UFC Fight Night 265: Alex Perez vs Asu Almabayev Preview & Prediction
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Flyweights kick off the main card of UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker, with divisional mainstay, Alex Perez, slated to take on Asu Almabayev at 125 pounds.
Alex Perez vs Asu Almabayev facts
What time are Alex Perez and Asu Almabayev expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena, Al Rayyan, Qatar
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 265: Tsarukyan vs Hooker main card
Arman Tsarukyan vs Dan Hooker (Lightweight)
Belal Muhammad vs Ian Machado Garry (Welterweight)
Volkan Oezdemir vs Alonzo Menifield (Light Heavyweight)
Jack Hermansson vs Myktybek Orolbai (Welterweight)
Serghei Spivac vs Shamil Gaziev (Heavyweight)
Alex Perez vs Asu Almabayev (Flyweight)
UFC Fight Night 265: Tsarukyan vs Hooker prelims
Bogdan Grad vs Luke Riley (Featherweight)
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Rafael Cerqueira (Light Heavyweight)
Tagir Ulanbekov vs Kyoji Horiguchi (Flyweight)
Bekzat Almakhan vs Aleksandre Topuria (Bantamweight)
Ismail Naurdiev vs Ryan Loder (Middleweight)
Nurullo Aliev vs Shaqueme Rock (Lightweight)
Nicolas Dalby vs Saygid Izagakhmaev (Welterweight)
Marek Bujlo vs Denzel Freeman (Heavyweight)
Alex Perez: The former title challenger enters this contest looking to prove he has what it takes to remain relevant in the flyweight division
Entering this matchup as a slight underdog, one-time title challenger Alex Perez (25-9) has endured a rough time since coming up short in his title tilt against Deiveson Figueiredo, with devastating injuries and multiple fight cancellations not helped by multiple chastening defeats. However, while Perez enters this contest at just 1-4 in his last five fights, it's worth noting that those losses came against world class competition in the form of the aforementioned Figueiredo, current champion Alexandre Pantoja, and elite contenders in Muhammad Mokaev and Tatsuro Taira. A high activity wrestle-boxer, Perez makes his first appearance since a horrific knee injury ended his last fight against Taira.
Asu Almabayev: Can the Kazakh grappler earn his sixth UFC win and push his name into the title conversation?
Posting a 5-1 record since joining the UFC back in 2023, Asu Almabayev (22-3) has largely run through his competition outside a certain Manel Kape, a loss that snapped a remarkable 17 win fight win streak. What he lacks in output on the feet, Almabayev makes up for with his takedown volume, relentlessly shooting throughout his fights in the hopes of securing top position. Already boasting victories over the likes of Ode' Osbourne and Matheus Nicolau, Almabayev rebounded from his controversial defeat to Kape with a dominant decision over KO artist, Jose Ochoa, last time out.
Alex Perez vs Asu Almabayev prediction
Simply put, Almabayev's grappling pressure fits the molds of past opponents who have given Perez fits. As such, there's a strong chance that the Kazakh finds similar success in the grappling department. Moreover, Almabayev will also actively hunt submissions when he gets the action to the floor and he's no fish out of water on the feet either.
On the other side of the cage, the American does his best work when he's able to blend his powerful striking with his wrestling. Unfortunately, he's unlikely to get that chance here. Some might argue that Manel Kape's TKO win over Almabayev provides the blueprint for a heavy-handed puncher like Perez to follow, but the American fights nothing like the ultra-dynamic "Starboy" on the feet. That's to say nothing of the fact that Almabayev was essentially blinded by eye-pokes in the lead up to that particular finish.
The flyweight division's poster boy for bad luck, it's easy to envision a reality where Perez is doing well, only to be suddenly undone by some manner of freak occurrence or injury. However, while we wouldn't necessarily advise betting on that exact outcome, the pick is still Almabayev by dominant decision.
Prediction: Asu Almabayev to win by decision
