Anticipated UFC Fight Night Match-up: Nicolau vs Perez – Forecasts and Expert Opinions
In the headlining event of UFC Vegas 91, flyweight contenders Matheus Nicolau and Alex Perez are set to meet in a bid to regain momentum. The contest, scheduled for Saturday night (Sunday morning South African time), will take place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
Accompanying them are lethal light heavyweights Ryan Spann and Bogdan Guskov, who will clash in the co-main event, and top-15 women's flyweights Ariane Lipski and Karine Silva, who will face off in the featured bout.
The card also features heavyweight newcomer Jhonata Diniz against former NFL star Austen Lane, Ugandan David Onama against Jonathan Pearce at featherweight, and veteran Tim Means versus Uros Medic in a welterweight contest.
In the flyweight main event, ranked fifth Matheus Nicolau (19-3-1) seeks victory against eighth-ranked Alex Perez (24-8). Initially set to face Manel Kape, Nicolau now faces Perez after Kape withdrew due to a rib injury. Perez, a short-notice replacement, is eager to return to form after a three-fight losing streak, which included a submission loss to then-champion Deiveson Figueiredo, a tapout loss to current kingpin Alexandre Pantoja, and a decision defeat to Muhammad Mokaev.
Nicolau, who had a six-fight win streak snapped by a first-round knockout loss to Brandon Royval last April, looks to get back on the winning track and secure a shot at the championship.
The fast-paced and well-rounded flyweights are known for their technique and versatility, with Nicolau having 10 stoppage wins split evenly between knockouts and submissions, and Perez boasting five knockouts and seven submissions. This bout is likely to go to a decision.
Despite Perez's shortcomings in his recent outings, the betting odds favor Nicolau at 1.52, owing to his impressive resume and the nature of his last defeat as an unjustified loss.
In the co-main event, prolific finishers Ryan Spann and Bogdan Guskov will face off in a light heavyweight showdown. Spann (21-9) carries a 18-fight finish rate, including 12 submissions, while Guskov (15-3) boasts a 100% finish rate, with 13 knockouts. The former will attempt to take the fight to the ground, while the latter intends to maintain a stand-up battle.
This promising contest is expected to end in a finish, with Spann likely to prevail through a KO, TKO, submission, or disqualification, given his technical striking ability and size advantage over Guskov.
Other noteworthy matchups include the featured women's flyweight bout between Ariane Lipski and Karine Silva, a heavyweight collision between Austen Lane and Jhonata Diniz, the featherweight encounter between David Onama and Jonathan Pearce, and the welterweight contest between Tim Means and Uros Medic.
Predictions and betting tips for these fights, along with updates and analysis by Quintin van Jaarsveld, can be found here.
Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. He has over 15 years of experience as a sports writer, working for various publications, including The Fever Media Group, eHowzit, SARugby.com, and Rugby365.com.
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- In the realm of sports, a clash between two rugby powerhouses could determine the championship, with Alex Perez and Matheus Nicolau betting on their skills in a football-like sport, possibly leading to a decisive victory for Nicolau.
- As the co-main event unfolds, the light heavyweight bout between Ryan Spann and Bogdan Guskov promises to be a thrilling spectacle of sports, showcasing their exceptional finishing techniques, with a high likelihood of Spann achieving a knockout win.
