UFC Vegas 93: Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira Prediction, Pick and Odds

Okinawan prodigy Tatsuro Taira will finally get his chance to prove his worth as a potentially elite flyweight in the UFC when he takes on veteran Alex Perez in the main event of UFC Vegas 93.

Taira (15-0, 5-0 in UFC) gets his first ranked opponent in the UFC at just 24 years old, having dominated all of his promotional fights so far. With five wins in the Octagon entering June 15, Taira last beat Carlos Hernandez by knockout on the prelims of UFC Vegas 83.

Perez (25-8, 7-4 in UFC) has much more high-level experience than his opponent but has struggled through most of his recent run since 2020. Potentially saving his job at UFC Vegas 91, Perez knocked out Matheus Nicolau as the underdog to end a three-fight losing streak that spanned nearly four years.

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Tatsuro Taira vs. Alex Perez odds and round total

Moneyline:

• Tatsuro Taira -185
• Alex Perez +154

Total: 2.5 rounds (Over -145/Under +114)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Tatsuro Taira vs. Alex Perez best bet

It will be interesting to see who wins this fight, given Taira's relevant dominance but tendency to find himself in tough situations. With his unproven record, it is difficult to find an angle on predicting an outcome, but one specific prop stands out from the betting lines.

Both fighters are well-rounded and prefer to use all of their skills but in previous performances, Taira has been the fighter more likely to initiate wrestling and grappling exchanges while Perez has been the more comfortable striker. Perez has not landed a takedown since 2020 and Taira, who made his debut in 2022, has taken down all but one of his opponents in the Octagon.

However, neither guy is timid in the opposing field. Taira has proven to be a competent striker, knocking down two of his five UFC opponents and finishing his last fight by knockout. Perez, meanwhile, has been a stout defensive wrestler, defending 82 percent of takedowns attempted on him against primarily elite competition.

In his large sample size of UFC fights, Perez has only been taken down two or more times once. Muhammad Mokaev was the first fighter to do so, landing three of his 20 attempts across 15 minutes. Taira, while aggressive in his wrestling pursuit, is not the same type of fighter to relentlessly chain attempts together.

Taira has taken down two of his opponents more than once but failed to do so in his other three fights.

The main reason behind the statistical evidence of both men is their lack of typical fight time in the Octagon. Since signing with the promotion, Perez has averaged just over six minutes of fight time while Taira has an average of seven minutes. Those numbers will likely not be met in a 25-minute fight, but the round total is set at 2.5 rounds, suggesting the flyweights will not go the distance.

Prediction: Taira by submission in round four

Best bet: Tatsuro Taira under 1.5 takedowns landed (-115)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.