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08-16-2012, 07:11 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Status: Leben 'em dead and maimed Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 13,321
|  UFC on FOX 5 odds: Champ Henderson opens as heavy favorite over Diaz
UFC on FOX 5 odds: Champ Henderson opens as heavy favorite over Diaz  Quote:
The oddsmakers are heavily favoring UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in his next title defense.
As MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) first reported Wednesday, Henderson (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) meets top contender Nate Diaz (16-7 MMA, 11-5 UFC) in the headliner of December's UFC on FOX 5 event.
Noted and influential MMA oddsmaker Joey Oddessa has set an opening "Odessa line" with Henderson at -340 and Diaz at +260, which makes the champ an approximate 3-to-1 favorite.
| UFC on FOX 5 odds: Champ Henderson opens as heavy favorite over Diaz | MMAjunkie.com Maynard Thinks Nate Diaz Will Win the Belt; Gunning for Trilogy and TUF 17 Slot Quote:
“I thought Edgar pulled it out, but whenever, it’s a close one; the judges, it’s all up to them I guess,” Maynard told MMAWeekly Radio. “He pulled out a couple close ones against B.J. (Penn) and me and then he had this one; it was close, so it could go either way I guess.”
Maynard lost his last fight with Edgar in 2011 and he knew as long as the New Jersey native held onto the belt, he probably wouldn’t get another shot at the gold for quite some time, if ever. Now with the belt in Benson Henderson’s hands, the doors are once again open to a title run for Gray Maynard.
Maynard has never faced Henderson, but he does have history with the champ’s next opponent, Nate Diaz. During season 5 of The Ultimate Fighter, Diaz submitted Maynard to advance to the finals of the reality show. Maynard got his revenge at a UFC Fight Night in 2010 when he beat Diaz by split decision.
“It opens up things for me. It opens up things for (Anthony) Pettis because he beat Benson. If Nate beats him, that opens it up for me more because there’s a trilogy. He beat me once and I beat him, so we could do the third fight. There’s a lot of options,” Maynard stated.
Maynard makes no bones about wanting the winner in the fight between Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz, but he believes that a trilogy could be in his future after UFC on Fox 5 finishes on Dec. 8.
“Nate’s on a roll; I think he’ll pull it out,” Maynard said about the fight between Henderson and Diaz. “If he does, I know he was begging for me for a long time, but for me I was looking at the title and that’s a fight that would be a great fight for the title. I’d like to do the TV show against him if that’s the case.”
The TV show is The Ultimate Fighter, which kicks off season 16 in September with coaches Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin. If Diaz is successful in defeating Henderson, Maynard hopes to land the season 17 slot and settle the rubber match with the man who originally eliminated him from the show more than five years ago.
If The Ultimate Fighter happens for Maynard, it would likely mean him sitting out for the better part of eight to 10 months with filming and waiting to fight, but right now, he’s only interested in the biggest fights possible against the best opponents.
It doesn’t get much bigger or better than fighting for the UFC lightweight title.
“For me as of now, it’s about going up against the top guys. Like I don’t care about paydays, and stuff like that. Right now it’s about beating the top guys and getting the belt,” said Maynard.
“I did a lot of work all the way till now and I’m at the top. I need that belt, and I switched up a lot of stuff to do that. I changed gyms, did everything I could, so when the opportunity happens I’ll be prepared for it.”
If Maynard doesn’t land the shot against the winner of Henderson vs. Diaz, there is still one long-standing grudge he would love to settle. He believes there is still unfinished business with Frankie Edgar, and that would be another opportunity to coach on the reality show and then put their rivalry to bed.
“I would love that fight still. He’s a tough kid; there’s a TV show in that. That’s No. 4 and that doesn’t happen very often, and it’s been back and forth. He pulled out the last bout that we had, it happens, but that’s a good story as well,” Maynard said.
“That fight interests me; I want that to be done. The belt of course is my goal. It’s a good spot to be in. That’s all I care about: top guys, good fights.”
| http://www.mmaweekly.com/gray-maynar...nd-tuf-17-slot Edgar: Nate Diaz Matches Up ‘Really Well’ with Benson Henderson Quote:
“If Nate would need my help or would ask for my help, I would love to help him out,” Edgar told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “It’s Time” show with Bruce Buffer. “We got some work in last time that was really good. If I could help him out, of course I would.”
Edgar trains on the East Coast with Ricardo Almeida and Renzo Gracie, who have good relationships with Diaz’s trainer in California, Cesar Gracie. That’s how Edgar and Diaz are connected, and while they would have been fighting each other if Edgar had beaten Henderson on Saturday at UFC 150, they could now be training together instead.
“They’re great guys,” Edgar said. “Obviously the Gracie family is a big part of what I represent. Ricardo is a black belt under Renzo, and Renzo’s a Gracie himself. They’re my teachers. I look up to them a whole bunch. It means something to me. It’d be nice to see Nate get in there and mix it up with Ben.”
Henderson won a unanimous decision over Edgar in their first encounter and then edged him Saturday via a split decision that sparked no small amount of controversy. Both fights were close, but in the rematch in particular Edgar appeared to be the aggressor. Henderson said afterward he regretted not pushing the pace more, though he still felt he won the fight. Edgar doesn’t think he’ll be able to sit back against Diaz.
“I don’t think he’s going to have a choice with Nate,” Edgar said. “Nate comes forward. I think that’s just going to be what he has to deal with. Nate’s going to come after you. He’s going to throw a lot, a lot of punches and he’s going to try to get you to take a bad shot and try to snag up a submission that way.”
It’s been five and a half years since Henderson was submitted. He’s won five straight since moving to the UFC, but Diaz is also on a good run, with three straight victories. They meet Dec. 8 at UFC on Fox 5.
“I just think that Nate comes forward so much,” Edgar said. “I don’t know how Ben will deal with that. Nate’s length -- he’s got great, great jiu-jitsu. I feel the wrestling edge will probably go to Ben, but if you look at Nate’s last performances, he’s gotten so good everywhere. He fought Jim Miller, and Jim Miller couldn’t take him down. Jim Miller’s a pretty high-level wrestler too. I think Nate’s definitely a great matchup for Ben.”
| http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Fra...enderson-44947
__________________ Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Last edited by Cat--Smasher; 08-16-2012 at 07:21 AM.
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08-16-2012, 07:45 AM
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#2 (permalink)
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Status: 2011 MMANEWS Pickem Champ Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,079
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Wow.... this honestly really really surprises me. Putting money on this for sure
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08-16-2012, 08:04 AM
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#3 (permalink)
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Status: Leben 'em dead and maimed Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 13,321
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NLRepublic  Wow.... this honestly really really surprises me. Putting money on this for sure | Get in while the getting in is good. I wonder how much these odds while change once Diaz gets a bit of fresh hype behind him.
__________________ Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. | |
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08-16-2012, 08:07 AM
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#4 (permalink)
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Status: Words here. Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,055
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no way it stays at this. there's going to be a ton of folks putting down money on diaz at these odds...
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08-16-2012, 08:11 AM
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#5 (permalink)
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Status: 2011 MMANEWS Pickem Champ Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,079
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cat--Smasher Get in while the getting in is good. I wonder how much these odds while change once Diaz gets a bit of fresh hype behind him. | Quote:
Originally Posted by AnchorPunch no way it stays at this. there's going to be a ton of folks putting down money on diaz at these odds... | Yep, 100% agree, no way the odds stay like this, I bet they'll be close to even come December
I'm just still shocked they even opened this wide
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08-16-2012, 08:18 AM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Reputation: 125-149
Status: Rookie Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Souther California Posts: 43
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Can't wait for this it's going to be one hell of a brawl. Interesting I think Nate should take up Frankie's offer couldn't hurt. I always root for the diaz brothers, everyone can agree love or hate nate you want to see him fight.
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08-16-2012, 08:25 AM
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#7 (permalink)
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Status: @rkm80 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Posts: 1,220
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Might be time to drop some coin on this fight.
__________________
"I think everybody up here is grateful to be on FOX. They'd probably say, 'FOX, thanks.' Everybody but me. I would say, 'FOX, you're welcome. You've been telling everybody for years you've got the American Idol, and now you finally do.'" Chael Sonnen
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08-16-2012, 08:50 AM
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#8 (permalink)
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Status: Curses, foiled again! Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 12,339
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Earn your shot Maynard! MOFO. Quote:
Maynard has never faced Henderson, but he does have history with the champ’s next opponent, Nate Diaz. During season 5 of The Ultimate Fighter, Diaz submitted Maynard to advance to the finals of the reality show. Maynard got his revenge at a UFC Fight Night in 2010 when he beat Diaz by split decision.
“It opens up things for me. It opens up things for (Anthony) Pettis because he beat Benson. If Nate beats him, that opens it up for me more because there’s a trilogy. He beat me once and I beat him, so we could do the third fight. There’s a lot of options,” Maynard stated.
Maynard makes no bones about wanting the winner in the fight between Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz, but he believes that a trilogy could be in his future after UFC on Fox 5 finishes on Dec. 8.
“Nate’s on a roll; I think he’ll pull it out,” Maynard said about the fight between Henderson and Diaz. “If he does, I know he was begging for me for a long time, but for me I was looking at the title and that’s a fight that would be a great fight for the title. I’d like to do the TV show against him if that’s the case.”
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08-16-2012, 10:00 AM
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#9 (permalink)
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Location: Where I live? No I ask the questions here Posts: 18,186
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Anybody else find it funny that beating Jim Miller got Nate the title shot yet Jim couldn't get one for being on a 9 fight win streak?
__________________ There are many paths to freedom....not all are peaceful. | |
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08-16-2012, 10:34 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Reputation: 150-174
Status: Rookie Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 67
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Jim lost to bendo and hadn't really beat any top guys except melvin which aint saying to much even tho i like him
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