UFC 106 Betting - Tito Ortiz Returns to the Octagon Against Forrest Griffin
With NFL betting on Sunday and a UFC event for the second straight week, it’s a fun time to bet on sports. UFC 106 this Saturday night features a rematch between light heavyweights Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin. Both men have plenty to prove — Ortiz after an 18-month hiatus and Griffin after an embarrassing loss. Let’s make a pick for the main event.
Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz
Record: 15-6-1
Sportsbook odds: +130
Notable victories: Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, Ken Shamrock, Forrest Griffin
STRENGTHS: Even if he’s lost some strength at age 34, Tito Ortiz remains a strong technical wrestler. He arrives for his fights in good shape and uses his broad shoulders to control the pace of fights and muscle opponents on the ground. He lacks real finishing ability in his hands but can grind out wins via ground and pound once he takes opponents down. He’s also reportedly working hard on his submissions; it’s worth noting that he almost submitted Lyoto Machida in his last fight 18 months ago.
WEAKNESSES: Against most opponents, Ortiz is at a disadvantage in the striking game. Polished strikers like Chuck Liddell (in his prime) and Machida picked Tito apart and hurt him badly. Forrest Griffin isn’t a killer but his standup is probably better than Tito’s.
Forrest Griffin
Record: 16-6
Sportsbook odds: -160
Notable victories: Quinton Jackson, Mauricio Rua
STRENGTHS: A tireless worker who always tries to get better, Forrest Griffin brings a diverse set of skills to each fight. He has solid striking and his phenomenal leg kicks keep opponents from getting close — which is important against wrestlers like Ortiz. He also snaps off kicks quickly and powerfully enough to do damage; he relied on leg kicks to defeat Rampage Jackson. Forrest is more capable than many people realize on the ground. He showed solid Jiu-Jitsu when he submitted Shogun Rua in a major upset two years ago.Griffins is also tough to push around, as he’s 6′3″ and reportedly walks around at almost 240 pounds. His size could neutralize Ortiz’s usual strength advantage.
WEAKNESSES: Because Forrest lacks power, opponents don’t have to fully respect his striking and can go for the takedown. That’s how he lost to Rashad Evans and he could get into trouble if he lets Ortiz get close. The mental game is a potential problem for Griffin too, as he had a breakdown after Anderson Silva humiliated him at UFC 101. He almost appeared to quit during the fight. Do we know he’s ready for the pressure this weekend?
Online betting pick: Griffin -160. People forget that Griffin had a mental breakdown after losing to Keith Jardine in 2006, too. He responded with three straight victories and a light heavyweight championship belt. Against Ortiz, a smaller man who can’t finish him the way Jackson, Evans and Silva could, Griffin should score enough points on his kicks and punches to pull out a victory. Pick him and make the Giants your NFL picks to bounce back similarly this week.