The Octagon returns to Pittsburgh this weekend for UFC Fight Night 116, just as former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold makes his return to the Octagon. Rockhold hasn’t fought since being on the wrong side of one of the more shocking results in UFC history last June. As a huge favorite, Rockhold was knocked out in the first round by Michael Bisping. Rockhold was scheduled to face Jacare in November, but a knee injury forced him out of that bout and caused his prolonged layoff.
Rockhold will face another man who recently returned to the UFC as well, albeit in a very different fashion. Dave Branch was cut in 2011 after a 2-2 run in the UFC. A 12-1 run primarily in World Series of Fighting (with the lone loss coming to Rumble Johnson) earned him a ticket back into the UFC, and he returned succesfully, taking a decision against Krzysztof Jotko in May. Rockhold should prove a much more difficult test, and the winner will almost certainly find himself in the middleweight title hunt.
Rockhold opened a heavy -400 favorite (bet $400 to win $100) for this bout at Several Bookmakers, with Branch at +280 (bet $100 to win $280). Until now, that was the only betting line available on the Fight Night card. MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas opened the remaining odds for the Pittsburgh card today, and you can find them all below.
The co-main event is a welterweight contest that could very well turn into a slugfest, as former title challenger Thiago Alves takes on Mike Perry. The dynamic is no less interesting in the third bout on the card, as Anthony Smith’s aggression could be enough to coax some activity out of Hector Lombard in their middleweight scrap.
The remaining main card bout seem like showcases, as Gregor Gillespie, Kamaru Usman, and Justin Ledet are all facing older opponents (Jason Gonzalez, Sergio Moraes, and Azunna Anyanwu, respectively) who they would seem to have stylistic advantages against.
The preliminary card is not short on talent either. Headlined by a lightweight bout between Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Tony Martin, it also features top 15 middleweights Krzysztof Jotko and Uriah Hall, as well as Luke Sanders — who looks to bounce back from his first career loss. Keep scrolling for all of the opening odds.
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UFC Fight Night 116: Rockhold vs. Branch
SEPTEMBER 16, 2017
PPG Paints Arena | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Main Card – FS1, 10PM ET
David Branch +280
Luke Rockhold -400
Over 2.5 -160
Under 2.5 +120
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Thiago Alves +135—–Canceled: Alves Out, Reyes Steps In
Mike Perry -175
Over 1.5 -165
Under 1.5 +125
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Alex Reyes +350
Mike Perry -485
Over 1.5 -110
Under 1.5 -130
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Anthony Smith +120
Hector Lombard -160
Over 1.5 -180
Under 1.5 +140
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Jason Gonzalez +375
Gregor Gillespie -565
Over 1.5 -150
Under 1.5 +110
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Sergio Moraes +280
Kamaru Usman -400
Over 2.5 -175
Under 2.5 +135
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Azunna Anyanwu +235
Justin Ledet -315
Over 1.5 -140
Under 1.5 +100
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Preliminary Card – FS1, 8PM ET
Tony Martin +135
Olivier Aubin-Mercier -175
Over 2.5 -165
Under 2.5 +125
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Daniel Spitz +170
Anthony Hamilton -230
Over 1.5 -130
Under 1.5 -110
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Uriah Hall +170
Krzysztof Jotko -230
Over 2.5 -150
Under 2.5 +110
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Felipe Arantes +180
Luke Sanders -260
Over 2.5 -175
Under 2.5 +135
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Preliminary Card – UFC Fight Pass, 6:30PM ET
Jason Saggo +140
Gilbert Burns -180
Over 2.5 -140
Under 2.5 +100
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