What: UFC Vegas 99 Main Event
Who: Anthony Hernandez Vs. Michel Pereira
Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Location: UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV
Time: Prelims (4 p.m. ET), Main Card (7 p.m. ET)
How to Watch: ESPN+
The next fight card on the UFC schedule takes place on Saturday, October 19, when the promotion presents UFC Vegas 99 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. A middleweight matchup between Anthony Hernandez and Michel Pereira headlines the UFC Fight Night card. Both men are inside the top 15 in the official UFC middleweight rankings. Hernandez is the No. 13 fighter in the UFC’s 185-pound weight class, while Pereira comes in at No. 14. Below is some background information on the combatants before we look at the betting odds, picks, and predictions for the UFC Vegas 99 main event bout.
Anthony Hernandez (12-2-0-1) is a former LFA middleweight champion. He joined the UFC in 2019. His record with the promotion is 6-2-0-1. Hernandez is riding a five-fight winning streak, with his most recent victory being a submission of Roman Kopylov in February.
Michel Pereira (31-11-0-2) has also been with the UFC since 2019. He has a 9-2 record with the promotion. Pereira brings an eight-fight winning streak into Saturday’s fight card. His most recent triumph was a May submission of Ihor Potieria.
Before we look at the best bets for Hernandez vs. Pereira on the UFC Vegas 99 card, check out the best UFC betting sites and where you can find our betting picks for UFC 308’s main event.
UFC Vegas 99 main event: Anthony Hernandez Vs. Michel Pereira betting picks
Fighters | |||
Anthony Hernandez | -155 | -150 | -155 |
Michel Pereira | +135 | +130 | +125 |
Anthony Hernandez betting breakdown
Anthony Hernandez celebrates his 31st birthday the day before Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card in Vegas. Hernandez has looked better in each of his past three fights, a run that started with a submission win over Marc-André Barriault. He followed that with a TKO victory over Edmen Shahbazyan, and most recently, Hernandez scored a submission over Roman Kopylov to earn his second “Performance of the Night” bonus.
In that fight, which lasted until the 3:23 mark of the second round, Hernandez had an impressive 14 takedown attempts. That approach kept Kopylov, who was the better striker, a bit tentative throughout the fight. Hernandez’s style also taxed the cardio of his foe. Additionally, he scored some points with his clinch striking.
Hernandez is a very good grappler. He has gone 25 for 54 in takedown attempts in his past four outings while picking up nearly 36 minutes of control time in those fights, with only one of those matchups going the three-round distance. In short, Hernandez looks to get the fight to the mat and keep it there. Eight of his career wins have come by way of submission.
Hernandez averages 4.30 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy of 59 percent. His striking defense is 45 percent, and he gets hit 3.46 times per minute. Hernandez scores an average of 6.62 takedowns per 15 minutes with a takedown accuracy of 49 percent. His takedown defense is 63 percent.
Michel Pereira betting breakdown
UFC fans enjoyed Michel Pereira‘s early fights. The Brazilian striker showboated during those scraps. His approach was based on entertaining fans more than winning or appealing to the judges. At some point, Pereira decided to take his career more seriously. While he might have lost some fans during the transition, he came out on the other side as a more well-rounded competitor who has slowly worked his way up the UFC middleweight rankings. On Saturday, Pereira, who recently turned 31, competes in his first UFC main event.
Pereira is riding three straight first-round stoppages heading into UFC Vegas 98. Two of those wins have come by submission and one by knockout. Pereira has also earned fight-night bonuses in each of those outings.
Pereira’s style is based around capoeira. He is constantly moving and often awkward in his approach. He is a fast, powerful striker who can use kicks and punches to hurt his opponents. He’s not afraid to take risks and can grab submissions if there is an opening. Pereira’s finishing instincts are stellar.
Pereira averages 5.16 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy rate of 55 percent. His striking defense is 58 percent, and his opponents hit him 3.70 times per minute. Pereira lands 1.53 takedowns per 15 minutes with an accuracy of 55 percent. His takedown defense is 94 percent. Pereira has only faced 18 takedown attempts in his UFC career.
Best bets: UFC Vegas 99 main event – Anthony Hernandez vs. Michael Pereira
The UFC Vegas 99 main event will come down to who can impose their will. Pereira will look to keep the fight standing, while Hernandez will hope to get the fight to the mat. With the number of kicks Pereira throws and his somewhat reckless style, his takedown defense will be tested. He has the power to end the fight at any moment, and that’s something to take into account.
The betting pick is for Hernandez to win via submission late in the fight against a tired Pereira.
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