UFC 127 Fight Card: Betting Odds and Picks

The UFC makes their second trip to Australia on Saturday—Sunday, if you're down under—and with it comes another opportunity to get rich.

OK, that isn't going to happen. But, there are certainly some attractive betting options, despite the card lacking a bit of star power.

And, you know what they say: The next best thing to gambling and winning, is gambling and losing.

So, if you're having a hard time getting too enthusiastic about the less-than-scintillating undercard, putting a few bucks on the line usually gets the juices flowing a little faster.

Let's get to it.

Spencer Fisher vs. Ross Pearson

Lightweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Ross Pearson will return to the octagon for the first time on Saturday since his first loss under the UFC banner last September against Cole Miller.

Pearson will face veteran Spencer Fisher in a prelim fight televised on ION.

So far, Pearson is about -200 to make a successful comeback, and frankly, that is a fine deal.

Everything that Fisher is, Pearson is a younger and arguably better version of. Before Pearson's recent loss, he had looked like a blue-chip prospect against Andre Winner, Aaron Riley and Dennis Siver.

Both fighters fought Siver within three months of each other last year, with Pearson winning a dominant decision and Fisher losing one.

I don't see how Fisher can win this, but he should be able to last all three rounds.

Make a straight bet here as long as the odds don't get too lopsided for Pearson over the week. Or use him on a small parlay if you feel like rolling the dice a bit.

George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver

Many were a bit shocked when Dennis Siver was announced as George Sotiropoulos' next opponent. Sotiropoulos should be somewhere near the top of the lightweight contenders, while Siver is barely on the list.

Sure, Siver is 6-1 in his last seven bouts, but none of those wins came against top-level competition, and Sotiropoulos is surely that.

The sportsbook I use has Sotiropoulos listed as a -500 favorite, although someone told me they found him at -350. I have a hard time believing that to be true, but if you can find it, jump on it.

I really don't see Siver having much of a shot here. He does hit hard with that spinning back kick, but his attack is far too one-dimensional for me to entertain the idea of an upset here.

Sotiropoulos has proven to be talented in every dimension, including his work ethic. Add that to the fact that he is arguably the most successful fighter from Australia and he will have the entire crowd behind him, and he looks like a lock.

Not much to be made on a straight bet here, however, so let's save him for a small parlay.

Chris Lytle vs. Brian Ebersole

I'm not sure how Chris Lytle is feeling now that he went from being a sizable underdog against contender Carlos Condit, to a justifiably large favorite against unheralded Brian Ebersole. He could be happy to be getting an easier fight for the same money or disappointed that an opportunity to climb the ranks is now gone.

Either way, Lytle brings it every time he fights, no matter who it is.

Ebersole got the nod as a semi-late replacement because he is Australian. The more locals on the card, the more the locals care.

Ebersole has been active as he already fought once in 2011, winning in the first round, and is on a seven-fight win streak, with the only recognizable name being long-faded former UFC champ Carlos Newton.

He has never faced anyone the caliber of Lytle.

Lytle on the other hand is on a four-fight win streak, all over tough guys. Most recently, Lytle out-slugged former champ Matt Serra to win a unanimous decision at UFC 119.

Ebersole is an experienced guy, and I'm glad to see him finally get a shot in the UFC, but this is a tough way to make a debut. You can't out-tough or out-experience Lytle, and I will be surprised if Ebersole can make it to the final bell.

Lytle is a -300 favorite, so I plan to add him to my parlay with George Sotiropoulos.

Hopefully, Ebersole can make enough of an impression to get another shot in the octagon.

Chris Camozzi vs. Kyle Noke

Kyle Noke has looked very impressive in his two fights since his run on The Ultimate Fighter, and I expect him to once again against Chris Camozzi.

Camozzi barely scraped by with a split decision against Dong Yi Yang at UFC 121, and Noke is a bit more proven than Yang.

Both of these fighters have a lot to prove, but you can never underestimate the power of the home crowd. Noke has a lot of fans in Sydney, and I have no doubt he is plenty motivated to give them a good show.

At -210, Noke is a good option either for a straight bet or a parlay with one of the previous picks.

Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera

If you thought I was just going to pick all the favorites, you were wrong.

Veteran Jorge Rivera will be featured in arguably the biggest fight of his UFC career this weekend against UK star Michael Bisping.

Rivera has looked tremendous in his last two bouts, and his style is made to beat Bisping.

Mainly a boxer these days, Rivera has shown that when he hurts someone with his big right hand, he goes for the finish.

Bisping has been hurt by a right hand in four of his last five bouts but was let off the hook by Denis Kang and Yoshihiro Akiyama.

Bisping is a one-dimensional boxer who instinctively moves to his left to accommodate his jab. He has yet to fix his vulnerability to the right hand, and I doubt he will now.

At +275, Rivera is a very rewarding option. If I had to guess, I would say he will hurt Bisping in the second round and continue the punishment into the third. Either, Rivera wins the last two rounds or gets a late TKO.

I like where Rivera seems to be mentally right now. This is his time. And I plan to make a few bucks off it.

B.J. Penn vs. Jon Fitch

I have never picked against B.J. Penn in his career, but there is a first time for everything.

I must say, I did not arrive at my prediction easily. When Penn was beaten by Frankie Edgar last year, the difference in speed was a major factor. That will not be the case when he faces Jon Fitch, who is at times sluggish and plodding.

But, Fitch is a smart fighter with strength and toughness to spare. Not to mention, his only loss in the UFC was against Georges St-Pierre over three years ago, and he has only got better since then.

The size difference between the two is the main factor that decides it for me. Penn has never beaten someone as big and strong as Fitch before in his career, and if he gets taken down, I see him having a hard time getting out from underneath Fitch for the duration.

Also, picking Fitch is the sensible thing to do since Penn is 1-2 in his last three, while Fitch is 13-1 in his entire UFC career.

But, besides St-Pierre, Fitch has never faced anyone on the level of Penn in his career—few are on that level.

I will be making a sizable bet on Fitch at -200, but I will do so without confidence. This is a terrific matchup, and it is sure to get the blood flowing. If Fitch loses, I will remind myself that "the next best thing to gambling and winning is gambling and losing" while I'm begging people to buy me drinks after the fights.

Picking against your gut is sometimes part of the game.

UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch Results, News and More