UFC Vegas 114: Josh Emmett vs. Kevin Vallejos continues on the prelims with a fight between Brad Tavares and Eryk Anders in the middleweight division on Saturday. Check out our UFC odds series for our Tavares-Anders prediction and pick.
Brad Tavares (21-11) remains a durable middleweight staple, going 1-2 over his last three. He outpointed Gerald Meerschaert by unanimous decision in April 2025 before suffering a split-decision loss to Jun Yong Park and a third-round KO defeat to Robert Bryczek, as he comes into his fight this weekend against Eryk Anders.
Eryk Anders (17-9) rides a 2-1 run in his last three, highlighted by a vintage second-round ground-and-pound TKO of Chris Weidman at UFC 310 after a grinding decision win over Jamie Pickett, before being stopped by Christian Leroy Duncan, as he comes into his fight this weekend against Brad Tavares.
UFC Vegas 114 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 114 Odds: Brad Tavares-Eryk Anders Odds
Brad Tavares: -142
Eryk Anders: +120
Over 2.5 rounds: -180
Under 2.5 rounds: +140
Why Brad Tavares Will Win
Brad Tavares has the cleaner, more structured striking game at this stage of their careers. His jab, low kicks and distance management are sharper than Anders’ looping entries, which often leave “Ya Boi” swinging at air or falling into clinches.
Over three rounds, that technical edge matters. Tavares is experienced at winning minutes with disciplined output, leg kicks and straight counters, while Anders tends to load up on single power shots that can be read and neutralized when an opponent stays defensively sound.
Tavares also owns the better takedown defense historically, which is key against Anders’ occasional desperation level changes. If he can keep this standing and force Anders into a kickboxing match, he avoids Anders’ best chance to grind and slow the fight.
Cardio and durability still lean toward Tavares as well, despite the wear on his record. He’s gone hard 15 minutes with elite middleweights and generally maintains his form and volume, whereas Anders can slow and get predictable when his early blitzes don’t pay off.
Put together, this looks like a veteran, numbers-based performance. Expect Tavares to chip away with kicks, stuff most clinch and takedown attempts, and outpoint Anders to a steady, workmanlike decision victory.
Why Eryk Anders Will Win
Eryk Anders’ clearest edge against Brad Tavares is raw explosiveness and fight-changing power. While Tavares is the more technical kickboxer, Anders still carries real knockout threat in every exchange, especially early when his speed and athleticism are at their peak.
If Anders can pressure effectively and back Tavares toward the fence, he can turn this into a brawl instead of a clean, outside kickboxing match. Forcing pocket exchanges, crashing into clinches, and making Tavares trade in the pocket increases Anders’ chances of landing the kind of big left hand or flurry that hurts him.
Wrestling and clinch work are also important levers for Anders. Even if he doesn’t control Tavares for long stretches, mixing takedown attempts with dirty boxing can tax Tavares’ legs, reduce his movement, and make that jab-and-kick game less effective as the fight wears on.
Tavares has taken a lot of damage over a long UFC career, and his durability is not what it once was. Anders, by contrast, has recently reminded people he can still find violent finishes when opponents give him openings.
In a three-round fight, that combination of pressure, physicality, and one-shot power gives Anders a very real path to either a late TKO or a close, optics-driven decision.
Final Brad Tavares-Eryk Anders Prediction & Pick
This feels like a classic “clean technician vs. explosive brawler” matchup, and the dynamics are pretty well-defined. Brad Tavares will try to win this fight with structure: steady jab, calf kicks, and disciplined footwork to keep Eryk Anders at the end of straight shots.
Early on, Anders is the more dangerous man. His best chance is to crash the pocket, back Tavares to the fence, and force ugly exchanges where his raw power and athleticism can overwhelm Brad’s tighter boxing and chip away at his historically sturdy chin.
If Tavares survives that early surge, the fight likely tilts his way. As Anders’ explosiveness tapers, his entries can get predictable, and Tavares is excellent at reading single, loaded shots and answering with counters and low kicks.
Wrestling and clinch exchanges should be competitive, but Tavares’ historically strong takedown defense and balance make it hard for Anders to bank long control time. Over three rounds, judges tend to favor the fighter landing cleaner, more frequent shots over sporadic bursts.
Anders has real early knockout upside, but the more common script is Tavares weathering the storm and slowly taking over with volume and leg kicks and get a competitive unanimous decision victory.
Final Brad Tavares-Eryk Anders Prediction & Pick: Brad Tavares (-142), Over 2.5 Rounds (-180)
