Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2: Odds and Predictions for UFC 160's Main Event

While betting against UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez would seem like a foolish proposition, making a wager on the former two-time NCAA All-American wrestler could prove just as irrational.

Velasquez, who will locks horns with the man he dismantled in less than four minutes a year ago, Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, has been deemed an 8-1 favorite (-800) by Bovada.com to top Bigfoot (+500) in tonight's main event bout at UFC 160.

Just to put in prospective how much confidence bettors will have in Velasquez, consider that the oddsmakers gave Jon Jones a similar advantage heading into his light heavyweight title bout with seemingly outmatched middleweight Chael Sonnen at UFC 159.

The handicappers made the line so exaggerated in favor of the champ primarily because of the lopsided nature of the first encounter between Velasquez and Silva.

At UFC 146, a fight that took place nearly a year ago to the day in the same building, the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Velasquez caught a Bigfoot kick seconds into the fight, scored a takedown and then never let the Brazilian back to his feet.

Silva tried valiantly to shift his hips, manipulate his guard and scramble back to an upright position, only to eat strike after strike until referee Josh Rosenthal had seen enough.

Now fresh off notable KO wins over Travis Browne and Alistair Overeem, Silva will attempt to make it three wins in a row while snatching Velasquez's belt in the process.

Silva certainly earned a crack at the belt with his recent wins, but what has the American Top Team representative done in the last year to remedy Velasquez's pressure-heavy and wrestle-happy style?

Velasquez still holds advantages in the speed and wrestling departments, and Bigfoot still only thrives on the ground if he gets in the top position.

With that said, I envision Velasquez once again grounding, controlling and suffocating Silva with his wrestling and ground-and-pound.

This time, however, Silva won't surrender takedowns quite as easily, and perhaps the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will manage to pull off a sweep or at least get to his feet.

Silva possesses one-punch KO power, and as invincible as he may seem, Velasquez has obviously shown that's he's not immune to getting KO'd. 

The odds seem tantalizing, and he's certainly got a puncher's chance, but betting on Silva will only leave your wallet thinner tonight.

Velasquez will employ a similar game plan, only this time he'll make it a slower, bloodier and more painful death for Bigfoot.