Anderson Silva is huge 1/14 favourite with Sky Bet to defeat Stephan Bonnar in the main event of UFC 153.
Spider seeking to give home fans a show to remember
Anderson Silva is huge 1/14 favourite with Sky Bet to defeat Stephan Bonnar in the main event of UFC 153 in Rio as he aims to continue his extraordinary winning run in the UFC.
The Middleweight champion will not put his belt on the line in this Light Heavyweight clash as this bout is a late replacement for the original main event - Frankie Edgar v Jose Aldo - but the Brazilian star is still taking this challenge seriously as he aims to build his legacy.
"I hope to continue my win streak, and I can finish my career undefeated in the UFC," Silva told
UFC.com.
"It's an individual sport, so you always have to be improving and training. I think that is the goal for every athlete; it is no different for me."
'The Spider' has already defended his title twice in 2012 and in recent years has decreased the frequency of his fights, but with the recent spate of injuries which have decimated UFC main events, including the total cancellation of UFC 151, the 37-year-old felt that he owed it to UFC President Dana White and his home fans to make an appearance.
He added: "It was a request from Dana to come in and save UFC 153.
"It was an opportunity to give back to all the Brazilian fans for what they did to support me in my last fight."
Bonnar is 15/2 with the online betting company to cause one of the greatest upsets in the history of MMA and although he is currently on a three-fight winning streak, he has not faced anyone with Silva's diverse skill-set since losing to an inexperienced Jon Jones in January 2009.
Silva has stopped all bar one of his UFC opponents within the distance and is
2/7 to beat Bonnar within three rounds, which is a good price considering his penchant for the spectacular finish.
Returns
In the co-main event, former interim Heavyweight champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira returns to action as he takes on Dave Herman.
Nogueira is 30/100 to win on home soil after having his arm broken by Frank Mir in a devastating submission defeat at UFC 140 last December, but should be too much for Herman - who is coming of the back of successive defeats to Stefan Struve and Roy Nelson.
Two more home favourites go head-to-head as hotly-tipped Glover Teixeira (1/4) faces Fabio Maldonaldo (3/1) in only his second UFC bout.
Teixeira, who is being touted as a contender for Jon Jones' Light Heavyweight crown, swept aside the durable Kyle Kingsbury in the first round of his UFC bow to extend his winning run to 14 matches - all of which coming inside the distance - so he looks a good shout
to win by TKO/KO at 7/4.
Elsewhere on the card, Welterweight prospect Erick Silva takes on Jon Fitch, Phil Davis takes on undefeated Wagner Prado in a re-match of their recent no-contest and Demian Maia faces Rick Story in his second fight at Welterweight.
Click to see all of Sky Bet's UFC 153 markets.
