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posted May 16, 2008 at 15:47 in UFC / MMA Articles

BetUS Sportsbook bettors who love mixed martial arts and online sports betting will get to see a number of interesting fights on May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, the site of UFC 84. In one of those bouts, Tito Ortiz, an iconic figure in mixed martial arts circles, tries to pin the first pro loss on the record of a new hotshot, Lyoto Machida.

BetUS UFC Betting Odds

Light Heavyweights (3 rounds)

May 24 -- Las Vegas

LYOTO MACHIDA -220

TITO ORTIZ +175

For online betting purposes, let's size up the contestants:

MACHIDA (12-0, 3 KO's, 2 submissions), the -220 favorite in the BetUS UFC betting odds, is Brazilian-Japanese, and a southpaw who was trained in Shotokan karate. He has an extensive background, not just in karate, but sumo, jiu-jitsu and some in Thai boxing. He engaged in pro wrestling in Japan as a protege of the legendary Antonio Inoki. He has fought in K-1, where he beat current UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn. He also holds a win over former UFC middleweight champ Rich Franklin. Machida came to America and joined the World Fighting Alliance before making his debut in the UFC last February with a decision win over Sam Hoger. He's had four wins in the organization, the latest of which was a submission over Thierry Sokoudjou in UFC 79. Machida is known as a fighter with a wide range of skills and weapons. Making him a fantastic sports betting option. He throws a lot of leg sweeps and spinning back kicks as well as other unorthodox moves, such as the forearm choke he applied to get a submission over Michael McDonald in March of 2004.

ORTIZ (15-5-1, 8 KO's, 2 submissions) has been a key figure in the growth of the UFC. About six years ago I had the opportunity to peak to UFC president Dana White and he communicated that he was looking for Ortiz to be the promotion's Latin star, having something an Oscar De La Hoya effect. Ortiz has achieved that to an extent; his fights with Chuck Liddell has have been among the UFC's top revenue-generating pay-per-view events. And his third fight with Ken Shamrock garnered higher cable ratings than a baseball playoff game that aired at the same time. Ortiz, whose background is in wrestling, started out by helping Tank Abbott train for an MMA fight, and wound up competing as a substitute at UFC 13. Ortiz progressed to the point where he won the UFC middleweight title at UFC 25 over Wanderlei Silva. After that division was reclassified as light heavyweight, Ortiz made five defenses before losing the crown to Randy Couture at UFC 44. He has won three fights with Ken Shamrock, but was halted twice inside the distance by Chuck Liddell. His last fight was a draw with Rashard Evans last July. Ortiz has established himself as one of the sport's most colorful and flamboyant performers.

This is a plotline I have seen a million times in boxing - a promoter is going to take the veteran with a big name and use him as a stepping stone for the up-and-coming fighter who they're trying to turn into a star. There's an additional twist here, though; Ortiz's animosity toward the UFC has become well-known, and he has been very vocal about what he considers to be injustices toward fighters on the part of the organization. Like the aforementioned De La Hoya, he is desirous of hanging out his own promotional banner. This is his last fight with the UFC, as he is fulfilling his contractual obligation.

There is nothing the UFC would want more than to send him out the door as damaged goods. Nowhere does it say Ortiz can't be a spoiler, but there are not many times things haven't gone according to the UFC's script. This is not to say that anything is going to be "pre-arranged," but let's face it - this fight is in Las Vegas, and the UFC has a degree of carte blanche with the Nevada commission. I certainly wouldn't look for Ortiz to get the benefit of the doubt from the judges.

Machida is somebody the UFC can promote into a big star. He is undefeated and has more than ten fights to his credit, and that has been very rare in mixed martial arts. It is not as if he is so young and green either - he is in fact on the cusp of his 30th birthday and has been doing this for a while. He can do a lot of things, and even though he looked bad while working with a huge weight advantage against B.J. Penn, he did manage to knock Rich Franklin OUT with strikes. Machida is conditioned to go the distance as well.

It's been a while since Ortiz passed a big test. Prior to that lackluster draw with Evans, he had lost to Liddell on strikes, and before that, he had two bouts with Shamrock, who was well past his prime. His win over Forrest Griffin came against a guy with much less experience.

Call this a passing of the torch if you will, but this will be a rather unceremonious exit for Ortiz, while Machida is going to move on to perhaps a mega-fight or two in the light heavyweight division. I'll take Lyoto Machida, the -220 favorite in the BetUS UFC betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: MACHIDA TO WIN BY TKO (-220) ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay of www.eBookies.com is a former manager, matchmaker and color commentator in professional boxing. He currently pulls no punches in the BetUS Locker Room)