All right, for those that watch the UFC...I have 3 plays for you...if they don't go 2-1 I will never post on the UFC again. But if you aren't watching it now, you should. It will be the mainstream sport and replace boxing within 10 years. If not sooner. Don't believe me? Check out the going rate for ringside for UFC 57 @ Mandalay Bay in Vegas this Saturday..Ebay tickets are about 4-7K..street is higher. Tell me the last time you heard those numbers for a heavyweight fight?

ANyways, get into the sport because it's definetely becoming a major force. There is also huge value in betting it now. The lines I am posting are from Betcris and Pinnacle. Com.

If you don't follow the UFC or just want action, just scroll to the bottom. But I know a lot about this sport and have watched it since the first Shamrock/Gracie fight in UFC 3.

All right, here's the lines...

Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts -February 4

ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP - 57"LIDDELL - COUTURE 3" MANDALAY BAY, LAS VEGAS

FIGHTERS MUST FIGHT FOR ACTION - $500 LIMITS

UFC - WORLD LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BOUTLIDDELL VS COUTURE

8:30 PM971

972CHUCK LIDDELL

RANDY COUTURE-175

+155

7:00 PM973

974FRANK MIR

MARCIO CRUZ-275

+235

7:00 PM975

976NICK DIAZ

JOE RIGGS-165

+145

7:00 PM977

978RENATO SOBRAL

MIKE VAN ARSDALE-360

+300

7:00 PM979

980BRANDON VERA

JUSTIN EILERS-255

+215

7:00 PM981

982PAUL BUENTELLO

GILBERT ALDANA-260

+220

4:30 PM30107

30108ALESSIO SAKARA

ELVIS SINOSIC-370

+310

4:30 PM30113

30114JEFF MONSON

BRANDON LEE HINKLE-260

+220

4:30 PM30117

30118KEITH JARDINE

MIKE WHITEHEAD-130

+110

From Pinnacle

Ultimate Fighting

UFC 57-Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV: Heavyweights

Sat 2/4 Frank Mir vs Marcio Cruz

08:00 PM 23 Frank Mir -254

24 Marcio Cruz +234

Sat 2/4 Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs Mike Van Arsdale

07:00 PM 25 Renato "Babalu" Sobral -323

26 Mike Van Arsdale +293

Sat 2/4 Barndon Vera vs Justin Eilers

07:00 PM 27 Barndon Vera -237

28 Justin Eilers +217

Sat 2/4 Paul Buentello vs Gilbert Aldano

07:00 PM 29 Paul Buentello -234

30 Gilbert Aldano +214

Sat 2/4 Jeff Monson vs Brandon Lee Hinkle

05:00 PM 33 Jeff Monson -244

34 Brandon Lee Hinkle +224

Sat 2/4 Mike Whitehead vs Kieth Jardine

05:00 PM 37 Mike Whitehead +121

38 Kieth Jardine -131

UFC 57-Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV: Light Heavyweights

Sat 2/4 Alessio Sakara vs Elvis Sinosic

05:00 PM 35 Alessio Sakara -403

36 Elvis Sinosic +363

UFC 57-Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV: UFC Lightheavyweight Championship

Sat 2/4 Chuck Liddell vs Randy Couture

08:30 PM 21 Chuck Liddell -170

22 Randy Couture +160

UFC 57-Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV: Welterweights

Sat 2/4 Nick Diaz vs Joe Riggs

07:00 PM 31 Nick Diaz -153

32 Joe Riggs +143

Let's start with the light heavyweight championship and my best bet. UFC fanatics have been dying for the 3'rd Lidell/Couture fight for a number of reasons. It's not the slugfest, it's the rivalry. Chuck the Iceman Lidell is the new face of the UFC..supplements, modern training techniques, bio-metrics, the First Reality Season coach, and poster boy of the light heavyweights. Don't let the hype fool you. The Iceman is a world class striker, one of the best I've ever seen. If you watch the fights on Pay per view, notice his hand speed. If you see the highlight reel of knockouts, notice how many devestating fight finishes didn't even come with a full swing. Put simply, this dude can drop anyone, anytime, from any angle. His ground skills are good, not great. (I personally think Matt Hughes would eat him alive) The X factor on Lidell is his heart. You better break his arm or knock him out, otherwise he will keep swinging.

The Natural Randy Couture is now 41 years old and a key cog in the UFC's huge and swelling popularity. If I wasn't going to march madness I would be at this mofo right now. Again, a world class fighter who actually knocked out the Iceman in the first match.

Factor this into the equasion:

Age Edge: The iceman

Striking: Lidell

Wrestling: Couture

Heart: push

Cardio and endurance: Lidell

Previous fight records vs: 1-1 both winning by knockout.

MY KEY FACT: Couture beat Lidell in the first of these 3 fights. 2 years later in the second fight, Lidell absolutely dominated and was clearly the better fighter. This 3rd fight is now in the prime of Lidell's career, and clearly the end of Couture's. I have the utmost repect for the Natural and time and time again, he prevails in these situations. But Lidell is a special talent and one of the most gifted and brutal strikers with the hands I've ever seen. Factor in his training and hunger and you'll see a great fight, but I think Lidell will knock him out by the end of the 3'rd round. It will not go the distance.

ROLL ON CHUCK THE ICEMAN LIDELL -175

Upset Special:

Justin Eilers +217 over Barndon Vera

and another heavy juice play that won't go the distance:

I like Nick Diaz to take down Joe Riggs by knock out. Guys look at Diaz and think they can handle this skinny punk. However, Diaz is no slouch and also a world class striker in his weight class. I believe he will absolutely dominate Diego Sanchez the next time they fight. Diaz proved to me that he has what it takes to win in this business.

Roll on Nick Diaz -153 over Joe Riggs

Good luck,

6.8 units to win 4 units on Chuck the Iceman Lidell

4.5 units to win a little under 3 units on Nick Diaz

2 units to win 4.5 units on Justin Eilers.

My first ever UFC post....look for them in the boxing thread.