Posted on 3/3/2007 12:50:11 PM

UFC 68 Betting - Randy Couture Takes on the Champ

By John A. Edwards

Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (23-2-0) vs. Randy “The Natural” Couture (14-8-0) Current Line: Sylvia -350 Couture +280 (Subject to change)

Comparisons to Rocky Balboa’s ‘old man comes back to the ring for one more fight’ story inevitably comes to mind when you think about this Saturday’s UFC 68: "The Uprising" main event. 43-year-old Randy "The Natural" Couture, comes out of retirement to take on the current heavyweight champ Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia.

In his heyday, Couture held both the UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight championship titles. With his three fight series of matches against Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell, Couture became one of the UFC’s most recognizable faces. When he retired after losing to UFC Light-Heavyweight champion Liddell in February 2006, it appeared his fighting career was over. The organization even inducted him into the UFC Hall of Fame four months later. But just like in the Rocky movies, retirements aren't permanent, and when Couture, now 43-years-old, was approached about a heavyweight title match with the current, 6-foot-8 264 pounds, heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia, he seemed to jump at the chance.

 

With this fight, Couture is not only taking on the 6-foot-8 beast that is Tim Sylvia, he’s also battling the stigmas of middle age. Every American male in his 40s will be rooting for Couture. At this stage of his life though he doesn't really have anything left to prove. He’s been a champion in two weight divisions, and he’s been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. He’s doing it purely because he loves to do it and still can, so why not? Whether he wins another title or not doesn't change what he’s already accomplished. Let’s just hope that at 43, he’s still capable of doing it. He looks like he’s in good shape, but we’ll have to wait until Saturday night to see whether he can take down Sylvia.

 

So what happens if he does beat the champ? The UFC heavyweight division has a few huge potential match-ups. Every UFC fan would like to see Couture take on Brandon Vera, Andrei Arlovski, or the new force in the UFC -- Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. First though, he must defeat the “Maine-iac”. BetUS has the current line set at Sylvia -350 Couture +280 (subject to change). Couture is the big under-dog, but if he pulls off a win, a $100 bet will pay out big time.

John A. Edwards is a freelance writer for BetUS.com and features regularly on Fight News.

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