When Betting on UFC 87 Brock's No Lock!

Brock Lesnar (-260) vs. Heath Herring (+200)

While Elite XC seems content on spoon-feeding Kimbo Slice inept opponents, Dana White sure isn't making it easy for the UFC's newest star. Brock Lesnar came into the MMA world with an abundance of hype, and following a quick destruction of Min Soo Kimin in Japan's K-1, it was time for the former WWE champion to continue his warpath in North America for sports betting fanatics everywhere.

However, Lesnar was startled by Frank Mir's submission game, and suddenly he was scoffed at and disregarded by online gambling experts as an MMA wagering bust.

Things won't get much easier for "The Next Big Thing," as he'll run into another saavy veteran of the octagon, Heath Herring. Online UFC betting enthusiasts will have the pleasure of watching two mammoth, aggressive fighters duke it out on Saturday.

While Lesnar will have home-field advantage in his hometown of Minneapolis, it is Herring who is most familiar with the canvas of the UFC, having fought current heavyweight champion Antonio Rodgrio Nogueira more times (3) than Brock has even been in an MMA ring (2).

If his first two fights are any indication, Lesnar's game plan will be to bull-rush Herring and overwhelm him with his power. With his extensive amateur background, he is certainly a master of takedowns, but it is what he does while on top that seems to be his issue. This isn't pro wrestling, and nobody is going to allow him to apply the Brock Lock in the UFC.

The former Minnesota Vikings cast-off is not well-versed in the submission game--be it on offense, or on defense. Mir found a hole in his wildman approach, and that is exactly what Heath Herring will look to do. Herring showed that he could slow down arguably the most powerful heavyweight in all of MMA, Cheick Kongo.

If that fight hadn't occurred, I would probably suggest that Lesnar would overpower Herring and take this fight handily. But the veteran savvy and ability to establish the pace of the fight displayed in the Kongo fight most likely give Herring the upper hand in this one.

Lesnar's best chance is to go for the knockout early. He appears to have a slight power advantage over Herring, although the 'Texas Crazy Horse' is a more seasoned striker. While both men have suspect cardiovascular ability, Lesnar may have the upper-hand in that area as well with his athletic background. But once again, the longer the fight goes, the longer Herring will have to find a weakness in Lesnar's not-yet-polished MMA game.

While he certainly isn't a submission specialist, Herring has stopped several of his fights using a rear-naked choke--something Brock certainly didn't have to contend with in the NCAA, or the WWE.

The Edge: BetUS customers and UFC wagering enthusiasts should go for the veteran (and underdog!) in this one. Once again, Herring's three-round battle with Kongo proved that he is a more mature fighter than ever, and shouldn't have much of an issue exposing Brock's weaknesses.