There’s a heavyweight fight rumored for this summer, and it’s a big one. According to MMAjunkie.com, former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem is expected to return to the cage at UFC 164, which takes place August 31 at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI. And his rumored opponent is none other than heavyweight banger Travis Browne, although this fight is still far from official. If it does materialize, though, expect this to be the co-main event for UFC 164 as it’s definitely one of the biggest fights of the summer. Overeem, who was shockingly knocked out by Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC 156, was set to return to action against Junior dos Santos at UFC 160 but had to pull out due to injuries, but now healthy, he’ll look to get back into title contention by taking out the rising Browne, who also has a recent loss to Silva. This is a pretty even matchup but I do favor Browne to win the fight, and I think he can win it by knockout. However, Overeem has all the hype and public support behind him and, even though he lost to “Bigfoot,” I still expect him to open as the favorite in this fight, perhaps in the -200 range, with the comeback on Browne being +150. And if that’s the case, then I’ll certainly be recommending a play on Browne, who is coming off a KO win over veteran Gabriel Gonzaga. Another bet to target for this fight will be that it doesn’t go to decision, as either man has the capability to knock one another out, so definitely consider making a play on that prop if it’s under -300 come fight night. Lauzon vs. Johnson Booked For UFC on FOX Sports 1 1 The UFC today booked a lightweight bout between Massachusetts native Joe Lauzon and Michael Johnson for the upcoming UFC on FOX Sports 1 1 card, which takes place August 17 in Boston, MA. The fight will likely be a preliminary card bout. This is an excellent fight between two of the more exciting fighters in the UFC lightweight division so kudos to UFC matchmaker Joe Silva for booking it. For Lauzon, it’s a chance to redeem himself after losing to Jim Miller in a war at UFC 155, while Johnson really needs to bounce back big time after suffering back-to-back defeats to Myles Jury and Reza Madadi. This is a competitive fight if it remains standing but if it hits the ground then Lauzon, who is a BJJ ace, will have a huge edge over Johnson, who has a very poor ground game. As such, I expect Lauzon to open at around -230 or so with the opening comeback on Johnson being around +170, although things could easily change if the public decides they like Johnson to win. Personally, I think this is a very good matchup for Lauzon so I would predict him to win and I definitely will be targeting him for a bet this summer, as well as targeting the Lauzon via submission prop.
MMA Odds and Ends for Monday: Overeem vs. Browne Rumored
