The UFC is back at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, for a fight night headlined by a top-15 middleweight matchup. No. 13 Anthony Hernandez is taking on No. 14 Michel Pereira in the five-round Main Event. In the co-main event, No. 10 Rob Font, will take on No. 12 Kyler Phillips. That bout will be a three-round bantamweight contest.
The UFC middleweight division is loaded with elite talent, and the winner of this Main Event will be in a prime position to be in the top 10. Hernandez has won five fights while finishing his previous three opponents. Pereira is on an eight-fight win streak in the UFC and has also won his last three by finish. This fight is as close as it gets: two experienced veterans on great win streaks. Hernandez has the advantage in reach (75″ vs. 73″), while Pereira is taller by one inch (6’1″ vs. 6’0″).
Also, Hernandez is 12 days older than Pereira, and both recently turned 31. Pereira is a better standup fighter, but Hernandez has been dominating his previous opponents on the ground. Pereira is also capable on the ground and has a 94 percent takedown defense. This has the potential to be the fight of the night and should be an incredible bout. Hernandez is the -135 favorite, while Pereira is +114 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Font, 37, desperately needs a victory after losing four of his previous five fights. In December 2023, Font lost his last fight against Deiveson Figueiredo. Now he returns after a long 10-month hiatus. Even though Font has struggled to get in the win column lately, he hasn’t just lost to anyone; he was defeated by three fighters inside the top six in the bantamweight division.
Phillips is 6-1 in the UFC and won his biggest fight at UFC 299 in March against Pedro Munhoz. Phillips dominated Munhoz, outlanding him by over 60 significant strikes. This should be a fun and exciting striking matchup. Font and Phillips are both 5’8″, and Phillips has a slight one-inch edge in reach. Although both fighters are evenly matched, Phillips is a massive -500 favorite.
Check out my two best bets and the entire card below. It all starts with the Prelims at 4:00 p.m. ET. The Prelims and the Main Card are taking place on ESPN+.
Michel Pereira Moneyline (+114)
This is Pereira’s toughest opponent because of Hernandez’s elite ground ability. But Pereira is not just a good striker but an amazing submission artist. The fight doesn’t last long when he gets a hold of his opponent on the ground. Pereira is a very aggressive fighter, and when he enters the Octagon, he has one goal: to finish his opponent as quickly as possible.
Saturday will be Pereira’s fourth fight in the past year, which is impressive. He hasn’t been in a second round since May 2022, as his previous three contests have all been over in the first round. Hernandez presents problems for Pereira, but getting Pereira at (+114) is too good to pass up. Pereira can win the fight on the feet or on the ground, while Hernandez is more of a one-dimensional fighter.
Kyler Phillips to win by decision (-135)
As I previously mentioned, Phillips is 6-1 in the company, and four of his six victories have come by decision. Phillips is a significant favorite at -500 on DraftKings Sportsbook. Yes, Font has lost four of his last five fights, but he hasn’t been stopped since he lost to Munhoz in 2017. This fight will likely be a battle, and if Phillips comes out on top, it will likely go to the judge’s scorecards.
Phillips is the younger fighter by eight years, and it seems Font has lost a step. Font has taken a ton of damage in his past five fights, which will favor Phillips the longer this contest lasts. Taking Phillips by decision is the best value in this bout, as that is how he has won four of his previous five fights.
Main Card starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| #13 Anthony Hernandez vs. #14 Michel Pereira | 12-2 (6-2 UFC) vs. 31-11 (8-2 UFC) | Middleweight | -135 vs. +114 |
| #10 Rob Font vs. #12 Kyler Phillips | 20-8 (10-7 UFC) vs. 12-2 (6-1 UFC) | Bantamweight | +380 vs. -500 |
| Charles Johnson vs. Sumudaerji | 16-6 (5-4 UFC) vs. 16-6 (3-3 UFC) | Flyweight | -238 vs. +195 |
| Jake Hadley vs. Cameron Smotherman | 11-3 (4-3 UFC) vs. 11-4 (0-1 UFC) | Bantamweight | -500 vs. +380 |
| Darren Elkins vs. Daniel Pineda | 28-11 (18-10 UFC) vs. 28-16 (5-7 UFC) | Featherweight | -122 vs. +102 |
Prelims on ESPN+ start at 4 p.m. ET.
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| #7 Matheus Nicolau vs. #14 Asu Almabayev | 19-5-1 (7-3 UFC) vs. 20-2 (3-0 UFC) | Flyweight | +180 vs. -218 |
| Brad Katona vs. Jean Matsumoto | 16-3 (3-3 UFC) vs. 15-0 (2-0 UFC) | Bantamweight | +180 vs. -218 |
| Joselyne Edwards vs. Tamires Vidal | 13-6 (4-4 UFC) vs. 7-3 (1-2 UFC) | W Bantamweight | -258 vs. +210 |
| Jessica Penne vs. Elise Reed | 14-8 (2-5 UFC) vs. 7-4 (3-4 UFC) | W Strawweight | +154 vs. -185 |
| Melissa Martinez vs. Alice Ardelean | 7-1 (0-1 UFC) vs. 9-6 (0-1 UFC) | W Strawweight | -148 vs. +124 |
| Austen Lane vs. Robelis Despaigne | 12-5 (1-3 UFC) vs. 5-1 (1-1 UFC) | Heavyweight | +270 vs. -340 |
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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