MMA record 23-8
- Out of: Zagreb, Croatia
- Betting line: +200
Krzysztof Soszynski
- Age: 234
- Height: 6’1’’
- Weight: 205
- UFC record 6-2
- MMA record 26-11-2
- Out of: Temecula, Calif.
- Betting line: -250
Light Heavyweight Bout
Ion TV Prelim
Last fight: First round TKO victory over Todd Brown at UFC on Versus 3.
Punch list: Pokrajac hasn’t fought in nine months because of an injury. He bowed out of a scheduled fight with Soszynski at UFC 131 earlier this year, so this is a re-scheduled bout. The Croatian counts wrestling as his biggest strength.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Soszynski
Cofield: Soszynski
Last fight: Unanimous decision victory over Mike Massenzio at UFC 131.
Punch list: “The Polish Experiment” could notch his third consecutive win here, which would conceivably thrust him well up the 205-pound ranks. He seemed to be heading there already before an upset loss against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 116 in July 2010. Soszynski has 10 career wins by knockout and 11 by submission.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Soszynski
Okamoto: Soszynski
Constantinos Philippou
- Age: 31
- Height: 5’11’’
- Weight: 185
- UFC record 1-1
- MMA record 8-2
- Out of: Long Island, N.Y.
- Betting line: +215
Jared Hamman
- Age: 29
- Height: 6’3’’
- Weight: 185
- UFC record 2-2
- MMA record 13-3
- Out of: El Segundo, Calif.
- Betting line: -275
Middleweight Bout
Ion TV Prelim
Last fight: Won a split decision over Jorge Rivera at UFC 133.
Punch list: “The Ultimate Fighter” 11 veteran trains under former UFC champion Matt Serra in New York. Because of an injury, he accepted a late bout with Rivera in Philadelphia and went on to upset the UFC veteran. Philippou is a boxer who considered a career in the sweet science before choosing mixed martial arts.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Philippou
Cofield: Hamman
Last fight: Second round TKO win over C.B. Dollaway at UFC on Versus 5.
Punch list: Hamman dropped to middleweight for the first time in his last fight and looked phenomenal. He became only the second fighter to ever knock out Dollaway. The former college football player is known for putting on a show, as he won two Fight of the Night awards in a row before the Dollaway victory.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Philippou
Okamoto: Hamman
Dennis Hallman
- Age: 36
- Height: 5’9’’
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 3-5
- MMA record 50-14-2
- Out of: Olympia, Wash.
- Betting line: +120
John Makdessi
- Age: 26
- Height: 5’8’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 2-0
- MMA record 9-0
- Out of: Laval, Quebec
- Betting line: -150
Lightweight Bout
Ion TV Prelim
Last fight: First round TKO loss to Brian Ebersole at UFC 133.
Punch list: Hallman was a popular conversation topic after UFC 133 for all of the wrong reasons. He came out in trunks smaller than a Speedo, much to the disdain of UFC President Dana White. He won’t repeat the wardrobe choice in Toronto. The outfit is now illegal.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Makdessi
Cofield: Makdessi
Last fight: Third round knockout of Kyle Watson at UFC 129.
Punch list: No one has defeated Makdessi. No one has really come close. He’s knocked out seven of nine opponents and finished Watson memorably with a spinning back fist on the last Toronto card. He’s never fought anyone as big or experienced as Hallman.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Hallman
Okamoto: Makdessi
Walel Watson
- Age: 27
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 135
- UFC record 1-0
- MMA record 9-2
- Out of: San Diego
- Betting line: +170
Yves Jabouin
- Age: 32
- Height: 5’6’’
- Weight: 135
- UFC record 1-1
- MMA record 16-7
- Out of: Montreal
- Betting line: -230
Bantamweight Bout
Ion TV Prelim
Last fight: First round TKO win over Joseph Sandoval at UFC on Versus 6.
Punch list: “The Gazelle” holds a length and reach advantage over almost any bantamweight in the UFC. His ground game was more notable than his stand-up before his UFC debut, but Watson knocked Sandoval out with strikes immediately.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Jabouin
Cofield: Jabouin
Last fight: Split decision win over Ian Loveland at UFC 134.
Punch list: Another Canadian fighter who is appearing in Toronto for the second time this year. Jabouin seeks a better result this time around. At UFC 129, Jabouin lost in the first fight of the night when Pablo Garza submitted him with a flying triangle. He dropped from featherweight to bantamweight after the loss.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Watson
Okamoto: Jabouin
Nik Lentz
- Age: 27
- Height: 5’8’’
- Weight: 156
- UFC record 5-0-1
- MMA record 21-3
- Out of: Eden Prarie, Minn.
- Betting line: +140
Mark Bocek
- Age: 30
- Height: 5’9’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 5-4
- MMA record 9-4
- Out of: Toronto
- Betting line: -180
Lightweight Bout
Facebook Prelim
Last fight: No contest against Charles Oliveira at UFC on Versus 4 after being hit with an illegal knee.
Punch list: Lentz ate a ghastly knee while grounded against Oliveira, so an initial loss turned into a no contest. He looked great until the illegal strike, mixing it up with the more athletic Oliveira. The old criticism of Lentz was that he could only wrestle, which made for boring fights.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Lentz
Cofield: Bocek
Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Ben Henderson at UFC 129.
Punch list: If Lentz’s gameplan is to wrestle Bocek to the ground, he’ll have to work with caution. Bocek is best off of his back where he can showcase his world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Bocek has lost two of his last three fights by decision, but feels like he won both. He put Henderson in several precarious positions earlier this year in Toronto.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Bocek
Okamoto: Lentz
Jake Hecht
- Age: 27
- Height: 6’0”
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 10-2
- Out of: Springfield, Ill.
- Betting line: +180
Rich Attonito
- Age: 34
- Height: 5’10’’
- Weight: 170
- UFC record 3-1
- MMA record 10-4
- Out of: Coconut Creek, Fla.
- Betting line: -220
Welterweight Bout
Facebook Prelim
Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Michele Verginelli at Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 1.
Punch list: He wrestled as a youngster in Missouri before taking up boxing in college years. Mixed martial arts was the logical next step upon graduating from the University of Missouri. He fought all around the world before earing a UFC contract this year.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Hecht
Cofield: Attonito
Last fight: Unanimous decision victory over Daniel Roberts at UFC on Versus 4.
Punch list: Attonito has quietly excelled since having to pull out of “The Ultimate Fighter” 11. He trains at American Top Team, one of the most respected gyms in MMA. Opponents have found his wrestling acumen difficult to overcome.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Attonito
Okamoto: Attonito
John Cholish
- Age: 27
- Height: 5’10’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 7-1
- Out of: New York
- Betting line: -300
Mitch Clarke
- Age: 26
- Height: 5’10’’
- Weight: 155
- UFC record 0-0
- MMA record 9-0
- Out of: Edmonton, Alberta
- Betting line: +230
Lightweight Bout
Facebook Prelim
Last fight: Second round submission win over Jameel Massouh at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 9.
Punch list: Cholish is the first Ivy League graduate to ever fight in the octagon. He wrestled at Cornell before diving into a career as a commodities broker on Wall Street. He plans to keep that job as his primary career while fighting in the UFC.
Staff picks: KSNV and ESPN Radio
West: Clarke
Cofield: Cholish
Last fight: Unanimous decision win against Eddie Rincon at Evolution Fighting Championships 8.
Punch list: Clarke is the first Saskatschewan-born fighter to ever appear in the UFC. He has a background in wrestling just like his opponent, Cholish. “Danger Zone” has a degree in environmental science.
Staff picks: Las Vegas Sun and ESPN.com
Keefer: Cholish
Okamoto: Cholish
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