Daniel Cormier poses on the scale during the UFC 200 weigh-ins at the T-Mobile Arena on Friday, July 8, 2016.
Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 | 2 a.m.
The UFC goes gigantic to get its 2018 pay-per-view calendar under way tonight in Boston.
For the first time since UFC 44 in September 2003, the lineal titles in both the locally-based promotion’s two biggest, and traditionally most popular, weight classes are at risk. Francis Ngannou challenges Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight championship in the main event, with direct support coming from Daniel Cormier attempting to defend his light heavyweight belt against Volkan Oezdemir.
The last time both weight classes staged championship bouts on the same night, one title was retained while the challenger seized the other. Randy Couture unseated Tito Ortiz at the Mandalay Bay Events Center back then to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion, while Tim Sylvia knocked out Gan McGee for his first defense.
General consensus is the reverse will happen at the TD Garden. Cormier is a minus-350 (risking $3.50 to win $1) favorite, with Oezdemir coming back at plus-270 (risking $1 to win $2.70).
But Miocic will enter the underdog, offered at the current price of plus-145 with Ngannou at minus-175.
The Sun’s picks panel is mostly on board with the prevailing opinion.
Check below for a breakdown of every fight along with odds and picks from the Sun’s Ray Brewer and Case Keefer, along with ESPN Radio’s Steve Cofield and KSNV’s Randy Howe.
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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