The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweight Finale Predictions and Odds

Kimbo Slice (+220) vs. Houston Alexander (-280)

As important as it is for Kimbo Slice to win this bout, it’s also a must win for Houston Alexander. This fight should be everything that we expect it to be. Hopefully both chins will hold up long enough for us to get a good slugfest out of it. Reportedly, Kimbo is having difficulty making the 215 pound catch weight. I don’t see that causing him too many problems come fight time though. Kimbo is worth a look in this one at +220, due to Alexander not having the greatest chin and this one most likely being a slugfest. I still believe Alexander is going to take it though.

Alexander by TKO

Roy Nelson (-250) vs. Brendan Schaub (+190)

Experience will be the key in this one. When it became known that Roy Nelson was a contestant on the show, the consensus was that the Ultimate Fighter crown was his for the taking. Nelson doesn’t look pretty, but he gets the job done. Schaub’s athletic ability makes him worth checking out at +190, but I believe Nelson takes this one.

Nelson by submission

Matt Veach (+450) vs. Frank Edgar (-650)

Edgar is one of the most underrated fighters in mixed martial arts today. Veach comes from a good camp, but the difference in this one is experience against high level fighters. Veach’s biggest wins are over Matt Grice and Chicago’s Charles Wilson. Edgar has wins over Sean Sherk, Hermes Franca, Spencer Fisher, Tyson Griffin, and Jim Miller. This is too much too soon for Veach in my opinion.

Edgar by decision

Matt Hamill (+250) vs. Jon Jones (-325)

I’m not completely sold on Jones yet. I see this fight being similiar to the Jake O’Brien fight though. Hamill will make a good account of himself for awhile, in a fairly even contest, but I see him getting caught with some unorthodox strikes that he may not recover from.

Jones by TKO

Matt Mitrione (+235) vs. Marcus Jones (-290)

Jones will have to score an early takedown, or weather a storm of punches. If it gets to the ground, he has the advantage and will cause problems for Matt. I don’t know if Marcus’s heart is in the fight game, which could be the deciding factor in this fight. If you believe this fight will stay standing, +235 is a very good bet on Mitrione. If you think this fight go’s to the ground it’s probably not. I wouldn’t give Jones a look at -290 though. This is too much risk for someone with the mental part of the fight game being the X factor for them.

Mitrione by TKO

John Howard (-240) vs. Dennis Hallman (+190)

Hallman at 34 years old, in my opinion has seen better days. The veteran is still dangerous on the ground, but I believe Howard is crafty enough to avoid those submissions. Hallman’s last fight against what I believe to be UFC level competition was a 2006 loss in the IFL to Ryan McGivern.

Howard by decision

Joe Brammer (+300) vs. Mark Bocek (-500)

Brammer’s biggest win is over Chris Mickle, and he has a draw against Alonzo Martinez. Bocek isn’t UFC elite, but this is still a huge jump in competition for Brammer. As Bocek is not at the top of the UFC pile, it’s tempting to bet against him when you get +300. It’s still a risky bet in this one though.

Bocek by submission

Brian Stann (-125) vs. Rodney Wallace (+105)

I’ve only seen Wallace fight once, and it wasn’t against the greatest of opposition. Wallace’s best win is over Antwain Britt. Six of his nine wins are by decision, with two coming by submission. Stann was very heavily marketed during his WEC days, and I believe at one time he had some unnecessary hype around him. Only one of his bouts, his most recent rematch win over Steve Cantwell has gone the distance. The oddsmaker’s believe that Wallace has a shot in the one, with him being +105. If you’re familiar with him and are comfortable laying some money down on Wallace, you’re still not getting much bang for your buck at that price.

Stann by TKO

Locks on the card:
Frank Edgar
Roy Nelson
John Howard

By Keith Palmer

-kpalmersports@hotmail.com

As a trainer, he has had fighters compete in Denmark, England, Germany, Japan, Canada, and Mexico. He has had fighters compete on ESPN, Showtime, and pay per view televised events. He has promoted numerous MMA events, including an event at Conseco Field house that featured UFC veterans Chris “Lights Out” Lytle vs. Matt Brown.