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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

UFC on ESPN 55 predictions: Matheus Nicolau or Alex Perez in Las Vegas?

The UFC is back on its home turf after a week off, and a pair of flyweight contenders is at the top of the lineup.

UFC on ESPN 55 (ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

Tim Means vs. Uros Medic

Means vs Medic

Records: Means (33-15-1 MMA, 15-12 UFC), Medic (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Past five: Means 2-3, Medic 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Means +245, Medic -305
Junkie pick results: Medic 6, Means 5

David Onama vs. Jonathan Pearce

Pearce vs Onama

Records: Onama (11-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Pearce (14-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
Past five: Onama 3-2, Pearce 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Onama +125, Pearce -150
Junkie pick results: Pearce 7, Onama 4

Jhonata Diniz vs. Austen Lane

Lane vs Diniz

Records: Diniz (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Lane (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Past five: Diniz 5-0, Lane 4-1
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Diniz -340, Lane +270
Junkie pick results: Diniz 11, Lane 0

Ariane da Silva vs. Karine Silva

da Silvs vs Silva

Records: da Silva (17-8 MMA, 6-5 UFC), Silva (17-4 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: da Silva 4-1, Silva 5-0
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: da Silva honorable mention, Silva honorable mention
Odds (as of 04.26.24): da Silva +135, Silva -160
Junkie pick results: Silva 10, da Silva 1

Bogdan Guskov vs. Ryan Spann

Spann vs Guskov

Records: Guskov (15-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Spann (21-9 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Past five: Guskov 4-1, Spann 2-3
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: Spann No. 13
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Guskov +150, Spann -180
Junkie pick results: Spann 11, Guskov 0

Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez

Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez

Records: Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC), Perez (24-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC)
Past five: Nicolau 4-1, Perez 2-3
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Nicolau No. 10
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Nicolau -180, Perez +150
Junkie pick results: Nicolau 9, Perez 2

UFC on ESPN 55 main card picks

Nicolau
vs.
Perez
Guskov
vs.
Spann
Da Silva
vs.
Silva
Diniz
vs.
Lane
Onama
vs.
Pearce
Means
vs.
Medic
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
68-37

Nicolau
(84%)

Spann
(59%)

Silva
(69%)

Diniz
(78%)

Pearce
(65%)

Medic
(69%)
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
73-32
2014 Champion

Nicolau

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Pearce

Medic
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
69-36

Nicolau

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Pearce

Means
Nolan King
@mma_kings
68-37
2023 Champion

Nicolau

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Onama

Medic
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
68-37
2018, 2022 Champion

Nicolau

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Pearce

Medic
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
66-39

Nicolau

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Pearce

Means
Matt Erickson
@MattE
65-40

Nicolau

Spann

da Silva

Diniz

Onama

Medic
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
64-41

Nicolau

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Onama

Medic
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
62-43

Nicolau

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Onama

Medic
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
58-47
2017 Champion

Perez

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Pearce

Means
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
56-49

Nicolau

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Pearce

Means
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
49-56

Perez

Spann

Silva

Diniz

Pearce

Means

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 55.

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