Prochazka v Pereira UFC 295 betting picks – Saturday, November 11

UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden in New York is headlined by a compelling light heavyweight title fight between Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira. Both athletes face hurdles as they vie for the gold belt this Saturday night, but a worthy champion will be crowned, and MMA fans should be treated to an epic encounter.

Jiri Prochazka v Alex Pereira main event preview

Jiri Prochazka vs Alex Pereira

Jiri Prochazka (29-3-1) is an unpredictable wild-man who looks like a character out of a martial arts cartoon. A former street fighter who made his professional MMA debut in 2012 at the age of 20, he progressed to the UFC in 2020 and secured the light heavyweight crown two years later in a chaotic, back-and-forth brawl with Glover Teixeira. He was then forced to vacate the title due to a shoulder injury, and he now returns to the cage.

Given the lengthy layoff and Prochazka’s unpredictable style, he is a difficult athlete to handicap. His talent is undeniable, and the 31-year-old is undefeated in his last 14 MMA appearances. This fight appears unlikely to go to the mat, which should suit the former champ. Against an elite striker, Prochazka will need to concentrate on his defence and employ a tight and technical strategy, as opposed to the freewheeling style he displayed against Teixeira.

Alex Pereira (8-2-0) fights at 205 pounds for the second time in his career. This comes after eking out a controversial split-decision win over Jan Błachowicz in his light heavyweight debut. A win in New York will make the Brazilian a double champ after he secured the middleweight crown back in 2022 with a sensational upset KO win over Israel Adesanya.

The knock on the 36-year-old is the damage he has accumulated in a lengthy prize-fighting career that includes boxing, kickboxing, and MMA contests. He was laid out cold in the rematch with Adesanya and might be susceptible to one of Prochazka’s power strikes. Pereira will hold a technical advantage with a tighter defence, but this may be undone by the unorthodoxy of the Czech.

Prochazka v Pereira UFC 295 betting predictions

This is a difficult contest to split, and top UFC betting sites have offered coin-flip odds. Prochazka is coming off a long injury break, and Pereira might be showing his age after surviving countless wars in the ring. Either way, this matchup should deliver an entertaining spectacle after an early feeling-out period, and fans of elite striking will be in for a treat.

We are leaning toward the younger fighter in the hope that he does not throw caution to the wind and become unnecessarily reckless. Prochazka should have the better footwork and might prove elusive to the predictable back-and-forth attacks of the Brazilian.

More sports betting picks