UFC Notes: Bisping to replace Munoz vs. Sonnen

Published on Jan. 20 at 5:45 p.m. Eastern

By Brian Edwards

It’s been a busy week for the Ultimate Fighting Championship with lots of news coming down. However, let’s start with a pair of picks that I have for tonight’s UFC on FX 1 card in Nashville. I’m taking Melvin Guillard as a plus-155 underdog (risk $100 to win $155) to knock off Jim Miller in the main event. This is a crucial bout in the 155-pound loop with both fighters looking to bounce back from rare losses in their last trips inside of the Octagon.

I also like Pat Barry as a -155 ‘chalk’ vs. Christain Morecraft in a heavyweight showdown.

Now to the news and notes from the week…

–With Mark Munoz suffering an elbow injury that’ll keep him out for the next 4-6 weeks, Michael Bisping will now face Chael Sonnen at next week’s UFC on Fox 2 event in Chicago. The winner will get a title shot in the middleweight division against Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva. Sportsbook.com is listing Sonnen as a minus-500 favorite with Bisping available as a plus-300 underdog (risk $100 to win $300).

–The UFC 145 event in Montreal has been cancelled because the promotion wanted to bring a ‘championship card’ to the city and with the date locked in, it was clear there wasn’t going to be a title fight at this event.

–The Octagon is coming back to Atlanta for the second time and the first time since UFC 88 when Rashad Evans KO’d Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell. UFC 145 will be held at Philips Arena on April 21.

–Most books opened the UFC 143 main event featuring Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit as a pick ’em. However, the early money has come in on Diaz, who is now the minus-165 ‘chalk’ at Sportsbook.com. Condit is plus-135 on the comeback. The winner will own the UFC’s interim welterweight title while Georges St. Pierre recovers from surgery to his torn ACL. GSP is hoping to return to the Octagon in November.

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