The UFC 188 betting lines are as elevated as the environment in which the fighters will compete tonight in Mexico City.
Only one of five pay-per-view bouts, the co-main event between Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez, features odds of less than 2-to-1. The exorbitant favorites are an appropriate touch when paired with the venue’s standing more than 7,000 feet above sea level.
Interim heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum, a 4-to-1 underdog, has cited the elevation as one of the main reasons why he will shock champion Cain Velasquez, who comes back as a 1-to-5 favorite, in the main event. Werdum brought his training camp to Mexico City more than a month ago to acclimate to the elements.
Velasquez was stationed at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., which is right at sea level, until last week. Werdum wasn’t the only one to implement the strategy, with other well-known fighters like Kelvin Gastelum, Henry Cejudo and Tecia Torres flocking south early.
Unlike Werdum, the aforementioned trio makes up three of the biggest favorites on a card with no shortage of them.
Find out if the Sun’s picks panel calls for any upsets below. Check out breakdowns, odds and picks from ESPN Radio’s Steve Cofield (46-21), ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto (45-22), KSNV’s Randy Howe (42-25), Las Vegas Sun’s Ray Brewer (41-26) and Las Vegas Sun’s Case Keefer (40-27) on every fight below.
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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