UFC 99: The Comeback - Silva and Franklin fight for their lives

Will the axe fall upon Wanderlei Silva?

UFC betting enthusiasts will have the opportunity to witness “The Comeback”, a fittingly titled UFC 99 event this weekend. The MMA betting event is titled as such because the main event is between two living legends in the octagon, who are both very much fighting for their careers. Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva and Rich Franklin will get in the ring, possibly for the last time, in front of a German audience which has been starved for a competitive mixed-martial arts event for quite a while.

Silva enters the event as a +115 underdog on UFC 99 odds, given that he has lost four of his past five fights. Those who regularly bet on UFC may be a tad bit disappointed to see “The Axe Murderer” in the top spot once again, but there is no doubt that both pay per view and BetUS sportsbook customers are drawn to the allure of a legend like Silva. Unlike the dominant fighter of old, Silva has shown to have a bit of a glass jaw in his elder years, after establishing a reputation as a man who would never be hurt with strikes.

Knowing that, his opponent in this matchup, despite his advanced age as well, is in a great stylistic matchup. Rich Franklin enters the bout as a -155 favorite on UFC 99 lines, as he seems to have aged a tad bit better than Silva. Whereas Silva has resorted to reckless attacks and throwing haymakers, Franklin has stayed true to his style. “Ace” has long been known for his disciplined style, and calm demeanour inside the cage. The vast majority of his victories have come via knockout, due to his “freestyle fighting” style. Franklin has good hand positioning in his southpaw stance, which tends to frustrate reckless stand-up combatants, and commonly results in the end of the contest.

Although he is favoured, betting on Rich Franklin at -155 UFC odds is still very good value. Silva’s recent escapades in the octagon speak for themselves. His skills have diminished to the point that he must resort to swinging freely in search of a knockout, and a semi-agile, disciplined stand-up artist like Franklin will prey upon that weakness.

Look for Franklin to win the fight by TKO, and move down from the 195 pound catchweight up to heavyweight for one last shot at a world title.