Bodog’s MMA lines are up as another title is up for grabs on Saturday, April 17 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee with the current Strikeforce World Middleweight (185 pounds) Champion Jake Shields (24-4-1) taking on MMA legend Dan Henderson (25-7).

The anticipated bout between middleweight contenders headlines a night that will feature three separate weight class championships, including both lightweight and light heavyweight title honors. Although not as popular with most of our online sports bettors as a UFC title fight, this particular fight card includes several interesting matchups.

MAIN CARD 
DAN HENDERSON VS JAKE SHIELDS 
GEGARD MOUSASI VS MUHAMMED "KING MO" LAWAL 
GILBERT MELENDEZ VS SHINYA AOKI

UNDERCARD 
JASON MILLER VS TIM STOUT 
CHRIS HAWK VS OVINCE ST. PREAUX 
DUSTIN WEST VS ANDY UHRICH 
JOSH SHOCKMAN VS CALE YARBROUGH 
ZACH UNDERWOOD VS HUNTER WORSHAM 
DUSTIN ORTIZ VS JUSTIN PENNINGTON 
CODY FLOYD VS THOMAS CAMPBELL

TIME 
LIVE ON CBS “Saturday Night Fights” @ 9 PM ET 
SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2010 

After first taking the middleweight championship in November, 2009, 31-year-old Jake Shields will have his work cut out for him fending off an intimidating opponent. Hungry to claim the 185 pound weight class title for himself, Henderson, a two-time US Olympic wrestling contender, will look to justify the -500 odds set out for him in the Bodog Sportsbook.

Never one to relent - as evidenced by his current 13-fight win streak - Brazilian-born Shields will aspire to capitalize on momentum that came with his unanimous five-round title-winning decision at the end of 2009. At +325 odds, a title defense may seem a dubious task, but suppressing the heart of a champion may well end up proving even harder. The Nashville bout is schedule for 11 p.m. so be sure to issue your allegiance at the Sportsbook well in advance.

Also in store for the weekend are matches between Gegard Mousasi and Muhammad Lawal, as well as Gilbert Melendez and Shinya Aoki, for the light heavyweight and lightweight titles respectively.

Mousasi, slightly favored at -215, has won 15 consecutive fights dating back to 2006 and you can imagine the 24-year-old is not quite ready to let that streak snap any time soon, despite the opposition of “King Mo” Lawal. Lawal, a relative newcomer to the MMA circuit will hope to repeat his early success – undefeated so far - fighting for the first time since last August when he disposed of MMA icon Mark Kerr in a mere 25 seconds.

Each contender has reason to fear the man awaiting them as they prepare for battle this weekend so expect two fighters on the top of their games.

In the lightweight tilt, Melendez and Aoki are evenly matched, though Melendez boasts slight odds of -140. A Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu stylist, Melendez will have his hands full with submission expert Aoki.

Whether Melendez will be able to hold on to the title that he briefly lost to Josh Thompson last year or give it up to the 26-year-old Aoki remains to be seen.

With three Strikeforce championships on the line and a handful of MMA contenders hungry to claim top honors, the evening promises to be a good one for the book.