UFC 141 Fight Card: Latest Odds and Predictions for Entire Card

UFC 141 will be headlined on Friday night by a major heavyweight clash between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. While Lesnar vs. Overeem is sure to reel in the casual fans, there are tons of intriguing undercard fights as well to hold the interest of hardcore MMA fans.

Preliminary fights will be shown on Facebook and televised on Spike TV before switching to pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST. While there are a few fights with a decided favorite, there are many that should be extremely competitive and could go either way.

There are plenty of candidates for fight of the night honors, including the main undercard fight pitting Nate Diaz against Donald Cerrone. Here are full odds and predictions for the entire 11-fight card on what should be a great night for UFC.

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas

When: Friday, Dec. 30 at 6:50 p.m. EST

Watch: Facebook, Spike TV, UFC TV, Pay-per-view

Facebook Preliminary Card

Featherweight Bout: Manvel Gamburyan vs. Diego Nunes

Odds: Nunes (-275) and Gamburyan (+215)

Prediction: Nunes wins by unanimous decision

Welterweight Bout: Matt Riddle vs. Luis Ramos

Odds: Riddle (-170) and Ramos (+140)

Prediction: Riddle wins by unanimous decision

Lightweight Bout: Jacob Volkmann vs. Efrain Escudero

Odds: Volkmann (-290) and Escudero (+230)

Prediction: Escudero wins by second-round submission

Welterweight Bout: Dong Hyun Kim vs. Sean Pierson

Odds: Kim (-415) and Pierson (+315)

Prediction: Kim wins by first-round TKO

Televised Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Anthony Njokuani vs. Danny Castillo

Odds: Castillo (-177) and Njokuani (+147)

Prediction: Njokuani wins by third-round TKO

Featherweight Bout: Ross Pearson vs. Junior Assuncao

Odds: Pearson (-280) and Assuncao (+220)

Prediction: Assuncao wins by second-round submission

Main Card

Featherweight Bout: Nam Phan vs. Jimy Hettes

Odds: Phan (-230) and Hettes (+180)

Prediction

In what promises to be a fast-paced featherweight battle, Nam Phan and Jimy Hettes will lock horns in the first of five main-card fights. Phan likes to stand toe to toe and throw punches while Hettes is a submission specialist, so there should be a great contrast in styles.

Hettes is 9-0 in his professional career with each of his victories coming via submission. Phan has lost nine times, but he has never been forced to submit, so this will be quite a challenge for Hettes. Ultimately, I believe that Phan gets a bit too careless at times, though, so I think Hettes will catch him sleeping with one of his patented choke holds.

Hettes wins by second-round submission.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Alexander Gustafsson

Odds: Gustafsson (-350) and Matyushenko (+280)

Prediction

This bout will pit a wily veteran in Vladimir Matyushenko against upstart 24-year-old Swede Alexander Gustafsson. Matyushenko is 16 years Gustafsson's senior, so this particular match will come down to Matyushenko's experience and intelligence in the octagon or Gustafsson's strength and youthful exuberance.

Matyushenko continues to win at his age, but Gustafsson has been a dominant force with a record of 12-1. Gustafsson has also only gone to the scorecards once in his young career, so this promises to be a fairly quick fight. While Matyushenko has the potential to sneak up on the youngster, I think youth will win out over experience on this occasion.

Gustafsson wins by second-round TKO.

Welterweight Bout: Jon Fitch vs. Johny Hendricks

Odds: Fitch (-200) and Hendricks (+160)

Prediction

In what promises to be the most tightly-contested fight on the card, Jon Fitch will do battle with Johny Hendricks in a welterweight bout. Both have had very successful careers to this point with Fitch playing the part of the veteran fighter in this match. Hendricks has suffered just one loss in his 12-fight MMA career to this point, but Fitch is on a hot streak as he hasn't been defeated in six straight fights.

Fitch is coming off an impressive draw against B.J. Penn, as well as a win over Thiago Alves. In terms of big-fight experience, Fitch beats out Hendricks by a country mile. Hendricks is the younger fighter, but the age gap isn't too big and I firmly believe that Fitch is the better overall competitor. Because of that, I give Fitch the edge in a close battle.

Fitch wins by split decision.

Lightweight Bout: Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone

Odds: Cerrone (-325) and Diaz (+250)

Prediction

The overwhelming sentiment is that this lightweight clash between Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone has the potential to be the fight of the night and perhaps the fight of the year. Since it's taking place on Dec. 30, it will certainly be fresh in the minds of the voters when that time comes. Both fighters are very well rounded and have incredible stamina, so I see this one going the distance.

Diaz has struggled a bit as of late in losing two of his past three fights while Cerrone has been tearing through his competition with six consecutive convincing victories. One thing that can be said about both men is that neither is going to go quietly. Each has submitted just once in their careers with the other losses coming by decision. I think Cerrone will score the decision win in an entertaining fight.

Cerrone wins by unanimous decision.

Heavyweight Bout: Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem

Odds: Overeem (-180) and Lesnar (+150)

Prediction

The fight everyone has been waiting for will cap off the night as Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem will take center stage in a heavyweight fight. Despite Lesnar's pedestrian 5-2 career record, he is a major star due to his marketability and experience as a WWE wrestler. He is the big draw in this fight, but most would argue that the monstrous Overeem is the better and more dangerous fighter.

I have to agree as Overeem hasn't lost in 11 straight fights, a streak in which he has routinely decimated some top heavyweights. This will be Lesnar's first fight since he was knocked silly by Cain Velazquez in the first round of a Heavyweight Championship fight last year. I think Overeem is the more powerful and savvy fighter, so I see him taking out the overhyped Lesnar quite easily.

Overeem wins by first-round TKO.