We're just hours away from UFC on FX 3 and hours away from the end of the semifinals of the inaugural UFC flyweight title tournament. After the fight between Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson and Ian "Uncle Creepy" McCall ended in controversy the first time, the UFC is hoping for a better finish tonight. Also on the card are great fights between Eddie Wineland and Scott Jorgensen, and Erick Silva vs. Charlie Brenneman.
Who do the odds makers think will come out victorious?
Demetrious Johnson -138 vs. Ian McCall +128
Their first meeting was a fight that I thought McCall was going to be victorious in. He controlled Johnson, but the final result didn't tell that story. Prior to that fight, McCall was 11-2 and had won four straight after Dominick Cruz beat him in World Extreme Cagefighting. He was the least known of the four fighters attempting to be the first flyweight champion in the UFC, but showed he was deserving of the chance.
Johnson was 14-2 heading into their first meeting, but had lost his previous fight against Cruz for the UFC bantamweight title. He may be one of the fastest fighters in the promotion and many felt that the flyweight division was introduced to the UFC because of him and Benavidez.
I think McCall will get the win in this fight, but it will be hard to make a lot of money on this fight no matter who you're betting on.
Erick Silva -175 vs. Charlie Brenneman +165
This is the fight that surprises me the most when it comes to odds. Silva is one of the most dominant young fighters in the sport and appears to be destined for championship gold. In his last fight, be dominated Carlo Prater but was wrongfully disqualified by Mario Yamasaki for punches to the back of the head.
Brenneman quickly became a fan favorite after he pulled off the upset against Rick Story in June 2011 but followed that fight with an upsetting performance against Anthony Johnson. He defeated Daniel Roberts in his last fight, but Silva is a different type of fighter that he has ever seen before.
I don't see a way that Brenneman gets the win, but the odds are too tight to make anything out of either fighter.
Other odds:
Scott Jorgensen -190 vs. Eddie Wineland +175
Mike Pyle -185 vs. Josh Neer +170
Mike Pierce -220 vs. Carlos Rocha +180
Jared Papazian -155 vs. Dustin Pague +135
For a look at the best fights for some of the most popular fighters in the UFC and 2011 division recaps, go here.
More from this contributor:
UFC 147: A Struggle for Success
How Good will Hector Lombard be in UFC?
Kenny Florian Announces Retirement from MMA
Complete List of "The Ultimate Fighter" Winners
Top Fighters that Didn't Win TUF
Hobson Lopes has been a fan of mixed martial arts since the days of Tank Abbott and can be followed on Twitter @HobsonLopes.
