Submission Underground presented by Chael Sonnen and FloSports

Submission Underground Betting Odds and Full Card Preview

Submission Underground Betting Odds and Full Card Preview

Submission Underground Betting Odds and Full Card Preview.

Jul 15, 2016
Submission Underground Betting Odds and Full Card Preview
Some of the best submission grapplers in the world will enter the cage this Sunday, July 17, for Chael Sonnen's Submission Underground. From the mind of the baddest man in entertainment, it's a competition unlike any other.

Pitting the best in wrestling and grappling against each other, Submission Underground will return fighters to the essence of combat sports: submission. We live in an era of participation awards and games that end in ties, but Submission Underground's fights won't end until someone is submitted.

Competing under Eddie Bravo Rules, fights will not end in a draw. Points will not be awarded for maintaining dominant position to ride out a decision. And there will be no time to rest, as a match could end at any time.

The six-fight main card features some of the biggest names in grappling, headlined by a bout between Vinny Magalhaes and Ronny Markes.

And because gambling makes every viewing experience better, here are the match breakdowns and betting odds brought to you by BetDSI.

Vinny Magalhaes vs. Ronny Markes


In the main event, Vinny Magalhaes will face Ronny Markes in a battle between two of the best NoGi grapplers from Brazil.

The grappling community knows Magalhaes. He made an impact in competition at a very young age and continues to be a mainstay on the podium. He's a 50/50 guard player and uses creative transitions and sweeps to win.

Markes is a Nova Uniao black belt and MMA fighter. He's not as focused on winning grappling titles as Magalhaes, but has done well in competitions with his exceptionally strong top game.

The Submission Underground format will favor Magalhaes, whose game of setting up submissions from guard means Markes won't get comfortable in any position.

While 50/50 guard defense is now trained at most academies these days, it's still an uncomfortable place to work if you don't have partners that will constantly put you in those positions.

Pick: Vinny Magalhaes

Ricco Rodriguez (+630) vs. Fabiano Scherner (-270)


A heavyweight battle between former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez and the 2012 World's No-Gi Absolute gold medalist Fabiano Scherner headlines the card.

Scherner is an absolute monster on the mat. A third-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under the tutelage of Murilo Bustamante, Scherner's trophy case is filled with gold medals in both Gi and NoGi. A grappler who prefers to work from top position, Scherner was a mainstay on the international circuit from 2001 to 2012, and earned gold at both Pan-Ams and Worlds.

As the Ying to Scherner's Yang, Rodriguez found early success on the grappling mats before focusing on his MMA career. A BJJ black belt under Jean-Jacques Machado, Rodriguez won the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Absolute division in 1998.

The matchup is a great test for both men, who've both been at the top of the sport at some point in their careers. Rodriguez is the younger competitor who stayed active in recent years. When he's on his game, he's a tough opponent for anyone.

I expect Rodriguez to show the dominance that led him to winning the ADCC in 1998. Scherner's a tough competitor, but will likely struggle with Ricco's wrestling and top game. I see Ricco scoring a takedown and working from top control before scoring a late submission. At +630, I think Rodriguez is the safest long-shot bet on the card to pay out big.

Pick: Ricco Rodriguez

Stephen Abas (+200) vs. Alex Canders (-237)


In an important match for the wrestling and jiu-jitsu communities, Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas takes on 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu's Alex Canders.

Abas is one of the best collegiate wrestlers of all time--he won the national championship three times and ending his career with a 144-4 record. He took silver in freestyle at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He's a complete monster on the mat, but doesn't have much submission grappling experience.

Canders is an instructor for 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu and a black belt under Denny Prokopos. He's a mainstay on the NoGi grappling circuit, and won as a brown belt in 2014 and 2015. Canders is a guard player, preferring to use his flexibility to keep opponents on the defensive.

Abas will score the takedown early, as his wrestling is superior. The question is whether he has the ability on the ground to wear Canders down before getting submitted.

Because of the format, I have to favor Canders in this match. His fluid transitions between submissions will keep Abas defensive from the jump. Look for Canders to transition from guard before taking Abas' back to score the late rear-naked choke.

Pick: Alex Canders (-237)

Jake Shields (-700) vs. Chris Lytle (+500)


I absolutely love this matchup between two MMA legends. In fact, this is going to be my pick for the match of the night. At face value, this will be viewed as a mismatch by most diehard fans.

Shields is one of the best grapplers in MMA with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cesar Gracie. But his game is predicated on control and maintaining position--two aspects that matter in MMA and traditional grappling tournaments, but won't lead to a victory in Portland.

In contrast, Lytle was one of the most underrated grapplers in MMA whose skills on the mat were overlooked because of his smooth standup technique. While he lacks the lineage of other competitors, he's extremely crafty on the ground and scored 17 submissions during his MMA career.

This is one of those fun matchups where the expectation is Shields will dominate Lytle for an easy win. I don't think that's going to be the case. Despite not having a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Lytle's submission game is very underrated.

Lytle will likely be the more active fighter, looking for submission from guard. I'm going with a long shot, but I'm picking Lytle to score the upset after Shields gets a bit too comfortable on top.

Pick: Chris Lytle (+500)

Josh Calvo (+400) vs. Felipe Costa (-650)


Many people will view this as a mismatch between one of the best pure Brazilian jiu-jitsu talents in Felipe Costa and the relatively unknown Josh Calvo. It pits Costa's legacy with Calvo's desire to make a name for himself in the sport.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu fans know Costa and the success he's found in the sport. He's known primarily as a Gi fighter that attacks with collar chokes and uses the jacket to set up sweeps.

Calvo is mostly known as a MMA fighter. Like most combat sports athletes, he tests himself on the grappling mats, but doesn't have nearly as much experience on the world stage as Costa.

If this was a Gi match under IBJJF rules, Costa would completely smoke Calvo--he's that good. But neither fighter will be allowed to compete in a Gi and the cage could play into Calvo's MMA experience.

The smart pick and play is Costa because of his experience. But don't be surprised if Calvo makes this match looks more like a fight than a tournament competition.

Pick: Felipe Costa (-650)

Nate Orchard vs. Guilherme "Bomba" Vasconcelos


Opening up the main card is a matchup between two Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, Nate Orchard and Guilherme "Bomba" Vasconcelos.

Orchard is a black belt under Eddie Bravo and developed a reputation of constantly attacking opponents from guard to score submissions. Like all 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu competitors, Orchard uses non-traditional sweeps and positions to wear down opponents.

Vasconcelos competed in the third season of Brazil's "The Ultimate Fighter." After the show wrapped, he moved to Oregon to become a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor. He's an exceptional grappler, but hasn't showcased his abilities outside the MMA cage.

This is a really good match for both men. Orchard is the more experienced competition grappler and has MMA experience, but the always-attack attitude also translates into rarely being on the defensive. If "Bomba" can weather the storm early, he'll find openings of his own.

Pick: Nate Orchard

MMA Odds Provided by BetDSI