UFC on FX 2, Strikeforce picks: Flyweight favorites are huge and Tate?s an underdog

MMA fans will be inundated with great fights this weekend and the show stealer could be a fight between two females.

The final note on the two big cards is the Miesha Tate-Ronda Rousey fight tomorrow night in Columbus, Oh. Or should it be called the Ronda Rousey fight? When was the last time a champion was such a huge underdog like Tate?

Rousey, a former Olympian in Judo, is getting a title shot after just four pro mixed martial arts bouts. The 24-year-old fighter has also never fought down at 135 pounds. With all that, amazingly she's a minus-300 favorite to take the Strikeforce title from Tate.

Kevin Iole, Frank Trigg and myself broke down the UFC and Strikeforce fights on "The MMA Insiders" show in Las Vegas.

UFC on FX 2 betting odds:

Thiago Alves (-120) vs. Martin Kampmann (+100)
Joseph Benavidez (-850) vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani (+575)
Demetrious Johnson (-290) vs. Ian McCall (+245)
James Te Huna (-320) vs. Aaron Rosa (+260)
Anthony Waldburger (-140) vs. Jake Hecht (+120)
Kyle Noke (-270) vs. Andrew Craig (+230)
Court McGee (-130) vs. Constantinos Philippou (+110)
Anthony Perosh (+130) vs. Nick Penner (-150)
Mackens Semerzier (-155) vs. Daniel Pineda (+135)
Cole Miller (-485) vs. Steven Siler (+385)
Shawn Jordan (-210) vs. Oli Thompson (+175)

Strikeforce betting odds:

Miesha Tate (+260) vs. Ronda Rousey (-320)
KJ Noons (+155) vs. Josh Thomson (-175)
Ronaldo Souza (-600) vs. Bristol Marunde (+450)
Sarah Kaufman (-510) vs. Alexis Davis (+405)
Scott Smith (+145) vs. Lumumba Sayers (-165)
Pat Healy (+160) vs. Caros Fodor (-185)
Paul Daley (-360) vs. Kazuo Misaki (+300)
Roger Bowling (-550) vs. Brandon Saling (+425)
Conor Heun (-290) vs. Ryan Couture (+245)

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-fx-2-strikeforce-picks-flyweight-favorites-huge-210039203.html

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen 

Ohio Athletic Commission investigating Strikeforce?s Brandon Saling

Remember Brandon Saling, the guy who Roger Bowling beat into a pulp at Saturday's Strikeforce card? The one with good stand-up, but no ground game? The one with the neo-Nazi tattoo and the rape conviction?

Let's start with the tattoo. The number 88 and lightning bolts are on Saling's left shoulder. What does that mean, Center for Democratic Renewal and Education?

88 is the symbol that represents 'Heil Hitler.'  H is the eighth letter in the alphabet, hence 'HH' or 88

Saling is also listed in Ohio's sex offender registry as  a "high risk." He was convicted for gross sexual imposition. According to a 2004 report, he faced charges for rape of a person under 13 years. He also served 40 days in jail for a domestic violence charge in 2008.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said the Ohio Athletic Commission will launch a full investigation into Saling's background.

"They're going to launch a full investigation on Monday," he said. "So that's where that's at. As far as you guys know, the policy for Strikeforce and the UFC is that kind of body art, offensive behavior, (and) offensive art is not going to be allowed.

"So that's something we went to the athlete (with). He responded, and we're going to investigate further and see what the truth is."

Saling took Saturday night's fight with Roger Bowling on short notice. He stepped in for Derek Brunson, who was denied a license in Ohio because of vision problems. Saling has a record of 8-6.

Thanks, Bloody Elbow.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ohio-athletic-commission-investigating-strikeforce-brandon-saling-182237629.html

Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio 

MMA Marketplace: Chael Sonnen makes a convincing Uncle Sam

Cbael Sonnen has called out Anderson Silva after fights, in interviews, on Twitter, and now, on a shirt. The good news is that if you are on Team Chael, you can own the shirt, too.

If Uncle Sam needs a replacement, Uncle Chael will inspire millions to follow his lead. The shirts costs $29.99 at MMA Warehouse.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/mma-marketplace-chael-sonnen-makes-convincing-uncle-sam-140818291.html

Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama 

White will give Edgar a title shot at either 145 or 155

It seems like the anti-Frank Edgar front is building amongst some fans and bloggers, but that's not going to sway UFC president Dana White. He's still bullish on one of his favorite fighters getting right back in there for a title. Now which title he shoots for is a different issue.

"I feel like Frankie Edgar absolutely deserves a rematch [against Ben Henderson], seeing as how every time this guy has fought, he's given everyone else a rematch," White told the media gathered is Australia for UFC on FX 2.

But the boss is torn because, for years he's thought Edgar is too small for the lightweight division.

[ Related: Ronda Rousey can break out in Strikeforce title bout ]

"Yet, I don't want him to fight at 155 pounds, I want him to go to 145 and fight for that title. And if we do give him a rematch, it clogs up [the division] -- there are other guys that are in line waiting and it's just a big mess," said White.

I'm not so sure about the clog line. Anthony Pettis and the winner of Nate Diaz-Jim Miller can wait a little longer if necessary.

White added to that by saying he's more concerned about Edgar's long-term future in the sport.

"I really like and respect Frankie Edgar as a human being -- take the whole fighting thing out of it. This guy belongs at 145 pounds. When you are a professional fighter, you have a small window of opportunity to compete and be a professional athlete. There are only so many wars you have in you. You can't have this long, amazing career fighting wars all the time. So, I don't know," said White.

White added that if Edgar drops to 145, he'll get an immediate title shot against Jose Aldo. That's more than fair and it's not forcing Edgar to go into a situation where he's way down the ladder. Now it's up to the former UFC lightweight champ to pick his poison.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/white-edgar-title-shot-either-145-155-170451043.html

John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves 

Watch Georges St. Pierre get beaten by Japanese children in the cutest video ever produced

UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre headed to Japan for UFC 144. He visited a school for young kids and was promptly beaten by children wielding swords.

Seriously, watch the first two and a half minutes of this video. Your day will improve. Watch as GSP beams while the children warm up, then see him not keep up as they run through exercises with plastic swords. Finally, see how they suddenly turn on him and beat GSP over the head until he submits to strikes.

After he talks about how he would have rather played with swords as a kid than with a hockey stick, they show a visit to the mayor of Saitama, Japan, and a visit to a dojo where kids aged around seven beat each other up. But if you can't watch the whole six minutes, at least press play for the first two and half.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/watch-georges-st-pierre-beaten-japanese-children-cutest-161240226.html

Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine AndrèÂ