Fans of UFC betting are still recovering following the cavalcade of phenomenal fights that was UFC 116, and already its time to look towards the next UFC event. The UFCs second show on the Versus network is set to go down August 1 from the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California. Headlining the card is a light heavyweight tilt between exciting up-and-comer Jon Jones, and grizzled veteran Vladimir "The Janitor" Matyushenko.
Jon "Bones" Jones (10-1)
Jon Jones is one of the sports most exciting young stars. "Bones" has faltered only once in professional outings, losing via disqualification to Matt Hamill after throwing illegal downward elbows. Jones was dominant in the loss, and indeed, many fans of sports betting criticized his disqualification in that bout, noting Hamill was probably finished before the illegal strikes were thrown. "Bones" rebounded with the most impressive win of his career thus far, a quick TKO stoppage over highly touted Brandon "The Truth" Vera.
Many critics felt after the Hamill loss that Jones biggest liability was his wildness. His unorthodox, fast-paced style is incredibly exciting, but many pundits suggested the fighter lacked refinement and precision. These criticisms were rebuked after Jones stoppage of Vera. In Matyushenko, however, Bones will face a man who may be able to control him on the ground. It will be interesting to see the guard and bottom game of this exciting prospect.
Vladimir "The Janitor" Matyushenko (24-4)
"The Janitor" is a grizzled mixed martial arts veteran at this point. While certainly not the sports most exciting fighter, Matyushenko is an effective fighter, and he should provide an excellent test to determine exactly where "Bones" is in his career right now. "The Janitor" has settled into a role as a gatekeeper, either knocking guys back down the ladder or elevating them to the next step in their careers. While we shouldnt expect anything new from Matyushenko at this point in his career, fans of online betting know he is very effective at what he does, and he will be looking to stifle and control Jon Jones for three rounds.
Jones Matyushenko Betting Pick and Analysis
"Bones" is coming into this bout as a serious favorite, with most lines around the -600 mark for the youngster. Matyushenko is hovering around the +400 range, which, depending on your opinion of Jones wrestling, could be a tempting line. The bottom line is, Jones is a betting favorite for good reason, with the strength, speed, and striking advantage heading into this bout. Jones will no doubt be anticipating Matyushenkos game plan, and be ready to stop the takedown. Look for lots of scrambles, with Jones getting the better of the striking exchanges early. I like Jones to win this via TKO sometime in the second frame.
Jones Matyushenko Betting Pick: Jon "Bones" Jones