Wagering: 1.888.238.8018 - 1.888.889.4313
Customer Service: 1.877.717.7747 - 1.888.889.4368
Customer Service: 1.877.717.7747 - 1.888.889.4368
: 1.888.238.8198 - 1.888.889.4312
: 1.888.378.0888 - 1.888.889.4219
| UFC 137 Preview: Chris Leben (22-7, 12-6 UFC) vs. Mark Munoz (11-2, 6-2 UFC) |
Not many fighters can resurrect their career momentum like Leben, whose ability to deliver thrilling knockouts is matched by few others. Fresh off his 27-second stoppage of Brazilian icon Wanderlei Silva at UFC 132, Leben takes on the tough Munoz, whose steady improvement in recent outings makes him a compelling matchup for “The Crippler.” There are no mysteries to Leben’s style. The left-handed slugger combines aggression with a big-time belief in his chin and ability to absorb punishment; 2010 was a stellar year for him, as he put together gut-check victories over Aaron Simpson and Yoshihiro Akiyama in a two-week span. Knocked out in a one-round loss to Brian Stann on Jan. 1, Leben was reportedly sick coming into the bout but went ahead anyways, looking somewhat flat and unable to get going. With his showing against Silva, he is back to being Leben, an easy-to-sell product precisely because he will trade shots with anyone, which often makes for an edge-of-the-seat fight. Style-wise, Munoz has the advantage. The former NCAA wrestling champion at 197 pounds has an outstanding takedown game, combined with an ability to wrest himself out of bad spots on the mat. Munoz’s standup is improving, and it has gone a long way toward helping him set up shots. Early performances in his WEC and UFC career saw him go for long-distance, low-percentage takedown attempts that he either willed himself into finishing or got stuffed on, which was the case in his decision loss to Yushin Okami at UFC Live 2. Munoz will not be stuffed here, as Leben is not a good enough wrestler to stymie him. However, he will have to be careful letting Leben get too many chances to let his hands go. Leben is good from the sprawl position, where he will stuff the head and punish an opponent with his left hand. The fact that this is a five-round fight is a huge advantage for Munoz. He was buzzed in the opening moments of his close decision win over Demian Maia at UFC 131 but has shown an ability to kill the clock and recover in several bouts. The longer fight allows Munoz more time to gauge distances and Leben’s timing and close the gap for a leg takedown or tie-up. Another small factor in Munoz’s advantage is his ability to fight from the conventional or southpaw stance, which will let him see which angles work best prior to closing for a takedown attempt. Physically, Munoz is the superior athlete, and, if they tie up, watch for him to work a quick takedown. Leben will be looking to land his big left hand, and while he has decent kicks, he probably will not use them much for fear of Munoz catching one and planting him on the mat. This is the kind of fight that Leben could be losing every minute of until he lands his massive equalizer: a crushing left that has rescued him on many occasions. This is just one of the great fights on the card and a reason to watch UFC and bet on the fights at Bet Phoenix. 
|
The UFC takes center stage again this weekend and online sportsbook Bet Phoenix is rteh best place to lay a wager on the fight.
© 2012 BetPhoenix Chinese / Vietnamese Sportsbook & Casino Group. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information. All rights reserved.
BetPhoenix.com is a current leader in the North American and Asian Online Gaming sector. Sportsbook, Live Casino, Virtual Casino and Racebook. All in one! Customer satisfaction is our number one priority.
Sportsbook
Racebook
Online Casino
Live Casino
Bingo
Affiliates
Daily Doubles
Exacta
Pick3
Pick4
Pick6
Quinella
Straight
Superfecta
Trifecta
Others
NFL Football Betting
NBA Betting
UFC Betting
NCAA Football Betting
MLB Betting
NASCAR Betting
Tennis Betting
NHL Betting