Alex Perez is a former flyweight title challenger who’s coming off a fantastic KO win over Matheus Nicolau in April. Sveen weeks after that fight, he’s stepping into the Octagon again, this time to fight undefeated Japanese rising star, Tatsuro Taira.
Judging by the betting odds, bookies think Taira will win, but we think Perez mustn’t be underestimated. To see why we think he stands a very good chance to win the UFC Fight Night 242 headliner, just keep on reading!
Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira Odds
FighterOddsAlex Perez-175Tatsuro Taira+155
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When, Where, and How to Watch?
Place: UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada
Date: Saturday, June 15, 2024
Time: ~10:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: ESPN+
Alex Perez Wants to Prove His Doubters Wrong
Alex Perez is 25-8 overall with three losses in the last fought fights. However, all of those happened against really tough opponents. First, he lost to Deiveson Figueiredo in the fight for the UFC Flyweight Championship in 2020. Two years later, Alexandre Pantoja beat him. Then, in March 2024, he lost to Muhammad Mokaev.
However, Perez did not let all this discourage him. He accepted the fight with Matheus Nicolau, which took place less than two months after the fight with Mokaev. And this proved to be the right decision – Perez beat his opponent with a spectacular punch.
As a result, Perez stayed in the UFC Flyweight Rankings. In fact, he’s currently 5th and if he wins again, he’s got every right to hope to get another shot at the title. Perhaps not straight away as there are several other fighters in the queue, but maybe next year.
Can Tatsuro Taira Prolong His Undefeated Run?
Tatsuro Taira is a 24-year-old Japanese prospect who’s 15-0 overall. However, he’s never fought against a ranked opponent. That said, the bout at UFC Fight Night 242 is the biggest fight of his career.
So, can he take his career to the next level? He’s a well-rounded fighter with amazing grappling, which is something he might decide to use against Perez on June 15. The thing is that most of his wins happened by submission (7).
Of course, for that, he would need to get close to Perez without getting punched hard in the face. Is this something that should worry him? Well, even though he has fought some prolific strikers, Perez’s striking might be too much for him.
Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira Prediction
Bookmakers favor Taira, but we think Perez has what it takes to cause an upset. In fact, we know that he has it in him. After all, he’s just KO-ed another rising star a few weeks ago, so why wouldn’t he do it again!
Pick: Alex Perez
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