As we approach the Rampage vs Jardine odds , it seems the Dean of Mean gets no respect. Can you blame fight fans and fellow UFC fighters alike for not getting too excited over Keith Jardine (
It’s hard to argue against Rampage as the favorite (-300). He’s a world-class fighter (29-7 record), having held the UFC heavyweight title and beaten Chuck Liddell (twice), Dan Henderson and, most recently, Wanderlei Silva in a vicious knockout. Rampage has the advantage in virtually every category—he’s a better wrestler, has a stronger chin and has more knockout power than Jardine. But is Rampage, like many online betting fans, underestimating Jardine? He reportedly turned down a title shot against Rashad Evans so he could “tune up” against Jardine first. If that doesn’t motivate the Dean of Mean in the Rampage vs Jardine odds, nothing can.
Jardine’s secret weapon is his ability to beat counterpunchers. He took down Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell and actually poses a sneakily difficult matchup for Rampage. Those who bet on UFC could do worse if they felt like picking a big sportsbook underdog in the UFC 96 betting lines. Overall, Rampage is still the safer bet. He’s stronger and more experienced than Jardine; he’s also smart enough to change his strategy and catch Jardine off guard. History suggests that walking forward is the way to beat the Dean of Mean (and badly—aggressive fighters like Silva and Houston Alexander demolished him that way), so online betting fans shouldn’t be surprised if Rampage tries exactly that this Saturday.