It seems almost impossible for a fight card to remain intact these days, and the upcoming UFC on FUEL TV 10 card is no exception. According to Jason High himself via Twitter, the welterweight will fill in for John Hathaway against Erick Silva at UFC on FUEL TV 10, which takes place June 8 in Fortaleza, Brazil. It’s the same card that will feature the finals of the TUF Brazil 2 television show, as well as the coaches’ battle between heavyweight contenders Fabricio Werdum and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. According to MMA Opinion, a UK-based website, Hathaway had to be pulled from the bout because he is suffering from ulcerative colitis. High is an excellent MMA wrestler and this is a very dangerous matchup for Silva, who showed in his last fight against Jon Fitch at UFC 153 that he is susceptible to grapplers. Although Silva is one of the most creative and explosive strikers in the entire welterweight division, it’s surprising the UFC would take the risk of matching him up against a fighter known for his “lay and pray” style. Still, the public is very much behind Silva and you can expect him to open as perhaps a -200 favorite or even more, with the comeback on High being +150 and likely even higher once the public starts betting Silva up. Silva should be the favorite in this fight, but it’s going to be a much closer matchup than the betting line indicates because of the clash of styles. As such this is a fight I would look to keep an eye on, especially if High is available at +200 or higher at some point. Odds For MacDonald/Ellenberger Released The opening betting line for the upcoming welterweight bout between Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger was released today through Several Bookmakers, with MacDonald opening as a -170 favorite (bet $170 to win $100) and Ellenberger opening as a +130 underdog (bet $100 to win $130). The two meet in a three-round bout at the upcoming UFC on FOX 8 card, which takes place July 27 at KeyArena in Seattle, WA. So far, the public has come in on MacDonald, and he is currently listed as a -230 favorite with the comeback on Ellenberger currently +170. Although I originally favored MacDonald because I thought -170 was fair, I think -230 is just too high, and at these odds, it’s hard to not take a stab at Ellenberger, especially if the line keeps being pushed in MacDonald’s favor. At over +200, Ellenberger would be an automatic bet, and it’s quite possible the line reaches that point soon considering the early action on MacDonald, who is one of the most hyped fighters in the UFC, so keep your eye on it for a potential play on “The Juggernaut.” Although MacDonald is probably the more well-rounded fighter of the two, Ellenberger possesses massive power in his hands and MacDonald has been finished via strikes before, so this really is closer to a 50/50 fight if you ask me. To see how the opening odds for this fight were determined, watch this video of the latest edition of the MMA Oddsbreaker video series.
