UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira main card picks & predictions

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira at the Apex in Las Vegas this Saturday contains at least two potential future title contenders. Scary middleweight prospect Ikram Aliskerov will enter his bout against the towering Antonio Trocoli at prohibitively short odds to continue his march toward a title shot, Timothy Cuamba appears ready to take the next step when squaring off against Lucas Almeida, and Asu Almabaev’s clash with Jose Johnson looks like another highlight. Read on to see our previews and top picks for every fight on the main card.

Alex Perez v Tatsuro Taira

Alex Perez vs Tatsuro Taira

Alex Perez takes on the undefeated Tatsuro Taira in a must-watch flyweight contest to top the card. See our UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira main event preview here.

Ikram Aliskerov v Antonio Trocoli

Ikram Aliskerov vs Antonio Trocoli

Ikram Aliskerov (15-1-0) is riding a seven-fight win streak and is the shortest-priced favourite on this card. The Russian middleweight is cut from the same cloth as champion countrymen Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov. The 30-year-old has finished his last three bouts within three minutes, mixing deadly strikes with an elite submission game. This may be another brief affair, but we should enjoy Aliskerov’s skills while it lasts.

Antonio Trocoli (12-3-0) makes his UFC debut after building a solid winning record while fighting on Brazilian MMA promotions. The 33-year-old has failed numerous drug tests and is a controversial figure in fighting circles. He stands a huge 6’5’’ with an 82-inch reach but looks outclassed in all facets of this contest. Landing a lucky knockout punch appears to be his most likely path to victory.

Timothy Cuamba v Lucas Almeida

Timothy Cuamba vs Lucas Almeida

Timothy Cuamba (8-2-0) was beaten via close decision in his UFC debut after winning five straight bouts in other promotions. The 25-year-old will be out to bounce back and live up to his potential and impressive physical attributes. Cuamba is a hard striker with tidy boxing who can work from tight angles and land shots from either stance.

Lucas Almeida (14-3-0) has dropped successive bouts, and the 33-year-old might be fighting for his UFC contract. The Brazilian is predominantly a counterstriker who can leave himself open through a lack of aggression. Almeida leaves his chin a little too high when exiting the pocket and might be in danger of a knockout if that weakness can be exploited.

Douglas Silva de Andrade v Miles Johns

Douglas Silva de Andrade vs Miles Johns

Douglas Silva de Andrade (29-5-0) has only dropped one of his past four fights, and the 38-year-old shows little sign of slowing down. The Brazilian is a knockout artist, with 20 of his professional wins coming via that method. He has only been stopped once by KO, with most of his losses coming via the scorecards. He enters this bout as a slight underdog with online bookmakers, but his striking power cannot be underestimated.

Miles Johns (14-2-0) brings solid recent form and remains undefeated in his last three contests. The 30-year-old is predominantly a volume striker who can also mix it up on the ground when required. As he looks to possess inferior striking skills, the American’s chances will improve slightly if he adopts a wrestling-heavy approach.

Asu Almabaev v Jose Johnson

Asu Almabaev vs Jose Johnson

Asu Almabaev (19-2-0) made his UFC debut one year ago, earning a second-round submission win over Kenneth Maningat. The 30-year-old is on a 15-fight win streak as a professional and looks like a potential flyweight contender of the future. Hailing from Kazakhstan, he is quick on the feet and a tough wrestler with an excellent ground game.

Jose Johnson (16-8-0) has one win and one loss at UFC level and drops from bantamweight to 125 pounds for this bout. He is extremely tall for the flyweight division and will attempt to capitalise on a huge height and reach advantage. The 29-year-old has proved susceptible to high-level grappling in the past and will be desperate to keep the action standing for as long as possible.

Brady Hiestand v Garrett Armfield

Brady Hiestand vs Garrett Armfield

Brady Hiestand (8-2-0) lost his UFC debut against Ricky Turcios via split decision in 2021 but has since produced a pair of impressive wins. The 25-year-old, who was last seen in April 2023, loves to brawl inside close range and brings solid striking power from both stances. He does present a hittable target, however, and looks most effective when mixing offensive wrestling into standup combinations.

Garrett Armfield (10-3-0) holds an identical UFC record to his opponent, losing on debut before rattling off successive victories. The 27-year-old is tough and gritty and throws quick straight punches but is not especially athletic and has previously struggled in the grappling department. Armfield also loves to brawl in the pocket, where his fast hands are most dangerous and minimal octagon movement is required.

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