Most of the fighters that are high on the online betting list are usually the ones who are more diverse and can fight in a number of disciplines, and they’ll spend a portion of their training working on moves they already know how to do so they can use them in a pinch in a fight.

However, they’ll probably also spend time working on what their opponent likes to do. For example, if someone is facing a strong wrestler, doesn’t it make sense to work on your wrestling or at worst, your takedown defense? If you’re going up against a boxer, it would probably pay off to work on your boxing skills so you’re not completely overwhelmed in that aspect of the match.

Another major aspect of training when it comes to mixed martial arts is cardio and the ability to not gas early in a fight. Most fights are three five-minute rounds for a total of 15 minutes and in the UFC, title fights are five rounds. If you’re gasping for air at the end of the first round, you’re probably not going to last very long, so check a fighter’s cardio history before you go to your sports book.

The physical preparations are simple: fighters train usually for about two months before a fight, and they have to know who they are fighting so they can prepare a game plan for the style of the opposition. You have to also be able to mentally prepare yourself for going up against a certain style of opponent; for example, if you’re going up against a wrestler, you should probably spend some of your time working on takedown defense and your skills on the mat. The mental aspect of this is important if you’re a striker who isn’t used to working on these techniques.

But you also have to prepare for the level of your opponent, no matter which side of the fence you fall on in your best online sportsbook. If you’re an underdog taking on one of the best fighters in the division, and maybe it’s your first big fight, you’ll have to work on keeping the nerves at bay so you don’t crash in the first round. If you’re the favorite, you have to get into a mindframe where you won’t underestimate your opponent. Most of the time, the fighters who are usually the best prepared, physically and mentally, will be the favorites to late a sports bet on.

You may hear the term “ring rust” in regards to MMA, and it happens quite often in such a physical sport where injuries are the norm and fighters are always taking time off for something. It doesn’t matter how great your cardio was before, sports betting players know that everything can change for a fighter when they’ve been out of the ring or cage for a while, and you only need to look towards Cain Velasquez, who was out for over a year, and then had to come back to defend his heavyweight title against Junior Dos Santos, and he just didn’t look like he was in ring shape. Practice and sparring speed is an entirely different ball game from match speed, and Velasquez looked well off the pace as he was knocked out within 64 seconds to lose the belt.

This is what is awaiting welterweight king Georges St. Pierre, who will be out for a good year and a half before he takes on interim champion Carlos Condit, likely in November. St. Pierre was one of the top athletes in any sport in the world before his injury, but a torn ACL has kept him out of the octagon, so that will be a factor for you before going to your sports betting sites.

There are a number of different styles from when MMA started to take off, and if you’re going to be as successful as those who work with pay head services, you should become familiar with the styles you’ll see. Many feel that wrestling is the dominant style in the sport right now as many of the UFC’s champions (Jon Jones, Georges St. Pierre, Ben Henderson) have backgrounds in wrestling and can control a match with their grappling. But then you have Muay Thai strikers (Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo) who are explosive and come at you from different angles than boxers would, and they usually have great takedown defense to counter wrestlers. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is also incredibly popular among the biggest names in the sport.

But you will also find that the best mixed martial artists are well rounded and can work with any style. Jones is a great example of this as he has integrated Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu into his wrestling, while St. Pierre has done the same with boxing and jiu-jitsu. Today’s athletes are too quick, strong and smart to be dealt with via one style, and a fighter that is versatile will usually be the sport betting favorite.

Miesha Tate – Miesha Tate is an absolute beast in the octagon. At one point in her career, she had to go through two other women on the same card to earn a title fight against Welterweight title holder Marloes Coenen in Strikeforce. Tate was originally set to face Coenen at the Strikeforce March 5, 2011 card, however she was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury. Luckily for MMA fans, that fight is now scheduled for the end of July and is a co-main event on the Strikeforce card.

Sarah Kaufman – Kaufman was one of the first women to win gold in the octagon, as she rode an undefeated streak all the way to Welterweight Championship. Yet, all good things must come to an end, as Kaufman would lose to Marloes Coenen in the third round of the title fight by way of submission. Kaufman is set to fight Liz Carmouche for the number one contenders spot to the Welterweight title on July 22nd for Strikeforce.

Marloes Coenen – Coenen is considered by many MMA purists to be the female equivalent to UFC star Anderson the Spider Silva. Coenen has been the female Welterweight Champion for roughly a year, and has literally destroyed all comers. She is set to take on Miesha Tate in her toughest contest yet on July 30th.

Research, Research, Research

2012 March Madness betting players will back up this point: you have to do as much research as you possibly can to learn a fighter’s tendencies, check out if they’re on a roll, maybe look at their past fights to see if you can find someone that is similar to their current opponent. This tip leads straight into the second.

Remember That Styles Make Fights

You will hear this adage constantly in the fight game, whether it’s boxing or MMA and you can use it in stick-and-ball sports as well. Some fighters are simply a bad matchup for another, and right now, it seems like wrestling is the dominant style as it allows fighters to get control and earn points, so someone that has issues against wrestlers usually isn’t going to fare well.

What Is The Motivation?

You can also see what type of motivation a fighter has; they could be fighting for their contract after a losing streak, or they’re making their UFC debut, or they are trying to move up into title contention. There are all sorts of factors to consider when it comes to the undercard of a UFC or MMA card, and you have to check them all off before heading to your favorite sports betting sites.

Whether you are betting on March Madness odds or looking at mixed martial arts, you should always take momentum and form into account before making your sports betting picks. When a fighter is on a roll, he feels like he can beat anyone and that is probably more than half the battle when they step into the ring or octagon. Fighters are so evenly matched now in terms of physical ability that the mental side of the game can often be the difference between a win and a loss, and a fighter that has won four or five fights in a row will have a lot of confidence in themselves.

However, the fight game is different from stick-and-ball sports in that it only takes one good punch to change a fight on its head and it takes a top-notch fighter to be able to bounce back from a good shot. But then again, the true test of a fighter is how they recover from being hit and if they’ve won a few fights in a row they should have the self-belief to get back up and keep fighting. Momentum and form is something you should definitely consider before heading to your online sportsbooks.

Styles Make Fights

Experienced players that work with price per head systems have heard this phrase before, and it essentially states that any man can win a fight if they’re a bad matchup for their opponent. For example, a strong wrestler will look to take down their foe if they’re a striker with poor takedown defense. This takes watching some old footage to see how they’ve fared against similar opponents.

The Weight Cut

This is an aspect of MMA and other sports that go unnoticed, but a lot of fighters will go through a drastic weight cut the day before the weigh-in so they can make weight for the fight, and then rehydrate and eat until they fight the next night. Some fighters can cut 20 pounds in a day and then have to work to put it back on, which will affect their cardio on fight night.

Who Is The Hot Fighter?

Momentum means a lot in team sports, and it also matters in an individual (although fighters have teams to prepare them for matches) sport like MMA. If a fighter is on a hot streak, they’re going to be more confident stepping into the octagon, while a man who has lost a couple fights may have some doubt and that is dangerous for his chances at betting sites.

The first concept of MMA betting to comprehend is the difference between the favorite (denoted by a minus sign) and an underdog (shown by a plus sign). The best way to show this is through an example, and we’ll take UFC 143 (which is going up against Super Bowl betting). The main event features Nick Diaz as a -175 to win the interim welterweight championship against Carlos Condit (champion Georges St. Pierre was due to fight Diaz, but tore his ACL), who is rated at +155. This means that you would have to bet $175 to win $100 on Diaz, but you would win $155 on a $100 bet if you go with Condit.

Odds can change depending on how people are betting on the fight (sportsbooks try to bring in an equal amount on both sides), or maybe an injury would cause the sportsbooks to chance the lines as a fighter could be on short notice. You can also bet on props, such as the number of rounds that a match will last, and you can also wager on draws in MMA, which means all bets will be paid back. Do some research, and maybe open up an account so you can get familiar with sport betting terminology.

UFC 143 Odds – February 4^th, 2012

Diaz (26-7, 1 NC) was the Strikeforce champion before moving over the UFC, but he really raised his profile among those that use pay per head software with a dismantling of former two-division champion B.J. Penn, who is past his best, but Diaz still took care of business. Diaz has a boxing background and uses volume punching to throw his opponents off, but if you want to go to the mat with him, Diaz is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-itsu.

Condit (27-5) was the final WEC champion at 170 pounds, and he has been impressive since moving to the UFC, going 4-1 and stopping some tough opponents. He has earned the Knockout of the Night in his last two fights thanks to his dangerous Muay Thai striking, but the “Natural Born Killer” has submitted 13 opponents.

Diaz has emerged as an early -160 favorite against Condit, who is rated at +130 and this is going to be a very tough fight to handicap. Both men have an excellent chin and can take a punch, and they’re also comfortable on the mat. In a match that could be a “Fight of the Year” contender, go with Nick Diaz to win the interim 170-pound belt while the rest of the community is doing some Super Bowl betting.