The best UFC (UFC 187<\/strong>) card in quite some time comes our way from Las Vegas this weekend when TWO titles will be on the line. Thanks to Jon Jones\u2019s indiscretions the Light Heavyweight division will crown a new champion for the first time in four years and the Middleweight strap will also be contested. <\/p>\n UFC 187: “Johnson vs. Cormier”<\/strong> A couple of Flyweights will try to earn a shot at Demetrious Johnson, Donald Cerrone will be in action and Travis Browne and Andrei Arlovski will throw down.<\/p>\n It should be an interesting night of fights to say the least \u2013 let\u2019s take a closer look.<\/p>\n Anthony Johnson (19-4-0): +110<\/strong> Surging Light Heavyweight Anthony Johnson will step in for Jon Jones to take on Daniel Cormier in what should be a terrific Light Heavyweight Title fight. On paper this bout is close \u2013 Cormier will attempt to use his evolving striking game and Olympic-level wrestling to neutralize Johnson\u2019s terrific striking.<\/p>\n Obviously Cormier will have to stay out of harm\u2019s way in this one \u2013 Johnson can end this fight at any time with the cinder block he calls hands. Cormier has had some success in the past against classic strikers however \u2013 he dominated Dan Henderson \u2013 no easy feat. But Johnson\u2019s aggressiveness is tough to handle \u2013 just ask Alexander Gustafsson and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Johnson also had his way against a top tier wrestler in Phil Davis so we know Rumble can hand with someone who will work tirelessly to get the fight to the mat.<\/p>\n That said Cormier\u2019s power is unlike any that Johnson has faced so far in his career \u2013 Johnson\u2019s improving takedown defense will have to be on another level for this fight. I think that power is the difference in this fight as Cormier prepares for a five round grinding type fight. It is hard to imagine Cormier leaving himself open at any time in the clash \u2013 he will pick his spots, close the distance carefully and dictate the pace in this one.<\/p>\n A frustrated Anthony Johnson puts up a good fight but has no answer for the inevitably frequent takedowns of Daniel Cormier!<\/p>\n Chris Weidman (12-0-0): -500<\/strong> A frequently rescheduled fight between Middleweight champion Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort finally goes down on Saturday night with the challenger Belfort hoping to ride a serious wave of momentum against the very tough and battle tested Chris Weidman \u2013 the same Weidman that handled Anderson Silva and Lyota Machida in his last few fights.<\/p>\n [dfads params=’groups=1436&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]<\/p>\n Make no mistake about it \u2013 Belfort will be out to end this fight early and in typically violet fashion. He is as dangerous a guy in the first five minutes of a fight as there is. Belfort is a far cry from the cerebral fighters that Weidman has had success against lately however. Going against Belfort are the facts that he hasn\u2019t fought in quite a while and he will be unable to rely on the testosterone-replacement therapy that made him the shredded machine he was a couple of years ago.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that Weidman has already taken on two of the best strikers the 185-pound division has ever seen and handled them. Weidman can strike with the best and he has the ability to take the fight to the mat and dominate on the ground if need be. Weidman is the best all-around fighter in the division and has shown the chops to follow a fight plan to a tee.<\/p>\n Simply put Belfort will have to hope for a knockout blow here \u2013 something that Silva and Machida were unable to accomplish. With diminished power due to the ban of testosterone-replacement therapy I don\u2019t like his chances here. Weidman is too good, too smart and too hot to lose his belt here. There is nowhere this fight goes that Weidman won\u2019t have a plan for.<\/p>\n Donald Cerrone (27-6-0): -500<\/strong> Jon Makdessi steps in for Khabib Nurmagomedov to take on the #3 ranked Lightweight in the UFC Donald Cerrone. Makdessi is a nice fighter but has yet to face anyone close to the level of Cerrone \u2013 Makdessi fought just a month ago which could also hurt him here.<\/p>\n Cerrone will have an immense size advantage in this fight \u2013 a height and five inch reach advantage. It is hard to imagine Makdessi getting in close enough to score the necessary big blow to win this contest. Cerrone should be able to use his incredibly wide array of strikes \u2013 knees, elbows, punches and kicks to keep Makdessi right where he wants him. If the fight is contested in the clinch or on the ground, an even bigger advantage has to go to The Cowboy.<\/p>\n Cerrone is better than Makdessi in absolutely every aspect of the sport \u2013 the only thing that stops him is the added pressure of this big fight. Cerrone has wilted before and with a Title Fight likely on the horizon, he has to battle his demons and get it done when it matters most.<\/p>\n Clearly this fight is a mismatch \u2013 Cerrone gets it done with an early stoppage or a late submission \u2013 I can\u2019t see this fight making it to the judge\u2019s score cards.<\/p>\n Andrei Arlovski (23-10-0): +325<\/strong> Two athletic, powerful Heavyweights are ready to put on a show Saturday night when Andrei Arlovsky attempts to take down Travis Browne. Arlovsky is 8-1 in his last nine fights \u2013 seriously and is the #7 ranked Heavyweight in the UFC \u2013 double seriously! His last fight was an impressive KO victory over Antonio Silva.<\/p>\n But on Saturday Arlovski takes on steam-roller Travis Browne, a fighter that is not afraid to charge forward and to get hit with the purpose of delivering a shot himself. Brown has wins over Stefan Struve, Josh Barnett and Alistair Overeem thanks to his forward style \u2013 my guess is that Arlovski is the next victim.<\/p>\n Anything can happen especially in the Heavyweight division but my guess is that Browne\u2019s attacking style is too much for the smaller and susceptible Arlovski.<\/p>\n Joseph Benavidez (21-4-0): -550<\/strong> The winner of this fight will likely earn a second shot at Demetrious Johnson. Both fighters have similar styles and each has a ton on the line in this fight. Both are good strikers, solid wrestlers and each has a decent submission game.<\/p>\n I have to go with the more athletic of the two fighters in this one \u2013 in such a tight fight on paper one advantage could be the difference \u2013 Benavidez has that athletic edge. Benavidez has taken on and beaten the better competition and is in that A- class of fighter while Moraga has been stuck in that B class of fighter for quite a while now.<\/p>\n : Joseph Benavidez -550<\/p>\n John Dodson (16-6-0): -450 vs. Zach Makovsky (19-5-0): +325 Josh Burkman (27-10-0): +225 vs. Dong Hyun Kim (19-3-1): -285 Uriah Hall (10-4-0): -350 vs. Rafael Natal (19-6-1): +265 Rose Namajunas (2-2-0): -280 vs. Nina Ansaroff (6-4-0): +220 UFC 187 Fight Pass “Prelims” (6:30 p.m. ET):<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Mike Pyle (26-10-1): +215 vs. Colby Covington (7-0-0): -275
\n Date: Sat., May 23, 2015 on pay-per-view (PPV)<\/strong>
\n Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nUFC 187 PPV Main Card:<\/h3>\n
\n Daniel Cormier (15-1-0): -140<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
CLICK to GRAB OUR BEST Expert Sports Picks for 2015 GAMBLING!<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
MMA Betting Pick: Daniel Cormier -140<\/h3>\n
\n Vitor Belfort (24-10-0): +350<\/strong><\/p>\nMMA Betting Pick: Chris Weidman -500<\/h3>\n
\n John Makdessi (13-3-0): +350<\/strong><\/p>\nMMA Betting Pick: Donald Cerrone -500<\/h3>\n
\n Travis Browne (17-2-1): -450<\/strong><\/p>\nMMA Betting Pick: Travis Browne -450<\/h3>\n
\n John Moraga (16-3-0): +375<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
CLICK to GRAB OUR BEST Expert Sports Picks for 2015 GAMBLING!<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
MMA Betting Pick<\/h3>\n
UFC 187 FOX Sports 1 “Prelims” (8 p.m. ET):<\/h3>\n
\nMMA Betting Pick<\/strong>: John Dodson -450<\/p>\n
\nMMA Betting Pick<\/strong>: Dong Hyun Kim -285<\/p>\n
\nMMA Betting Pick<\/strong>: Rafael Natal +265<\/p>\n
\nMMA Betting Pick<\/strong>: Rose Namajunas -280<\/p>\n
\nMMA Betting Pick<\/strong>: Mike Pyle +215<\/p>\n