(Couture was under the impression that everyone would be wearing scarves in England, but now he just feels like a jerk. Thanks for nothing, Tim Gunn. Photo courtesy of Combat Lifestyle.)

First, let’s set aside a couple ugly rumors regarding betting on UK UFC cards.  There is no truth to the suggestion that your money, once you inevitably lose it by betting big on Shannon Gugerty, will go to Buckingham Palace’s “moat fund.”  Even if the event is in England, your squandered cash still goes to the same off-shore betting establishments as usual.  And no, those off-shore bookies aren’t going to then use the money to hire models to do bikini jiu-jitsu.  That’s old hat to them by now.  At this point the only way they can still feel alive is by renting that cabin in Canada where all the online bookmakers gather each year to hunt the ultimate prey: man!

Now that that’s out of the way, here are the most favorable UFC 105 odds on the internet, courtesy of BestFightOdds.com:

Randy Couture (-105) vs. Brandon Vera (-103)
Mike Swick (-210) vs. Dan Hardy (+199)
Michael Bisping (+112) vs. Denis Kang (-117)
James Wilks (+138) vs. Matt Brown (-151)
Ross Pearson (+180) vs. Aaron Riley (-200)
Paul Taylor (+210) vs. John Hathaway (-240)
Terry Etim (-325) vs. Shannon Gugerty (+300)
Nick Osipczak (+265) vs. Matt Riddle (-290)
Paul Kelly (-320) vs. Dennis Siver (+300)
Alexander Gustafsson (+135) vs. Jared Hamman (-139)
Andre Winner (-325) vs. Roli Delgado (+325)

The breakdown…

- Couture and Vera as a pick-em?  That sounds about right.  As legendary as Couture is, and as mediocre as Vera has been against opponents with some experience, it’s been almost 2 ½ years since “The Natural” has won a UFC fight.  True, his losses in the interim were to Brock Lesnar and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is no longer the goliath he once was.  This one is going to come down to who can implement their strategy early and keep at it for three rounds.  When he doesn’t get knocked out with one big shot, there are few people better at this than Couture.  I’m taking the old man in this one.

- It’s a tad bit surprising to see Swick as a 2-1 favorite over Hardy, but the Brit is definitely the underdog.  Swick fights smart, and he manages to be a rare blend of aggressive and careful.  Unless he gets carried away and leaves himself open, he should win this.

- A couple of years ago Kang vs. Bisping would have seemed like a sick joke with Bisping as the punchline.  These days, not so much.  Kang has yet to impress since making the jump to the UFC with a loss against Alan Belcher.  Bisping may have gotten iced by Dan Henderson, but he’s in some good company there.  He’ll definitely want to remind his home country that he’s more than just fodder for internet photoshoppers, and I think Bisping pulls out a decision in this one.

- Let’s talk underdogs: Wilks is fish food against Brown, Pearson is the rare TUF winner to be an underdog in his UFC debut, Gugerty, Osipczak, Siver, and Delgado all seem like they’re facing down a firing squad.  That leaves Paul Taylor and Alexander Gustaffson.  Either are a decent pick, but I’m going to take Taylor, purely because I think Hathaway is still fairly inexperienced against tough competition.

Official Cage Potato Parlay: Couture + Swick + Brown + Etim + Winner.  Sorry Bisping, it’s not that I’m doubting you, it’s just…no I’m totally doubting you.