Matheus Nicolau vs Alex Perez is the main event when the UFC promotion returns for UFC Vegas 91. Matheus Nicolau (-175) is the favorite, but Alex Perez is looking to work his way up the rankings and won’t be a pushover. In our latest UFC betting picks, we tell you who to get your money on to win the fight.
We’ve recently been spoiled by the spectacular UFC 300 fight card put on by the organization. Alex Pereira was involved in the showpiece fight against Jamahal Hill, and Pereira came through with a spectacular win, confirming himself as one of the most exciting fighters in the promotion.
And after such a show-stopping event, the UFC is going to have a job getting fans pumped up for their UFC Vegas 91 show. But Dana White is not a man to shy away from a challenge, and he has managed to put together a fairly impressive card headlined by Nicolau vs Perez.
Also fighting on the undercard is a light heavyweight clash between Ryan Spann and Bogdan Guskov, with Ariane Lipski against Karine Silva headlining for the women. The full main card is as follows:-
The latest UFC Vegas betting odds have Matheus Nicolau as the betting favorite. Nicolau is -175 for the victory. His rival, Alex Perez, is +156. Expect more betting markets and odds to become available in the lead-up to the fight.
More betting options from different bookmakers are available on our UFC odds table. All our odds are from the best UFC betting sites.
Matheus Nicolau has a Mixed Martial Arts record of 19-3-1. The 31-year-old Brazilian lost his last fight to Brandon Royval by KO 12 months ago, so he is coming into this showdown after a long time outside the Octagon.
Despite his last action, Nicolau is still ranked No.5 in the UFC’s 125-pound division. Before the loss to Royval in April 2023, Nicolau was on a six-fight winning streak, so already had plenty of credit in the bank.
This is Nicolau’s second time with the UFC. Following a first-round defeat to Dustin Ortiz in 2018, he was dropped by the organization. His hiatus only lasted for two fights, and he returned to the promotion in March 2021, beating Manel Kape by split decision on the undercard of the Edwards vs. Muhammad Fight Night.
That was the first win of a four-fight winning streak for Nicolau that was abruptly ended by Royval last year.
Nicolau is a clean-hitting power striker. He probes his opponents in a measured style, picking them off, rather than rushing in with all guns blazing. He does have knockout power, as his six KO victories can testify. But he is prepared to go the distance and win by any means.
A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Nicolau can also mix it on the mat. Technically, he is a good all-round fighter.
Eight of his 23 wins came by decision. He has won six by knockout and five by submission. All three of his defeats were by KO.
Alex Perez has an MMA record of 24-8. He is a late replacement in this fight for Manel Kape, who withdrew for unspecified reasons.
Perez is currently on a three-fight losing skid. Despite this, he still maintains a No.8 ranking in the flyweight division. The three defeats were to some of the top fighters on the UFC roster, and they are spread across four years, so it is hard to quantify where Perez’s level stands at the moment.
His most recent fight was just last month, a unanimous decision loss to Muhammad Mokeaev.
The defeat came after more than 18 months out of the Octagon, so to see him fighting twice in seven weeks is a testament to his determination to work his way back up the rankings.
Perez is regarded as an active striker who mixes his combinations with powerful leg kicks. A good all-round fighter, Perez has won five of his 24 fights by KO, seven by submission, and 12 by decision. Five of his eight defeats were by submission, two by decision, and one by knockout.
The 32-year-old Californian is more entertaining than his Brazilian opponent, and his more aggressive combatant style may have led to some of his eight defeats. His style makes him more dangerous. But on the flip side, he could be the ideal opponent for his probing opponent.
Twelve months out of action is a long time for Matheus Nicolau. How octagon-ready he is will go a long way to deciding the outcome of this fight. On the flip side, Alex Perez has a recent three-round contest under his belt and will be more sharp and fight-ready.
We are going for Alex Perez to upset the odds and beat Matheus Nicolau.
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