Anderson Silva vs. Tito Ortiz betting odds, preview, and pick

MMA legends Anderson Silva and Tito Ortiz will ditch the octagon for a boxing ring on Sept. 11 when they glove up for the eagerly anticipated Triller Fight Club pay-per-view. We have the betting odds and preview you need before their bout begins.

Silva looks revitalized in the ring

Many buried their faces in their hands when Silva was chosen to face former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., thinking the faded MMA star could get seriously hurt. Instead, Silva looked better than he had in years as he outboxed and defeated the troubled ex-champ in front of a hometown crowd.

While Silva is older, he’s been fighting at a high level longer than Ortiz and has some boxing experience. It's also worth mentioning that Ortiz has never been hard to hit, and he hasn’t fought a legitimate opponent for nearly a decade.

Ortiz is the naturally bigger man

The main advantage Ortiz will have is that he’s the naturally bigger fighter. Though Ortiz’s wrestling background will not translate to a boxing ring, he’s always been a physically strong fighter and fights aggressively.

Also, Ortiz may feel the need to dictate the pace and see how Silva reacts to his pressure. If nothing else, Ortiz is going to be looking for a knockout from the moment the fight begins.

Silva will easily defeat an out of sorts Ortiz

Ortiz was never a striker, and the fact that the bout will take place at 195 pounds means that Ortiz will struggle to make weight. He’s doing his part in complaining about the stipulation, but the reality is that Ortiz has no avenue to victory here.

Silva’s win over Chavez proved that he still can fight, and beating a veteran of over 60 fights at his age is a remarkable achievement. Silva may have an easier time tagging Ortiz, and can be more creative with his offense than he was against Chavez.

As odd as it is to see these two MMA legends collide in a boxing ring, the outcome will be no different than if they faced off in the octagon. Expect Silva to win a dominant decision over an unprepared Ortiz.

Boxing pick: Silva