Bisping vs. St-Pierre: UFC 217 Main Card Odds and Predictions

There have been some mediocre UFC events this year because of injury or suspension forcing withdrawals. Saturday night’s card from Madison Square Garden in New York City is stacked with three title fights, led by the long-awaited return to the Octagon of Canadian legend Georges St-Pierre. The five-fight main card is expected to begin at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. Here’s a look at those bouts and their Sports Interaction MMA odds.

Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre

Records: Bisping (30-7), St-Pierre (25-2)
Division: Middleweight
UFC Odds: St-Pierre -140, Bisping +105
Prediction: GSP by decision

The UFC tried to make this fight happen twice previously and Bisping threatened to move on for good if it wasn’t finalized this time. At one point, it appeared UFC boss Dana White also had given up. The 38-year-old Bisping, from England, already has one win over a UFC legend: vs. Anderson Silva in February 2016. Bisping won the middleweight title that June with a first-round knockout of Luke Rockhold and defended for the first and still only time in October 2016 with a unanimous decision victory over Dan Henderson. The actual interim middleweight champ right now is Robert Whittaker after his victory over Yoel Romero in July. It was expected that Whittaker would fight Bisping next, but Whittaker is dealing with a knee injury.

St-Pierre, 36, is on the short list of greatest fighters in MMA history. He hasn’t fought since the ninth straight successful defence of his welterweight title – beating Johny Hendricks by split decision at UFC 167 in November 2013. St-Pierre, who stepped away from the sport after that bout, was the longest-reigning welterweight champion in UFC history. His last loss was to Matt Serra way back in August 2007. This will be GSP’s first fight at middleweight, and his 12-fight UFC winning streak is the second longest among all active fighters. The victor here is expected to battle Whittaker at UFC 221 in Australia.

Cody Garbrandt vs. TJ Dillashaw

Records: Garbrandt (11-0), Dillashaw (15-3)
Division: Bantamweight
UFC Odds: Garbrandt -170, Dillashaw +135
Prediction: Garbrandt by KO/TKO

These Americans are former friends and teammates turned rivals battling for Garbrandt’s bantamweight belt. Dillashaw is ranked as the division’s No. 2 contender; Dominick Cruz is No. 1. Garbrandt and Dillashaw were originally to fight at UFC 213 in July, but Garbrandt had to withdraw due to a back injury. He won the bantamweight belt with a unanimous decision victory over Cruz last December.

Garbrandt, 26, has made noise about next fighting UFC pound-for-pound king and flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. Dillashaw, 31, wanted to fight Johnson when the first Garbrandt fight was canceled but Johnson opted for Ray Borg earlier this month. Dillashaw has won two fights in a row since a loss to Cruz in January 2016.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas

Records: Jedrzejczyk (14-0), Namajunas (7-3)
Division: Women’s strawweight
UFC Odds: Jedrzejczyk -455, Namajunas +315
Prediction: Jedrzejczyk by decision

Many believe the women’s strawweight champion Jedrzejczyk is the baddest woman on the planet – she might have the toughest name to type (miracle if not spelled wrong at least once here)! The 30-year-old Pole is 8-0 since joining the UFC, winning her past four by unanimous decision. A victory Saturday would tie would tie Ronda Rousey’s record for most consecutive title defenses (six) among female fighters. Namajunas, a 25-year-old American, comes off a rear-naked choke submission win over Michelle Waterson in April.

Stephen Thompson vs. Jorge Masvidal

Records: Thompson (13-1-1), Masvidal (32-12)
Division: Welterweight
UFC Odds: Thompson -175, Masvidal +135
Prediction: Thompson by decision

Intriguing welterweight bout with Thompson ranked No. 2 in the division and Masvidal fourth. Tyron Woodley is the division champion and the 34-year-old Thompson’s past two fights were against him. “Wonderboy” drew with Wooley in November 2016 in a title fight, and they had an immediate rematch in March and Woodley won by majority decision. Thompson had won seven in a row before those two bouts, including victories over current interim middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and Canada’s Rory MacDonald. That was MacDonald’s last UFC fight. Masvidal, 32, likely would be fighting Woodley for the title if not for a loss to Demian Maia in May by split decision.

Johny Hendricks vs. Paulo Borrachinha

Records: Hendricks (18-7), Borrachinha (10-0)
Division: Middleweight
UFC Odds: Borrachinha -235, Hendricks +175
Prediction: Borrachinha by KO/TKO

Hendricks, 34, is a former welterweight champion who is trending the wrong way with four losses in his past five trips to the Octagon. He last fought in June and was a second-round TKO loser to Tim Boetsch. Hendricks also lost to Georges St-Pierre in a memorable split decision back at UFC 167 four years ago. Borrachinha, who also goes by Paulo Henrique Costa, is a 26-year-old from Brazil and a rising prospect in the division. He is 2-0 since joining the UFC and has gone past the first round just once in his career: in June via a second-round TKO victory over Oluwale Bamgbose.