PRIDE 34 - Bodog Odds - MMA

The MMA organization known as PRIDE is about to put on their upcoming event known as PRIDE 34: Kamikaze. It will be held on April 8th at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Gilbert Yvel was originally slated to fight Bazigit Atajey, but Atajey pulled out of the fight citing an internal disease. While it looked as though Yvel would have no opponent, he has recently been matched against Akira Shoji.

Really disappointing news came when fans learned that Wanderlei Silva would not be competing on the card. Originally scheduled to face Igor Vovchanchyn, there was some doubt due to a medical suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Then, at the last minute, it was decided that Silva would not compete in the fight. That doesn’t bode well for the future of “The Axe Murderer,” who was going into the fight as a -240 favorite.

This has to be doubly disappointing for fans, as the match was being billed as the main event of the show. But I guess what do you expect from a company that essentially went out of business a few weeks ago (being sold to the UFC)? Hopefully, things will be run a bit tighter in the future.

Anyway, he are the scheduled matches and the odds according to Bodog Sportsbook:

Ricardo Arona -330 vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou +260

Don Frye +145 vs. James Thompson -175

Shinya Aoki -1500 vs. Brian Lo-A-Njoe +750

Makoto Takimoto +450 vs. Zelg Galesic -650

Zuluzinho +250 vs. Eric “Butterbean” Esch -325

Kazuyuki Fujita +140 vs. Jeff Monson -170

Yoshihiro Nakao -145 vs. Edson Drago +115

Gilbert Yvel vs. Akira Shoji - I doubt any bets will be taken on this fight, as it was just added at the last minute. Even so, expect the kickboxing Yvel to batter his way to a victory over the 14-15-2 Shoji.

PRIDE 34 - Bodog Odds - MMA