UFC 132: Betting Odds and Predictions for Every Fight

UFC 132 will take place this Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will pack a potentially explosive night of fights. The card is headlined by a fantastic rematch between current bantamweight champion Dominic Cruz and former featherweight king, bantamweight Urijah Faber. Cruz will be looking to get some revenge, as Faber beat him with a quick guillotine choke in their first matchup in 2007.

The card will also see four or five other matchups with implications, as Dong Hyun Kim faces Carlos Condit in a welterweight match with huge contender status on the line. Of course, we will also get to see the much anticipated stand up war between The Axe Murderer Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben. Throw in two young studs like Guillard and Roller and a possible Tito Ortiz beating at the hands of Ryan Bader and this is shaping up to be a night to remember.

The betting odds are set, and here are my picks for each fight this Saturday night.

All odds were sourced at SportsInteraction.

Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker

Hougland +200

Walker -294

Jeff Hougland has been on quite the tear in a regional promotion, going on an eight-fight winning streak after a rocky 1-4 start to his career.

He is a quick submission artist with seven of his eight wins coming via first round submission, and he will be looking to do the same in his UFC debut against fellow newcomer Donny Walker. Hougland is best known for fighting Gilbert Melendez early in his career.

Walker is 12-6 and is making his debut in the UFC. A hard win over Bellator's Kenny Foster is the jewel on his resume.

This one is hard to call, as these two fighters are fairly unknown. The debuts wash each other out. Walker has fought the tougher guys.

Pick: Walker (second round KO)

Andre Winner vs. Anthony Njokuani

Winner +125

Njokuani -175

Anthony Njokuani is becoming a seasoned veteran in this sport of mixed martial arts, but he is coming off a loss in his debut in the UFC in March. He is a fast, muay thai striker and he will be facing TUF alum Andre Winner, who is 2-3 in the UFC and is coming off a loss to card mate Denis Siver.

Winner will be looking to counter the stand up of Njokuani with an all-around game based on strength and cage control. I think it will come down to defense and toughness for Winner, and he will take and eat shots in this fight.

I'm pretty sure Njokuani is too much for Winner in this one. Mostly on the feet.

Pick: Njokuani (second round KO)

Brad Tavares vs. Aaron Simpson

Tavares +175

Simpson -250

Aaron Simpson had to take a step back after taking a step up in his UFC career in the past few years. After crushing losses to top dogs Mark Munoz and Chris Leben, Simpson bounced back with a roster-saving win over Mario Miranda in March earlier this year.

He now faces Brad Tavares, who is 2-0 in the UFC and is coming off a win over Phil Baroni on New Years day. Tavares is a tough test for anyone, if he comes in condition. Simpson is hanging on in the division and should be highly motivated to dominate in this one. He has experience and conditioning on his side.

This is another matchup that is tough to call, but I think Tavares will stay undefeated and put Simpson on the bubble.

Pick: Tavares (unanimous decision)

Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki

Bowles -435

Mizugaki +275

Brian Bowles has only one loss in his career, and that was to headliner Dominic Cruz. I don't see this one going down much differently against Japanese fighter Takeya Mizugaki.

Bowles is 1-0 in the UFC with his quick win over Damacio Page in March. His game is always one of pressure and strength, and his cardio is out of this world.

Mizugaki is coming off a split decision win over Reuben Duran, and before that, he lost a quick one to Urijah Faber. Mizugaki will hang in there, but I don't think he has what it takes to beat Bowles.

Pick: Bowles (unanimous decision)

Rafael Dos Anjos vs. George Sotiropoulos

Dos Anjos +225

Sotiropoulos -303

Rafael Dos Anjos is looking for a bounce-back win after a tough loss to buzz saw and No. 1 contender Clay Guida in August.

Meanwhile, George Sotiropoulos is also looking for a bounce-back win after suffering his first loss since 2006 against Denis Siver on his own home soil in February.

Sotiropoulos should be able to get back on track in this one and submit Dos Anjos late.

Pick: Sotiropoulos (third round submission)

Shane Roller vs. Melvin Guillard

Roller +235

Guillard -357

Melvin Guillard has turned a corner in his mixed martial arts career and is riding a hot streak that has claimed victims such as Denis Siver, Jeremy Stephens and Evan Dunham. Guillard has always had raw talent and aggression, but lately he seems to be focused and channeling all his gifts in the correct way.

Shane Roller is taking a big step up in his second fight in the UFC in taking on Guillard following a solid debut against Thiago Tavares. Roller had a great run in the WEC, his only losses coming against the top dogs Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis.

This matchup once again pits a stronger striking fighter in Guillard against a submission grappler in Roller, and we all know where the fight starts. I believe Guillard has explosiveness that Roller may not have seen before and that this one is gonna end tough for him.

Pick: Guillard (first round KO)

Matt Wiman vs. Dennis Siver

Wiman +110

Siver -152

Dennis Siver is coming off the most surprising and most impressive win of his career, beating George Sotiropoulos in Australia with a unanimous decision. He beat George with an all-around powerful game and will look to bring that same game with him when he faces Matt Wiman.

Wiman is a veteran of many UFC wars, and after a couple of tough losses to Sam Stout and Jim Miller, has gone on a nice three-win run against some very tough guys like Shane Nelson, Mac Danzig and Cole Miller. He is just coming into his own as a fighter and is always ready to test his opponent.

This is a swing fight for both fighters with huge implications in which they will either keep their respective trains going right up to contender status or once again have to climb back up the ranks against smaller names for less money.

This is another tough one, but I am taking Siver based on power ruling the day. He will control Wiman wherever they go.

Pick: Siver (split decision)

Dong Hyun Kim vs. Carlos Condit

Kim -120

Condit -115

Even on the same card as Silva vs. Leben, this fight has the makings to be the fight of the night, as both of these men are making a final push into top ten and contender status in the welterweight division.

Condit's fights are never cookie cutters, and you know he will be right in the center of the cage where his opponent will not have to look to find him. He is coming off a beautiful knockout over Dan Hardy, but Kim will pose a different style of a matchup. Condit will have to fear the take down all night in this one.

Kim will be looking to grind on Condit once he gets him to the ground, and three straight victories have proven that his game plan can be successful. He controlled Amir Sadollah and Nate Diaz that way, but Condit is a different animal.

I see this fight being a tough one for both fighters, as both are looking to cement themselves as top in the division.

Pick: Condit (split decision)

Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader

Bader -556

Ortiz -330

Tito Ortiz is being counted out and left for retirement by fans, odds makers and the organization itself, and is there a better motivation for a man than the risk of being washed up for good?

Ryan Bader is looking for a bounce back and return to status with this win over the mixed martial arts legend. Tito asked for this fight and Bader happily accepted, knowing that if he is as good as advertised, then he should stomp the aging and broken-down Ortiz.

I am not calling a lunar eclipse on this one, and I will toe the line that Bader should rule in this one.

Pick: Bader (unanimous decision)

Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben

Silva -189

Leben +135

This fight is one of those matchups that gets the fight fan giddy with anticipation for the two men meeting in the middle and throwing until one man hits the canvass face first.

I will admit, I love the submission game equally, as I feel that there is a deeper element to it, and any Joe on the street can stand and throw. Not to the level of Silva and Leben, but you get the drift. That being said, I would not trade this matchup for anything, and I applaud Silva for taking this fight against the lesser name.

Although I believe Silva holds a clear edge in speed and technique in his stand up, I do feel like Leben has the better head and chin, and will be able to absorb a lot of what Silva throws. The real question is, will Leben's barrage of straight and looping shots be precise enough to hit the sweet spot? If he lands one close to the button, will the lights go out on The Axe Murderer?

I can't wait.

Pick: Silva (unanimous decision)

Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber

Cruz -147

Faber +105

Dominick Cruz is the newly crowned king of the bantamweight division, and he is motivated to avenge the only loss of his career. Urijah Faber is the previous king of the bantamweight and featherweight divisions of mixed martial arts and he is trying to hold his elite fighter status for just a little while longer.

Faber is an extremely popular fighter and will have many opportunities in this sport even after his fight career. However, I still believe he needs this win to stay relevant for a title in the division he has decided to make his home.

His fight with Jose Aldo showed that his days as the featherweight champ could surely be over. Faber will need his whole arsenal of wrestling and submissions to pull off a win.

Cruz is an extremely dedicated fighter who is just coming into his prime in mixed martial arts. He will be looking to mix his awesome footwork and boxing as well as his solid take down defense to keep this in his world. He got caught quickly in his last fight by Faber's famed guillotine choke, but he is a much better prepared fighter this time around.

Pick: Cruz (fourth round TKO)

Check here for full UFC 132 fight coverage.

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA (also a Correspondent with MMACanada.net).

Catch him on Twitter @wakafightermma.