UFC Fight Night: Perez vs. Taira predictions, odds, props: MMA expert reveals surprising fight card picks

Undefeated flyweight Tatsuro Taira will make his headlining debut on Saturday against former title challenger Alex Perez in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Perez vs. The five-round clash that carries title fight implications will anchor the UFC’s main fight card at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas. Taira, ranked 13th, is undefeated in five UFC matches and will likely break into the top 10 of the UFC rankings if he records his first victory over a ranked opponent. Perez, fifth in the rankings, is coming off his first win in four years and could re-establish himself as a potential title contender if he can reverse his rising outlook.

Taira is a -180 favorite (risk $180 to win $100), while Perez comes back at +150 in the latest UFC Fight Night: Perez vs. UFC odds. The co-main event features a middleweight clash, with Ikram Aliskerov (-900) taking on Antonio Trocoli (+600). Before securing your picks for UFC Fight Night: Perez vs. be sure to see MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.

From analyzing film and closely following fighters and their camps, to tracking sharp action and betting market signals, Vithlani covers the entire breadth of the MMA betting landscape, from top to bottom. He also trains amateur boxers and regularly talks to MMA fighters to understand the nuances of the sport.

Vithlani made his SportsLine debut in January 2023 and won the UFC 283 main card with a 5-0 record and has been a consistent winner ever since. Over the last 12 UFC pay-per-view events, Vithlani has had an 8-4 record on main event picks and his main card selections over that span have netted his followers a profit of more than $1,500.

His highlights include predicting an upset for Sean O’Malley (+210) against Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292 as part of a 4-1 main card and his UFC 299 winners included underdog selections in Poirier (+190 ) against Saint Denis (-230) and Michael Page (+110) against Kevin Holland (-130). Anyone who followed him saw massive returns.

Now, with UFC Fight Night: Perez vs. Taira in sight, Vithlani studied the card from top to bottom and revealed his top UFC picks. You can only see these picks on SportsLine.

UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira preview

It’s rare that a fighter with losses in three of his last four fights can still maintain a top-five ranking in the UFC, but such is the state of the lack of depth in the flyweight division. The 125-pound division has been repeatedly considered for elimination by UFC bosses, but survived the most recent audit because of an increase in fighters with star potential.

To be fair, Perez (25-8) is 7-4 in 11 UFC starts since his debut in 2017, and three of his four losses have come to former champions or title contenders. Still, a three-game losing streak over a four-year period would normally be enough to at least send a prominent contender to the bottom of the top 15 rankings.

Perez’s misfortune began with a title fight loss to Deiveson Figueiredo, who has since moved up to bantamweight. Perez then lost fights to current champion Alexandre Pantoja and Muahmmad Mokaev, who is currently ranked 6th in the category.

Because of his opponents’ pedigree and lack of competition, the 32-year-old Californian was still considered a viable flyweight contender. He finally backed up that claim with a second-round knockout of eighth-ranked Matheus Nicolau in April, earning a performance bonus in the process.

Now, Perez serves as a litmus test for a rising prospect in a division that desperately needs new blood at the top. Taira (15-0) is a former champion of the Shooto promotion who impressed by winning his first five UFC fights, with three stoppages on his record.

The 24-year-old Japanese fighter showed off a strong stand-up game with a second-round knockout over fellow fighter Carlos Hernandez last September. He has four knockouts and seven submissions among his 15 professional wins, and an impressive performance on Saturday could propel him into the top five in the rankings. You can only see who to support at UFC Fight Night here.

UFC Fight Night Predictions

We’ll share one of Vithlani’s UFC Fight Night picks here: he goes with Nate Maness (-450) to overcome Jimmy Flick (+370) in a battle of flyweight prospects on the preliminary card.

Maness (15-3) is a versatile prospect who has gone 4-2 in six UFC starts and has three stoppage wins. The 32-year-old Tennessee native earned a performance bonus for knocking out Mateus Mendonca in the first round last October.

Flick (17-7) is a grappling ace who has seen both of his UFC wins come to an end. The 33-year-old has 16 shots from his 17 career victories.

“Flick is very susceptible to damage. If Maness can keep the fight standing, he can knock out Flick in 5 minutes,” Vithlani told SportsLine. See who else can return here.

How to make choices in UFC Fight Night

Vithlani also has strong choices for Perez vs. Taira and other fights on the UFC Fight Night card. He is also backing a fighter who “has superior talent and well-rounded skills” to emerge with a dominant victory. These picks and Vithlani’s analysis are only available on SportsLine.

Who wins UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now for in-depth UFC Fight Night picks, all from the MMA expert who cashed in more than $1,500 on UFC main card picksand find out.

UFC Fight Night odds, fight card

See all the UFC Fight Night picks, predictions and best bets here.
Tatsuro Taira (-180) x Alex Perez (+150)
Ikram Aliskerov (-900) vs Antonio Trocoli (+600)
Timóteo Cumaba (-195) x Lucas Almeida (+165)
Douglas Silva de Andrade (+105) x Miles Johns (-125)
Assu Almabayev (-550) x José Johnson (+410)
Brady Hiestand (+150) vs.
Tagir Ulanbekov (-245) vs.
Nate Maness (-450) vs.
Adam Fugitt (+105) vs.
Carli Judice (+200) x Gabriella Fernandes (-240)
Jeka Saragih (-355) vs.
Josefine Knutsson (-245) x Julia Polastri (+200)