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Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk (-280) vs Frank “The Answer” Edgar (+220)

by Stan Leung
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May 23rd 2009 7 PM
Sean Sherk vs Frank Edgar
UFC Betting Pick: Sean Sherk (-280)

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UFC Lightweight Fight: Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk (-280) vs Frank “The Answer” Edgar (+220)

Frank “The Answer” Edgar (9-1) is just a couple of steps behind Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk (33-3-1). Edgar is what Sherk was 5 years ago and he is just 3 or 4 steps below Sherk in skill and ability.

Sean Sherk is the second best lightweight in the UFC. Both Sherk and BJ Penn are heads and tails about the rest of the competition. Edgar will be a good fighter but this fight is the worst match up for him since he is almost exactly the same type of fighter Sherk is. The only expectation is that Sherk is much much better at wrestling.

This fight is all about pressure and wrestling ability. Over his 11 year wrestling career Sherk has over has racked up over 400 matches. He has a very tight compact body which means he will be very hard to take down. Edgar is a very good wrestler as well but again he is slightly a couple notches below Sherk.

Edgar wrestled at Toms River High School East, making it to the New Jersey state championship tournament on two occasions. He continued wrestling at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where he qualified for the nationals all four years there

Sherk comes from a good MMA training camp that is wrestlers based. He currently coaches a team of fighters with coaches Greg Nelson, Nat McIntyre, Andy Grahn, Ryan Murray, Tom Schmitz and Ishmael Bentley at the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. Other fighters include Brock Lesnar, Brock Larson, Nick Thompson, Logan Clark, Jacob Volkmann, Kaitlin Young, Nat McIntyre and Saul Mitchell.

If you look at Edgar’s fight at UFC Fight Night 13 against Gray Maynard, Maynard used his size and wrestling skill to overpower Edgar en route to a unanimous decision. Sherk has much more power, strength and wrestling ability and he will be able to push the pace of the fight due to his constant fighting pressure. Both fighters are known for their workman like effort, but Sherk’s pressure will outwork Edgars’. Sherk will overwhelm Edgar and eventually break him down.

It will be very difficult for Edgar to take Sherk down and he will not be able to get underneath Sherk for a takedown. Sherk has a much better wrestling base and Edgar will not be able to use his pressure and wrestling like has done in his past fights. Sherk has the body type of a bodybuilder and is quick and very agile. In this fight he will be able to out pressure and outmaneuver Edgar who usually relies on that for a victory.

Striking wise, Sherk has his hands up and chin in tight. It will be hard for Edgar to land his shots in because he keeps his hands in so tight. Sherk will be able to parry and deflect most of Edgar shots. Sherk has short itty bitty arms like a T-Rex so his striking and reach is not that great either.

Grappling wise, Edgar probably has a better jiujutsu game since he is part of the Gracie system under Ricardo Almeida in Hamilton New Jersey. But no fighter has ever submitted Sherk. Again this is due to his short arms and thick head which leaves it hard for fighter to arm bar, triangle choke or rear naked choke Sherk out.

Bottom Line: Sherk has only lost 3 times in his career. He lost to Matt Hughes at UFC 42: Sudden Impact and at the time Hughes was the top welterweight and pound for pound fighter in the world. He lost a decision in that fight. In his fight with Georges St. Pierre at UFC 56: Full Force he lost to a top 3 pound for pound fighter in the world and his thirds and most recent lose to BJ Penn at UFC 84: Ill Will he lost to a top 5 pound for pound fighter. Sherk has only lost to the best of the best in mixed martial arts.

Edgar has not fought the level of competition Sherk has and not where nearly as many fights. Sherk loses to bigger fighters who over power him. Edgar is not that fighter. Sports betting wise this will be one of the most boring fights in history. Wrestler versus wrestler is not the most entertaining fight and both these fighters are ground and pound fighters. I f you are not willing to bet this fight on the moneyline. At -280 it is a pretty steep price to wager but the best bet for this MMA fight is a UFC prop bet for a Sean Sherk victory.

In Edgar’s 10 professional fights 6 have gone to the decision including 6 of his last 7 fights. Edgar may be an exciting fighter but he is not a finisher. In Sherk’s last 5 fights 4 of them have gone to a decision. Both fighters have a wrestling based style and this will lead to a stalemate.

In the end Sherk is just a better fighter. He will control the wrestling game and use his power to take Edgar down and control the ground and pound. That is Edgar’s game plan but he will not be able to execute it because Sherk will beat him to the punch. For UFC bettors take the money line and take the UFC novelty bet and parlay both these fights if your online sportsbook has this option.

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