Free Sports Picks: Home NFL CFB CBB MLB Boxing
LootMeister UFC Picks
Online SportsbooksBest Sportsbook Bonuses

UFC Fight Night 87 Picks

MMA Fight: UFC Fight Night 87: Overeem vs. Arlovski
Key Matches: Alistair Overeem vs. Andrei Arlovski and Antonio Silva vs. Stefan Struve
When: Sunday, May 8, 2016
Time: 11:00PM EST
Where: Ahoy Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
TV: Fox Sports 1

by Loot, MMA Handicapper, Lootmeister.com

Alistair Overeem, (-200), 40-14 (17 KOs, 19 Submissions) vs. Andrei Arlovski, (+170), 25-11 (17 KOs, 3 Submissions)

Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski will do battle in the main event of UFC Fight Night 87. These are two of the bigger-name heavyweights in MMA over the past decade-plus. Arlovski is a former UFC champion, while Overeem has won just about everything but the UFC belt. The 35-year old Dutchman is on a nice roll with three straight wins, including an important 2nd-round TKO over former champ Junior dos Santos. Arlovski, 37, was a on a nice roll as he got his career back on track with 6 straight wins, before getting TKO'd by top contender Stipe Miocic in January. This should be a hard-hitting war that is hard to imagine going 5 rounds.

Say what you will about Overeem, but it's good to see him finally get the results that are consistent with his immense skill package. We're talking about a former K-1 Grand Prix champion here, one of the greatest strikers to ever enter into MMA. And as his 19 submissions wins will attest—he has a legitimate ground game, having submitted some really good fighters over the years. Maybe his 2-3 start in the UFC octagon had something to do with the transition from a ring to a cage. But whatever the case, Overeem has dusted himself off from those setbacks and is now in a position to validate his championship challenger status.

Arlovski has come back from even deeper depths, written off for the most part in 2011 after losing his 4th straight. It seemed he had lost his ability to take a punch, befallen by a group of fighters he would have decimated in his prime. But since 2011, he has lost only twice in 13 fights. And since returning to the organization where he once reigned as champion, he has stopped guys like Brendan Schaub, Travis Browne, and Frank Mir. The 54-second TKO loss to Miocic was a bad setback, but he had done well to get back into contender status.

You see a guy like Overeem with that overall game and wonder how he has lost 14 fights. He doesn't always get the most out of what he has. There is something about him that can be undependable. Until the referee raises his hand, it's never over 'til it's over with Overeem, who has seen defeat occur when right on the precipice of victory. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more lethal striker, but when it comes to octagon IQ, he sometimes leaves something to be desired. And that often gives his opponents a route to victory. All things considered, he has no business losing fights to guys like Ben Rothwell, Antonio Silva, and Travis Browne, but he has.

FINALLY! AN ONLINE SPORTSBOOK WHERE CREDIT CARDS WORK FOR DEPOSITING! YOU GET A 50% BONUS UP TO $250 FREE TOO! BOVADA SPORTSBOOK

Arlovski is a tough and mentally-strong former champion whose back is against the wall. He should be expected to be very dangerous for this bout. He's simply too old and worn down to go to the back of the pack and rebuild again. These two have never fought, despite having worked a lot in the same fighting camps. They know the full scope of the other's powers. Stylistically, I don't like the matchup for Arlovski. He does a lot of things well, but sponging prolonged punishment isn't one of them. Again, Overeem is just erratic enough to make this an iffy proposition, but I don't see Arlovski having the wherewithal at this point to soldier through a beating, especially in Overeem's home nation where he'll be extra pumped-up. I'll take Overeem.

Loot's Pick to Win the Match: I'm betting on Alistair Overeem at -200.

Antonio Silva, (+155), 19-8-1 (14 KOs, 3 Submissions) vs. Stefan Struve, (-185), 26-8 (7 KOs, 16 Submissions)

Also on the UFC Fight Night 87 card is the heavyweight matchup of Antonio Silva against Stefan Struve. Both are heavyweight X-factors in desperate need of a win. The 36-year old Silva has won just once in his last six fights and is coming off a first-round KO loss to Mark Hunt in November. He's been knocked out 4 times since May of 2013 and could really use a positive development against the 7-foot Struve, a loser in three of his last four. The 28-year old Struve is coming off a decision loss to Jared Rosholt in November. These are two of the bigger heavyweights in the UFC and fans should expect a high-urgency battle between two dangerous and desperate big men.

It's only fair to ask some tough questions of both of these fighters. For Silva, he's done some big things in this sport like beat Fedor, Travis Browne, and Alistair Overeem. He looked good in stopping Soa Palelei in August. With one win in his last 6 fights, he really needs something big to happen. The ban on testosterone-replacement therapy seems to have left him a bit depleted. At the same time, he's still a big strong guy who knows how to fight and Struve will have his hands full.

Struve was cruising along nicely in his career and coming off big wins over good fighters like Stipe Miocic, before an aortic valve issue caused a layoff. Since returning, he is 1-2, with a win over Antonio Nogueira and losses to Overeem and Jared Rosholt, a fighter who is no longer even in the UFC. He is an angular striker with a deep ground game—a very versatile fighter and more robust than his wispy 7-foot frame would suggest at first glance.

It may be fair to say both fighters are on a downward trajectory, but I suspect Silva's is steeper. He's been though a lot lately and most of it was bad. Defeat, once a concept that was difficult to stomach, has become accepted more readily. And he just doesn't seem like the same guy. Struve is hardly bankable at this point, either, but he just might have some more gas in the tank and more realistic routes to victory than his opponent. I'll take Struve.

Loot's Prediction to Win the Fight: I'm betting on Stefan Struve at -185. Did you know... that you could be wagering on fights at discounted odds? There's a better than good chance that you're laying inflated odds with your book. Stop overpaying TODAY by making the switch to 5Dimes Sportsbook! You will be so glad that you did!

Share this article with friends:

Leave a comment:

SAVE BIG MONEY BY BETTING AT -105 REDUCED ODDS!
Quit wasting your hard earned money! Make the switch from -110 to -105 odds today!
Doc's Sports Picks

MMA Betting

  • GTBets - Pad your bankroll before even placing your first bet! Deposit $100-$500 and get a 100% matching bonus!
  • BetOnline - Bet on UFC and MMA fights using your credit card from the comfort of your own home! Receive a generous signup bonus too!

MISC.

  • UFC Weight Classes - The UFC is broken down by 8 weight class divisions with heavyweights being the biggest fighters (Maximum weight 265 pounds) and flyweights (125lb Max.) being the smallest fighters. Check out the other 6 classes of mixed martial artists including analysis for each division right here!
  • Famous MMA Fighters - Biographies of mixed martial arts fighters who have graced the octagon and become shining stars of the sport.
  • Famous MMA Quotes and Sayings - Testosterone runs high when fights take place. This creates a slew of memorable verbage from all involved including the fighters, their trainers and the announcers. Oh, and Dana White!
Reduced Juice Sports Betting 100% Sportsbook Bonus Best Parlay Odds Online