Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Anthony Hernandez reacts following his victory in opposition to Roman Kopylov throughout UFC 298 at Honda Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Photographs The UFC Apex in Las Vegas will play host to its 99th occasion on Saturday evening, with a essential card that encompasses a middleweight battle between rising 185-pound contenders Anthony Hernandez and Michel Pereira.
Hernandez, who turned 31 on Friday, enters his first essential occasion using a five-fight win streak. That features three consecutive stoppages for the Dana White Contender Collection alum, most just lately in opposition to Roman Kopylov at UFC 298 in February.
Pereira has been having fun with an identical rise with three consecutive stoppages of his personal. Every has are available faster trend since becoming a member of the middleweight ranks. Additionally 31, Pereira has gained eight consecutive fights general.
Each fighters tipped the scales at 125.5 kilos throughout Friday’s official weigh-in.
Pereira has been backed by 80 p.c of the entire battle bets, driving his odds all the way down to +110 from +135 at BetMGM. Nonetheless, Hernandez (-135) has drawn 54 p.c of the cash.
Saturday evening’s essential card is scheduled to being at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
OTHER MAIN CARD FIGHTS
Rob Font vs. Kyler Phillips
The co-main occasion encompasses a bantamweight battle between the 37-year-old Font and the 29-year-old Phillips. Font has misplaced 4 of his previous 5 fights, making this a key journey contained in the Octagon to show he is nonetheless a viable draw in opposition to elite opponents. Phillips got here out of the MMA Lab and has a three-fight win streak.
Phillips opened because the -300 favourite, and people odds have shortened much more to -450 with the general public backing him with 83 p.c of the battle cash. Font has been supported by 75 p.c of the entire bets at +340.
Charles Johnson vs. Sumudaerji
Sumudaerji steps contained in the Octagon for the primary time this 12 months and for less than the third time prior to now three years. He has misplaced every of his previous two fights, and this is a vital battle for the 28-year-old to regain contender standing. It is a starkly totally different story for Johnson, who will battle for the fourth time in 2024. He has gained every of the primary three, principally just lately scoring a third-round knockout of Joshua Van.
The general public has been pretty cut up on this battle, backing Johnson (-225) with 55 p.c of the bets and Sumudaerji with 54 p.c of the cash.
Cameron Smotherman vs. Jake Hadley
Smotherman stepped in on lower than per week’s discover to fill in for Brady Hiestand, who withdrew for an undisclosed purpose. The 27-year-old Smotherman, who fought as soon as on Dana White’s Contender Collection, shall be making his UFC debut. After arriving at UFC as a flyweight with combined outcomes, Hadley stepped in on quick discover to win a bantamweight battle in opposition to Caolan Loughran in July after initially lacking weight.
Hadley, who’s 3-3 general within the UFC, opened as a -500 favourite. These odds have been pushed all the way down to -115 and he’s now the slender favourite over Smotherman, who has been backed by 86 p.c of the bets and 95 p.c of the cash at -105.
Darren Elkins vs. Daniel Pineda
Veteran featherweights step into the Octagon on the primary card. Elkins, 40, will make his twenty ninth UFC look and fortieth battle general, whereas the 39-year-old Pineda shall be in his forty eighth profession battle. Elkins final beat TJ Brown a 12 months in the past as he seeks handy Pineda his third consecutive defeat.
Elkins opened because the slight +100 underdog, however that has flipped to changing into the heavy -350 favourite as he has been backed by 87 p.c of the bets and 68 p.c of the cash. Elkin profitable this battle has been essentially the most wagered-on essential card play on the guide. In the meantime, Penida’s odds have moved from -120 to +275.
Matheus Nicolau vs. Asu Almabayev
The primary card opens with this flyweight conflict between a pair of Prime 10 veterans. Nicolau, 31, has been knocked out in every of his previous two fights, most just lately by Alex Perez, so this is a vital battle to stop an additional slide down the standings. Almabayev, 30, has gained 16 consecutive fights general and all three since becoming a member of the UFC.
The general public has trended towards Almabayev, who has drawn 54 p.c of the bets and 79 p.c of the cash because the -210 favourite to beat Nicolau (+170).
–Subject Degree Media
