MMA Gambling Spotlight: DREAM 10 Betting Preview

DREAM 10 hits your television set on July 20th at 3 AM EST on HDNet. In order to try to help in the production of extra funds for your summer vacation or endless nights barhopping, here's a small preview of the betting lines for DREAM 10.

Lightweight Superfight: Shinya Aoki (-185, Bodog) vs. Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro (+190, Sportsbook)

If you were lucky enough to grab Ribeiro at +200, we're happy for you. Right now, Ribeiro is a strong underdog bet in this bout between two phenomenal grapplers. The consensus among fans taking Ribeiro is that Aoki hasn't faced a fighter with Ribeiro's grappling acumen before, so it could prove to be his crutch. Ribeiro is a solid bet at +190, but it really depends on how  you feel about him since he's only coming into his second fight since his long layoff.

Welterweight GP Semi-Final: Marius Zaromskis (+475, Bodog, Sportsbook) vs. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (-600, BetCRIS)

This seems like a ridiculous spread line, but Sakurai is definitely a heavy favorite. I'd probably stay away from the 6 to 1 odds on Sakurai as you'd have to throw down a considerably amount of money for any meaningful return. I don't forsee Zaromskis catching Sakurai in this one, so I'll abstain from betting.

Welterweight GP Semi-Final: Andre Galvao (-360, BetCRIS) vs. Jason High (+300, Bodog)

Interesting line for this one. High has a chance to wrestle his way to a decision here, and at 3 to 1 underdog odds, it make be a risky bet worth taking. My money is going to be pushed onto Galvao however. His grappling is dangerous, and his stand-up skills are very good for such an accomplished grappler.

Middleweight Superfight: Melvin Manhoef (+105, 5Dimes) vs. Paulo Filho (-130, BetCRIS)

I've made it an adamant point in the past that Melvin Manhoef is one of my golden eggs when it comes to betting. I'm also a huge fan, and I'm willing to lose a bit of dough to go out on a limb and pick him here. He isn't a huge underdog at all, so it's a bit risky considering the extra amount of money I'll make on a win isn't considerable. The question of whether Paulo Filho returns to the ring mentally stable is the ultimate question. I'm still straddling the line on this one.

Lightweight Superfight: Andre "Dida" Amade (+145, Bodog) vs. Katsuhiro Kikuno (-160, BetCRIS)

I'm very interested in this line as well. Kikuno is being given the favorite role here, but I'm hesitant even though I believe Kikuno has a legitimate chance at defeating Dida. The problem is that anyone who can take Buakaw Pramuk to an extension round is obviously a very good striker, and I wonder what Kikuno can do to Dida in this fight. Kikuno has the better ground game however, so my money goes to Kikuno.

Dong Sik Yoon (-205, BetCRIS) vs. Jesse Taylor (+190, Bodog)

This is a pretty accurate line. Yoon has the judo skills and submissions to defeat Taylor. It really becomes a question of whether Taylor can control Yoon from the top and punish him with strikes. Yoon is pretty slick against competition like Taylor, so I'll go with the favorite here.

Welterweight GP Final Reserve Fight: Seichi Ikemoto (-155, 5Dimes) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (+130, BetCRIS)

I may actually lay down on Saffiedine in this match-up. He has five out of his six wins via submission in the first round, so he has the grappling acumen to pull off quick submissions. Ikemoto isn't exactly an easy guy to defeat, and looking at his overall record isn't going to help you determine his true worth.


Picks?

This isn't an easy event to pick. For bets, I'd risk the dough for the Ribeiro underdog bet along with Manhoef. I think Galvao, Kikuno, and Yoon are solid bets, and there may be a parlay in the mix with those guys as well. Amade could be the ultimate spoiler though, so I'm reluctant to include that bout in my parlay. Ikemoto might be a good pick for that, but I haven't seen much of Saffiedine to make an educated decision on that match-up just yet. Happy Betting!