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.