UFC 277 Betting: Pantoja vs. Perez Betting Preview, Predictions and Game Analysis (Saturday, July 30th, 2022)

Two of the top flyweight contenders in the UFC will lock horns inside the octagon as Alexandre Pantoja takes on Alex Perez in a three-round bout on July 30 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The clash is part of UFC 277 which features the women’s bantamweight championship showdown between Julianna Peña and Amanda Nuñez in the main event. ESPN will feature the match for television subscribers. UFC Fight Pass will showcase the bouts via live stream. The Brazilian Pantoja looks to extend his winning run to three, and the Mexican Perez seeks to bounce back from his previous defeat at the hands of UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Internet betting odds favor Pantoja to win over Perez in an all-important clash that will help the winner’s contender status in the 125-pound class.

Alexandre Pantoja

Almost a year after his last UFC fight, Pantoja (24-5 win-loss) is hungry for another win inside the octagon. His submission win against Brandon Royval in August 2021 solidified his claim as one of the best flyweights in the UFC ranks. Pantoja was in line for a title opportunity but a knee injury sidelined him, forcing “The Cannibal” out of the championship picture. Now fighting for the first time in over 11 months, the Brazilian looks to devour Perez with another masterful performance that could pave the way for a clash against the winner between Kai Kara-France and Brandon Moreno for the interim 125-pound title or the flyweight title against Figueiredo in a rematch.

Alex Perez

Perez (24-6) will have his first fight in the octagon, almost 20 months after losing to Figueiredo for the UFC Flyweight Championship. He was supposed to fight Matt Schnell in May 2021 at UFC 262. However, Perez pulled out for undisclosed reasons. Two months later, Perez and Askar Askarov were supposed to meet in a three-round bout. However, the fight did not push through after Askarov suffered an injury. UFC paired Perez and Schnell again on August 28, 2021, but the MMA body decided to postpone it.

The fight was re-arranged for February 12, 2022, but for the third time, it fell apart after Schnell refused to accept the catchweight bout as Perez weighed two pounds above the flyweight non-title fight limit. Without the weight issues and the shenanigans, the American is a top-class fighter capable of making it big in the octagon. He needs to prove that he is worthy of another title opportunity, and a win against Pantoja would increase his title stock in the 125-pound class.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Alex Perez Betting Numbers

Pantoja vs. Perez Summary

The match between Pantoja and Perez has the makings of being chosen as “Fight of the Night” in UFC 277. Their records and capabilities are almost identical. It could make the betting public think twice about who to pick in this showdown. Pantoja might be the slight favorite in UFC fight odds but don’t sleep on Perez, as he could pull off some surprises in the middle of the fight. Both fighters are looking for a chance to fight the winner of the Moreno-Kara-France showdown for the interim flyweight title or a crack at Figueiredo for the world flyweight crown. Expect Pantoja to take advantage of Perez’s fight rust and win quickly by either submission or knockout.