UFC 146 Fight Card: Full Main Card Breakdown and Odds

All of the changes to the main card are done, right? I surely hope so. My head has been spinning ever since Alistair Overeem was removed from UFC 146 after a random drug test showed that he had a 14:1 T/E ratio.

Gabriel Gonzaga was moved and then removed from the card and replaced by Dave Herman. Big Country vs Bigfoot. No wait. Bigfoot fights Cain and Big Country vs Pee Wee. Shane del Rosario makes his debut somewhere in this mess. It's enough to make your teeth spin.

Now that we have a finalized card, we can kick into gear with our coverage of next weekend's UFC 146 event. UFC 146 takes place on Saturday, May 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The PPV portion airs at 10 p.m., and the undercard will air on FX and Facebook.

Over the next week, Bleacher Report will give you previews, live event coverage and recap of UFC 146. We begin with a look at the betting odds and predictions of every fight on the main card.

Lavar Johnson vs Stefan Struve

"Mark Hunt vs Stefan Struve holds the distinction of being the only heavyweight bout on the card that was not shuffled at one point or another. Despite some rallying for Hunt to step in against champion Junior dos Santos, we are left with this intriguing battle between the Super Samoan and the Skyscraper."

That was the original introduction to this slide, which was published 15 minutes before the announcement that Mark Hunt has dropped off of this card. Oh the irony.

Stefan Struve has won four of his last five contests, including an impressive submission win over striker Pat Barry. Likewise, Johnson is riding a two fight winning streak that includes a stoppage win over Barry.

Johnson will be competing for the second time in a three week period, after a vicious slugfest at UFC on Fox 3 on Cinco de Mayo. The quick turnaround is a high-risk, high-reward situation, as a win will greatly elevate his status, but a loss will rid him of his recent momentum.

Struve poses a real threat to Johnson in this contest. With 15 total submission victories, including three inside the Octagon, the Dutch fighter is certainly in possession of Johnson's kryptonite. Four of Johnson's five career losses have come via submission.

That being said, Struve has a tendency to get knocked out in spectacular style. His losses in the UFC include first-round knockouts at the hands of Junior dos Santos, Roy Nelson and Travis Browne. Considering that Johnson falls into the category of aggressive, heavy-handed strikers, he matches the style of those who have bested Struve in the past.

Odds: Stefan Struve is a favorite here based on his improved striking and excellent submission prowess. His glass chin has questioned on several occasions. A bet on Lavar Johnson is far from safe, but the odds are good enough to be worth a gamble. That being said...

Prediction: Stefan Struve submits Lavar Johnson via armbar in the second round

Betting odds courtesy of Sportsbook.com
Stefan Struve (-140)
Lavar Johson (+110)

Shane Del Rosario vs Stipe Miocic

An interesting battle of undefeated heavyweights takes place next weekend as Stipe Miocic takes on Strikeforce import Shane del Rosario.

The biggest story surrounding this fight is the car accident that has kept del Rosario out of action for more than a year. Scheduled to face Daniel Cormier, del Rosario had to pull out of the contest after being struck by a drunk driver. The accident left del Rosario with a herniated disc that kept him out of training.

Del Rosario's trainer, Colin Oyama, said he feared that the injuries that Del Rosario sustained are bad enough to keep him from ever fighting again.

"He's planning on [fighting], but the injuries are serious enough to where it's kind of in question whether he can or not. We're hoping that he can. We'll know more in six months."

Miocic is a dangerous fighter who holds an 8-0 record as a professional and a 43-second knockout of formerly undefeated heavyweight Phil De Fries. He has a striking prowess that has led to seven stoppages and an NCAA Division I championship to his credit.

Miocic is a handful for someone who is coming in at 100 percent. For someone covered by a healthy supply of ring rust and returning from a career-threatening injury, Miocic is an absolute nightmare.

Odds: This is a tough bout to call. Not knowing what shape del Rosario will be in, I have to side with Miocic in this contest. If you believe that Rosario is coming in at 100 percent, I'd be tempted to take the +125 line on him. Ultimately, it's not worth the risk. My money is on Miocic at -155.

Prediction: Miocic grinds out a decision against the very tough Rosario.

Betting Odds Courtesy of www.bovada.lv
Stipe Miocic (-155)
Shane del Rosario (+125)

Roy Nelson vs Dave Herman

I heard someone describe this fight as Chewbacca vs Chews Everything. I wish I could remember who that was so I could thank them for providing me with a laugh.

Originally scheduled to face Bigfoot Silva, and then Gabriel Gonzaga, Roy Nelson has finally settled on Dave Herman as his UFC 146 opponent.

With Dave Herman being outworked and outstruck by Stefan Struve, I don't like his chances against someone like Roy Nelson. Nelson has an aggressive style and an iron chin that doesn't know how to surrender. That means Herman's only real shots at winning this fight come by submitting Nelson or outpointing him. How likely do either of those options sound to you?

No offense to Dave Herman. He is a nice guy who has a great sense of humor and generally puts on entertaining fights, but he is outclassed here. Roy holds a significant advantage in the grappling department and has enough power and technique to hurt Herman at any point in the fight.

Odds: You'll notice that I had to locate a line at a different source for this contest. Big Country's recent record has allowed these odds to be too generous; however most oddsmakers have not released odds for this contest. This is a fight where you bet on Nelson. In reality, he should be a 4:1 favorite here.

Prediction: Nelson wins via TKO in the third round.

Betting Odds Courtesy of www.oddschecker.com
Roy Nelson (-250)
Dave Herman (+215)

Cain Velasquez vs Bigfoot Silva

I would like to take side bets to see if Cain Velasquez breaks his hand during this fight. Two of Velasquez's AKA teammates have gone to war with Bigfoot in the past, and each man has had to put his hand in a cast later that evening. What are the odds that AKA goes 0-for-3 against leaving fights without broken bones?

All kidding aside, this is an interesting contest that pits a former UFC Heavyweight champion against a former Elite XC champion. Cain offers incredible wrestling, while Bigfoot has jiu-jitsu that is rarely rivaled in the heavyweight division.

The AKA gameplan dictates that this fight will take place where Silva can do the least amount of damage. With both of his training partners (Mike Kyle and Daniel Cormier) finding success against Silva in the striking department, you had better believe that Velasquez will keep this fight standing as much as possible. 

Odds: By no means is Silva out of this contest, but we've already seen how Velasquez responds to a big guy who wants to hold him down and deliver ground and pound. The chances of winning a quarter for every dollar you put down doesn't seem too appealing, but Cain should take this contest pretty handily. If the odds don't scare you, feel free to bet on the favorite here.

Prediction: Cain Velasquez wins via TKO in the second round.

Betting Odds Courtesy of www.bovada.lv
Antonio Silva (+300)
Cain Velasquez (-400)

Junior Dos Santos vs Frank Mir

So it's not dos Santos vs Overeem. That part stinks. The good part is, we get to see the UFC Heayweight Champion in action. History dictates that Mir doesn't go well against largely muscled fighters who are known for their heavy hands. If you need a reference, please watch Mir vs Lesnar II and Mir vs Carwin.

Let's be clear that Frank Mir has a realistic chance of winning any fight against any opponent. Few fighters are able to stay calm in the cage the way that Mir does. Considering that he is fighting a very emotional Junior dos Santos, experience could be the edge that Frank needs.

The longer this fight goes, the more it favors Mir, but Junior has the power and technique needed to put away the former champion early. For that matter, he has the power and technique needed to put The Hulk away early.

Odds: This is another fight where the odds might appear pretty scary. Is Junior dos Santos really close to being a 6:1 favorite against a former champion who has more experience than any other UFC heavyweight? That's a question that you've got to ask yourself. Junior will probably win this fight, and do it decisively, but a small bet on Mir could go a long way at these odds.

Prediction: dos Santos wins via KO in the second round.

Betting Odds Courtesy of www.bovada.lv
Frank Mir (+375)
Junior dos Santos (-550)