Pre-fight discussion UFC Fight Night 245 - Hernandez vs. Pereira Saturday October 19 4pm et ESPN+

[PurpleStorm]

Hey folks! This Saturday it's UFC Fight Night 245: Hernandez vs. Pereira, live from the Apex in Lax Vegas. Also known as UFC Vegas 99.

This thread is for pre-fight discussion throughout the week leading up to weigh-ins. You may provide your comments, thoughts, breakdowns previews and predictions throughout the week. This is your thread Sherdoggers!

You may also post updates to the card if they arise. Be sure to follow the general rules here and most important please be civil toward one another. Enjoy fight week. The floor is yours!

Date/Time: Saturday 10.19.2024 at 04:00 PM ET
Main Card ESPN+ 7:00 PM ET
Prelims ESPN+ 4:00 PM ET
U.S. Broadcast: ESPN+
Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ownership: Endeavor
Venue: UFC Apex
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Enclosure: Octagon
MMA Bouts: 11

UFC FIGHT NIGHT 245 - HERNANDEZ VS. PEREIRA​

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
OCT 19, 2024

UFC APEX, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES

Main Event. Middleweight.

ANTHONY HERNANDEZ 12-2-0​

MICHEL PEREIRA 31-11-0​

MATCH		FIGHTERS
10	Rob Font 20-8-0	Bantamweight	Kyler Phillips 12-2-0
9	Charles Johnson 16-6-0	Flyweight	Su Mudaerji 16-6-0
8	Brady Hiestand 8-2-0	Bantamweight	Jake Hadley 11-3-0
7	Darren Elkins 28-11-0	Featherweight	Daniel Pineda 28-16-0
6	Matheus Nicolau 19-4-1	Flyweight	Asu Almabaev 20-2-0
5	Brad Katona 14-3-0	Bantamweight	Jean Matsumoto 15-0-0
4	Joselyne Edwards 13-6-0	Bantamweight	Tamires Vidal 7-3-0
3	Jessica Penne 14-7-0	Strawweight	Elise Reed 7-4-0
2	Melissa Martinez 7-1-0	Strawweight	Alice Ardelean 9-6-0
1	Austen Lane 12-5-0	Heavyweight	Robelis Despaigne 5-1-0

UFC Fight Night 245 - Hernandez vs. Pereira

UFC Fight Night 245 - Hernandez vs. Pereira pits Anthony Fluffy Hernandez vs Michel Demolidor Pereira fight in UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on Oct 19, 2024.

www.sherdog.com

On this weeks's Shillan & Duffy podcast, filling in for Shillan is Dayne Fox, the newest member of the Sherdog radio / podcast team. He has dry sense of humor and a lot of cool insights into the card. Good work Mr. Fox!

Shillan and Duffy: UFC Fight Night 245 Preview​

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BEN DUFFY DAYNE FOX OCT 14, 2024 COMMENTS
Ben is joined by special guest Dayne Fox as they preview UFC Fight Night 245, with detailed predictions and picks for all 11 fights. Side topics include retired professional wrestler Amish Roadkill, amateur wrestling great turned MMA pioneer Mike Van Arsdale, and (we promise) the last time you'll hear about Duffy's survival plan in the event of Waffle House armageddon.

0:00 Intro
5:47 Austen Lane (12-5, 1 NC) vs. Robelis Despaigne (5-1)
16:00 Melissa Martinez (7-1) vs. Alice Ardelean (9-6)
24:51 Jessica Penne (14-7) vs. Elise Reed (7-4)
34:43 Joselyne Edwards (13-6) vs. Tamires Vidal (7-3)
46:16 Brad Katona (14-3) vs. Jean Matsumoto (15-0)
56:46 Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1) vs. Asu Almabaev (20-2)
1:07:35 Darren Elkins (28-11) vs. Daniel Pineda (28-16, 3 NC)
1:21:37 Brady Hiestand (8-2) vs. Jake Hadley (11-3)
1:34:27 Charles Johnson (16-6) vs. Su Mudaerji (16-6)
1:47:26 Rob Font (20-8) vs. Kyler Phillips (12-2)
2:03:13 Anthony Hernandez (12-2, 1 NC) vs. Michel Pereira (31-11, 2 NC)
2:20:02 A quick rundown of all of the picks

 

[Luthien]

Dang I was hoping Poatan was fighting again!!

 

[Danespina]

One of the most unhinged and entertaining fighting styles there is. Michel Pereira has hit his stride.

 

[Jackonfire]

One of the most unhinged and entertaining fighting styles there is. Michel Pereira has hit his stride.

Not just fights but weigh-ins too!

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

War Michel Pereira!! super fun to watch and has improved a lot. Sneakily gone under the radar with one of the longest winning streaks in UFC entire roster.

He is so dynamic and creative with his striking, but has been much more focused and concentrated the last few years and its showing.

 

[jackleeb]

pereira is fighting again? didn't he just KO khalil rountree on october 5th

 

[Neck&Neck]

Damn Michel has had a lot of fights, 41

 

[The_Renaissance]

A few decent fights on this one, actually. Main event should deliver, two guys I like.

 

[Danespina]

So the prelims of this event will run concurrently with the main card of PFL.

Once Ngannou/Ferreira is finished, it should lead straight into UFC's main card.

 

[PurpleStorm]

So the prelims of this event will run concurrently with the main card of PFL.

Once Ngannou/Ferreira is finished, it should lead straight into UFC's main card.

Looks like it. Though I usually expect the unexpected.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Preview: UFC Fight Night 245 Prelims​

Nicolau vs. Almabaev​

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TOM FEELY OCT 16, 2024 COMMENTS

The UFC's second straight week in the Apex comes with six prelims, led by one of the better fights on the card; fresh off dropping a main event in April, Matheus Nicolaufinds himself holding down the featured spot against top flyweight prospect Asu Almabaev. Past that, there are some points of intrigue; bantamweight Jean Matsumoto looks to continue proving that he's a prospect to watch with a win over Brad Katona, former strawweight title challenger Jessica Penne is back in action, and heavyweight prospect Robelis Despaigne looks to get his hype train back on track after a disheartening performance in his last bout.

Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1) vs. Asu Almabaev (20-2)

Odds: Almabaev (-175), Nicolau (+145)

Matheus Nicolau is coming off his first UFC main event, but the Brazilian's career has as little momentum as it's had in a while. A surprising cut back in 2018 as the UFC was tearing down its flyweight division, Nicolau eventually made his return to the promotion in 2021 and immediately looked like a dark horse contender. His return win over Manel Kape was a fairly complete picture as far as Nicolau's approach; he can be patient to a fault in waiting to counter his opponents, but he's typically been able to bank on his combination of size, speed and accuracy to keep opponents at bay and cause them a ton of frustration while winning rounds - if not finding a knockout blow. Nicolau was firmly in the championship picture heading into 2023, but his style has greatly worked against him in his last two fights, knockout losses to Brandon Royval and Alex Perez; Royval's size and Perez's consistent pressure were each enough to blow through Nicolau's defenses, catching him before he settled into the fight and making him pay for handing his opponents the initiative. Nicolau looks to rebound with a win over Asu Almabaev, who's certainly earned the biggest shot of his career thus far through his performances, if not his level of competition. Kazakhstan has been sending some high-level talent to the UFC in recent years, and that certainly includes Almabaev, an athletic wrestler that's been able to overpower and outpace his opponents for the better part of half a decade, which includes his three wins in the UFC thus far. That makes this an interesting test for both men; Nicolau is clearly the most capable neutralizer that Almabaev has faced to date, but the Brazilian also hasn't faced much in the way of dedicated wrestlers in recent years. Almabaev's striking is purely a means to an end at this level, so there's a decent chance that Nicolau can frustrate him on the feet enough to keep him at bay more often than not, but the lean is that the Kazakh can get in on enough takedowns to bank two rounds, even if this might be far from a dominant win; the pick is Almabaev via decision.

Jump To »
Nicolau vs. Almabaev
Katona vs. Matsumoto
Edwards vs. Vidal
Penne vs. Reed
Martinez vs. Ardelean
Lane vs. Despaigne

Preview: UFC Fight Night 245 Prelims - Nicolau vs. Almabaev

Flyweights Matheus Nicolau and Asu Almabaev top the six-fight undercard of UFC Vegas 99 on Saturday at the Apex.

www.sherdog.com

 

[PurpleStorm]

The card starts with heavyweights. Despaigne was an olympic medalist in taekwondo. Big guy who throws at odd angles. He's favored against Lane who is 36 and started MMA pretty late as he was an NFL defensive end.

 

[PurpleStorm]

My pick for opening fight. The reign from Despaigne make him pop champagne.

 

[Danespina]

^ Despaigne had one of the wildest debuts.

What's @AmonTobin and @CieloLuce think of this event?

 

[Bubzeh]

Not usually one to bad mouth cards on paper but good grief this one is putrid.

 

[The_Renaissance]

^ Despaigne had one of the wildest debuts.

What's @AmonTobin and @CieloLuce think of this event?

He's so uncoordinated and sloppy considering his background.

 

[The_Renaissance]

 

[Deleted member 585708]

This Fight Night is great!

Obviously there's competition, but it's a really strong showcase of talent.

I'm personally just going to be watching UFC because while I do watch some PFL events, I'm not paying for a PPV to watch it simultaneously, so I'd rather just pocket the change.

Hope the PFL make some money though, love 'em or hate 'em, competition is good for fighters.

 

[PurpleStorm]

This Fight Night is great!

Obviously there's competition, but it's a really strong showcase of talent.

I'm personally just going to be watching UFC because while I do watch some PFL events, I'm not paying for a PPV to watch it simultaneously, so I'd rather just pocket the change.

Hope the PFL make some money though, love 'em or hate 'em, competition is good for fighters.

Same here Jon! Whatever one chooses it's a great day for sports fans. Baseball playoffs, college football, hockey, ufc, pfl, heck there's probably some amazing curling event live somewhere.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Preview: UFC Fight Night 245 ‘Hernandez vs. Pereira’​

Hernandez vs. Pereira​

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TOM FEELY OCT 17, 2024 COMMENTS

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the Apex for the second straight week, this time out with a fairly strong main card. The top two fights are big opportunities for statement victories; Anthony Hernandez and Michel Pereira each look for their biggest win to date at middleweight in the main event, while a co-main sees Rob Font try to hold serve at bantamweight against rising talent Kyler Phillips. The other three bouts here are solid; Charles Johnson looks to continue a breakout 2024 against Su Mudaerji, Jake Hadley looks to continue establishing himself at bantamweight against Cameron Smotherman, and featherweight vets Darren Elkins and Daniel Pineda somehow square off for the first time.

Middleweights
Anthony Hernandez (12-2, 1 N/C) vs. Michel Pereira (31-11, 2 N/C)
Odds: Hernandez (-135), Pereira (+114)

Michel Pereira has seemingly found his home at middleweight, and this marks the first big shot for "Demolidor" to prove he's a potential contender at 185 pounds. Pereira was extremely hyped ahead of his UFC debut in 2019, but that was mostly due to entertainment purposes rather than any expectation that he'd contend as a welterweight; an elite athlete, Pereira was willing to fight behind some of the wildest ideas in the sport, backflipping into opponents, rebounding off cages and essentially doing whatever came to mind. That led to Pereira building one of the best highlight reels in the sport, but his inefficient style would often result in him tiring out and losing fights he had no business losing - so it wasn't a shock that his first three UFC fights ran the gamut of results; he tore apart Danny Roberts, lost to natural featherweight Tristan Connelly and then got disqualified for landing an illegal knee on Diego Sanchez. For whatever reason, the Sanchez loss seemingly caused Pereira to re-evaluate things and start fighting seriously, which would normally be a betrayal of what brought him to the dance - but as it turns out, he's actually a good fighter when he decides to apply himself. Pereira's now riding an eight-fight winning streak, which at first saw him leverage his combination of size and speed into staying defensive while picking his opponents apart from range; it could sometimes take the fight out of the fight, but Pereira still had the occasional wild exchange, and importantly showed a knack for landing some hard offense just as his opponents seemed to be building momentum. Five fights into this current winning streak, weight management issues forced Pereira to ply his trade up to middleweight, and that's turned out to be a blessing in disguise; he hasn't faced the best competition at 185 pounds, but his speed is now even more of an advantage, and he's blown through three solid fighters in about a minute apiece. Now comes a main event against Anthony Hernandez in a big opportunity for both men, as Hernandez also looks to prove that his own approach can work against something approximating elite competition. Hernandez had a fairly unnotable start to his UFC career until a shocking breakthrough win over Rodolfo Vieira in 2021; Vieira, one of the most decorated grapplers on the UFC roster, figured to run through an unathletic wrestler in Hernandez, only for Hernandez to survive and exhaust Vieira with non-stop scrambles, eventually earning one of the unlikeliest submission wins in UFC history. Hernandez has kept things up to put together four straight wins since, all through that same gameplan; there might be some early trouble and Hernandez's approach might not be the prettiest, but his willingness to keep marching forward and scrambling with his opponents on the mat has consistently led to him finding their breaking point and scoring a late finish. It's been a fun enough style that Hernandez has retained a fanbase even through some recent stretches of inactivity; "Fluffy" likely would've had his opportunity to move up the rankings by now had injuries not kept getting in the way. If this fight goes over the long haul, it'll be absolutely fascinating to see what Hernandez can accomplish; Pereira's gas tank, which had to be managed at 170 pounds, hasn't been tested with his quick wins at middleweight, and it's unclear exactly how well either man can keep up given the combination of Hernandez's doggedness and Pereira's freakish athleticism. But things might not make it that far; Hernandez starts slow before he builds all that momentum, and it does seem like he's going to immediately charge into danger against one of the hardest hitters in the division. The pick is Pereira via first-round knockout.

Jump To »
Hernandez vs. Pereira
Font vs. Phillips
Johnson vs. Sumudaerji
Smotherman vs. Hadley
Elkins vs. Pineda
The Prelims

Preview: UFC Fight Night 245 ‘Hernandez vs. Pereira’ - Hernandez vs. Pereira

Red-hot middleweight contenders clash atop the five-fight main card of UFC Vegas 99 on Saturday at the Apex.

www.sherdog.com