UFC 132 Fight Card & Predictions

Written by Jake Thompson
Saturday, 02 July 2011 00:34

It’s time to preview the UFC 132 fight card and make some betting predictions.

The UFC 132 card is packed full of potentially explosive fights, and we hope that our betting predictions help our readers win some easy cash on July 2nd.  Although the UFC Bantamweight Championship fight between Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber is technically the headliner, the middleweight bout between knockout artists Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben might be garnering even more attention.  We’ll take a look at the entire UFC 132 fight card and then make some quick predictions on how these bouts will end.

UFC 132 Fight Card:

Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber

Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben

Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Misugaki

Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim

Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader

Brad Tavares vs. Aaron Simpson

George Sotiropoulos vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman

Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller

Andre Winner vs. Anthony Njokuani

Donny Walker vs. Jeff Houghland

UFC 132 Predictions:

Dominick Cruz may be the champion and on an 8-fight winning streak, but his only career loss came at the hands of Urijah Faber by guillotine choke.  Faber dropped down a weight class after losing 3 of 6 fights and will look to utilize his wrestling and top-control game against Cruz’s sharp boxing and incredible footwork.  Cruz has defeated Faber’s Alpha Male teammate Joseph Benavidez by decision twice now, and I’m not entirely sure what the challenger brings to the table to prevent a similar outcome.  That being said, I’m betting on the underdog to take the belt because his wrestling and speed, coupled with more size than Benavidez, could be enough to get the job done.  I think this one goes to a decision and Faber wins by utilizing takedowns and avoiding damage.

Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva are both heavy hitters who love to brawl, and this might be the fight of the year if it lasts long enough to qualify.  I could see a quick knockout for either fighter, but I could also fathom a war similar to when Silva and Chuck Liddell finally met up in the octagon.  Silva’s chin hasn’t held up recently, but he also has the speed and Muay Thai strikes that give Leben problems.  Ultimately, Leben’s iron jaw and 1-punch knockout power get the job done, but I think both fighters battle back from early trouble before this one ends halfway through the 2nd round.

Although Carlos Condit always seems to find a way to win, I think Hyun Kim can take the decision here.  Condit is a scrapper that is always looking for the finish no matter where the fight goes, but Hyun Kim’s smothering style will make it tough to implement any fight-ending techniques.  Hyun Kim has excellent takedowns and submission defense, and I just think that he’s savvy enough to avoid the big punch and the triangle choke that Condit will undoubtedly throw at him.

Tito Ortiz is one of the biggest underdogs (+420 odds) at UFC 132, and he’ll have his hands full with Ultimate Fighter winner Ryan Bader.  Bader simply has better wrestling, more power in his hands, and is in his prime while Ortiz is struggling to remain relevant.  I do think that Tito has a submission advantage here, but I just don’t think Bader will be careless enough to get caught in anything.  Look for the younger fighter to determine where this fight takes place en route to a unanimous decision that forces Ortiz out of the UFC.