For now, a fight between former UFC champion Brock Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and ex-Strikeforce titleholder Alistair Overeem (35-11 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is a toss-up.
Noted MMA oddsmaker Joey Oddessa today told MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) that he's opened the fight, which headlines a Dec. 30 event that's expected to be UFC 141, with both fighters at -115.
"It doesn't get much easier than this," Oddessa (@mmaodds) said.
MMAjunkie.com passed along news of the fight, which takes place on a rare Friday from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, earlier today. For it to become a reality, Overeem, who recently was released from Strikeforce following his withdrawal from its heavyweight grand prix, had to sign a new, exclusive deal with the UFC.
With his contract shored up, and with Lesnar cleared to compete after recovering from a second bout of diverticulitis, officials booked the UFC 141 pay-per-view blockbuster. The winner gets a guaranteed title shot.
"Odds on this bout are easy numbers to make," Oddessa said. "You have arguably two of the best current heavyweights matched up in the octagon in a tossup depending on who can implement their game plan from the opening bell.
"If not for the layoff, I would have opened Brock the favorite. When you look at the numbers, dubbing it a pick 'em is an obvious good starting point here because there are many unknowns."
At -115, each fighter is given an approximate 53.5 percent chance of winning. (Given the nature of sports betting and the house "vig," the numbers don't add up to an event 100 percent.)
However, while the line is even now, Oddessa expects it to move.
"I can see the line moving toward Overeem as the fight approaches, but Brock still has a loyal fan base," he said.
Overeem most recently defeated Fabricio Werdum in the opening round of the heavyweight grand prix. The fighter, who's also DREAM's reigning interim heavyweight titleholder and the K-1 2010 World Grand Prix kickboxing champion, is now 10-0 (with one no-contest) over his past 11 fights. Only the Werdum fight went the distance.
Lesnar hasn't fought since he lost his belt to Cain Velasquez. In a UFC 121 headliner in October 2010, Velasquez scored a first-round TKO of the former WWE star. Prior to the setback, the former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion had won four straight fights, which included a championship victory over Randy Couture and successful title defenses over Frank Mir and Shane Carwin. All of the wins came via stoppage.
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