UFC Fight Night Hernandez vs. Pereira 10/19/24

Anthony Hernandez will enter the Octagon with Michel Pereira at UFC Vegas 99 on Saturday, October 19, 2024. The opening odds have Hernandez coming in at -130 while Pereira is priced at +110.

Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez walks into the cage with a record of 12-2-0 (1 NC). The 30-year-old is fighting at 185 lbs and measures 6'0". The orthodox fighter has a wingspan of 75". Michel "Demolidor" Pereira stands 6'1" and steps on the scale at 185 lbs. The orthodox fighter steps into the cage holding a record of 31-11-0 (2 NC). The 31-year-old has a reach of 73". Regarding significant strikes, Anthony Hernandez connects on 4.30 per minute while Michel Pereira is connecting on 5.16 significant strikes per min. Hernandez is connecting on 59% of the significant strikes he attempts while Pereira is connecting on 54%. Concerning the fighter's defense, "Fluffy" absorbs 3.46 significant strikes per min and "Demolidor" allows 3.70. Hernandez also defends 45% of the significant strikes that are thrown his way and Pereira is able to thwart 58% of the strikes thrown his way.

Hernandez is an absolute grinder who has put together a really lovely game in which every one of his skills flows into the next. He pressure boxes well with good head movement, gains the clinch with mean knees and elbows, then chain wrestles relentlessly. Once on the floor, he’s quite good at controlling the head and advancing position, and if his foe does escape back to standing, he’s more than happy to repeat the process.

Pereira has collected three straight stoppage wins since moving up to the middleweight division, needing less time to finish his work in each successive outing. The 31-year-old Brazilian has won eight straight overall and nine of his 11 starts inside the Octagon, establishing himself as a perpetually entertaining, ever-dangerous threat. There has been a great deal of change in the middleweight division over the last couple years and these two are part of the group making a serious push forward. Hernandez has clearly done away with the inconsistency that plagued his early days in the promotion, while Pereira’s dialing back the crazy has helped him perform at his absolute best as of late, setting up this pivotal matchup that will determine which of these two takes a big step forward heading into 2025.