UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Pereira main card preview & picks

Top-15 bantamweights Rob Font and Kyler Phillips will clash in the co-main event for UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Pereira in Las Vegas this Saturday. Another highlight of the main card is a contest between veterans Darren Elkins and Daniel Pineda. Read on for BP’s fight previews and free betting picks.

Anthony Hernandez v Michel Pereira

Anthony Hernandez vs Michel Pereira

Anthony Hernandez faces Michel Pereira in an intriguing middleweight bout for Saturday’s main event. The bookies are forecasting a close contest, with Hernandez listed as only a slight favourite. See our UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Pereira main event preview here.

Rob Font v Kyler Phillips

Rob Font vs Kyler Phillips

Rob Font (20-8-0) has dropped four of his last five fights, albeit against elite competition in Deiveson Figueiredo, Corey Sandhagen, and Marlon Vera. The 37-year-old has a poor record with the judges, with seven of his professional losses coming via the scorecards. The American has lost some of the power that once made him a dangerous striker, and he can now appear laboured and slow against strong opponents.

Kyler Phillips (12-2-0) has won seven of his last eight UFC appearances. Coming off unanimous decision victories over Pedro Munhoz and Raoni Barcelos, the 29-year-old enters this bout as the main card’s shortest-priced favourite with top online bookmakers. Phillips has never been stopped and will be confident of earning the win if this fight lasts the full 15 minutes.

Charles Johnson v Su Mudaerji

Charles Johnson vs Su Mudaerji

Charles Johnson (16-6-0) has enjoyed a recent career upswing with three straight wins after suffering three consecutive losses during 2023. The 33-year-old is a confidence fighter who is unafraid to stand and trade with any opponent. That strategy may prove dangerous in this contest against a renowned knockout artist, but the odds on offer with top UFC betting sites suggest punters are confident Johnson has the tools necessary to emerge victorious.

Su Mudaerji (16-6-0) is an enigmatic MMA athlete with obvious holes in his game. The 28-year-old has been submitted in every one of his professional losses, including his most recent fights against Tim Elliott and Matt Schnell. If the bout remains upright, the betting underdog has a chance, but the odds will swing should he end up on his back.

Darren Elkins v Daniel Pineda

Darren Elkins vs Daniel Pineda

Darren Elkins (28-11-0) has been a UFC mainstay since 2010, fighting all comers with courage and grit. The 40-year-old American is no spent force and has won two of his last three trips to the octagon. Elkins still punches hard and can follow this up with an effective ground game that has yielded six submission wins across his career.

Daniel Pineda (28-16-0) has won just one of his last five contests and might be nearing the end of his MMA journey. The 39-year-old submission specialist will be keen to avoid the superior standup striking of Elkins, while he has a woeful 0-7 record with the judges. If Pineda cannot find the submission, he appears almost certain to come up short.

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