The UFC Vegas Prelims continue to roll as we bring you a prediction and pick for this next bout in the Women's Bantamweight (135) Division. Hailey Cowan of Texas will take on Brazil's Alice Pereira as both fighters hope to bounce back from a win. Check our UFC odds series for the Cowan-Pereira prediction and pick.
Hailey Cowan (7-4) is still searching for her first UFC win following an 0-2 start since 2023. A Dana White's Contender Series product from 2022, she lost to Nora Cornolle by submission during her last bout and has a chance to redeem herself as the even underdog in this fight. Cowan stands 5-foot-8 with a 69-inch reach.
Alice Pereira (6-1) will make her second UFC appearance following a debut loss to Montserrat Rendon. At just 20 years old, she'll be looking to earn her first promotional win as the youngest fighter on the UFC's roster and a highly-touted prospect with a ton of upside. Pereira stands 5-foot-8 with a 71-inch reach.
UFC Vegas 115 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 115 Odds: Hailey Cowan-Alice Pereira Odds
Hailey Cowan: +100
Alice Pereira: -120
Over 2.5 rounds: -345
Under 2.5 rounds: +250
Why Hailey Cowan Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Nora Cornolle – SUB (rear naked choke, R2)
- Last 5: 2-3
- Finishes: 2 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
During her last fight, Hailey Cowan put up solid resistance in the first round with her striking and even landed a takedown on Cornolle, but it was ultimately her willingness to wrestle that got her caught in a choke. It was her third career loss by submission, the grappling accounting for the majority of her losses. As she faces a hyped prospect still looking for her first UFC win, Cowan will have to make stern improvements on the ground while putting together a complete performance on the feet.
Her opponent should be willing to stand and exchange on the feet, so Cowan should be able to display her kickboxing where she's most comfortable. She's very active with her kicks and owns a head kick knockout on her record, so expect her to throw a number of techniques as she remains light on her feet and utilizing her movement.
Cowan will be at a slight power disadvantage, so she may have to plan a complete three rounds of activity and consistent output to win this fight. It's worth noting that Cowan has to withdraw from two separate bouts due to injury prior to the Cornolle fight, so the hope is that she's coming into this bout following a clean training camp with no injuries. At her healthiest, Cowan can become a problem in the striking very quickly for her 20-year old opponent.
Why Alice Pereira Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Montserrat Rendon – S DEC
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 3 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
Alice Pereira was an extremely hyped prospect ahead of her UFC arrival, debuting at just 19 years old against a 37-year old veteran in Montserrat Rendon. Rendon clearly led the fight in striking totals as the more active side and deserved the split decision, but it was Pereira who was landing the more damaging strikes and controlling the movement around the octagon. This time around, she'll likely be looking to start faster and immediately settle into a striking rhythm now that she's no longer facing the pressure of a UFC debut.
Pereira fights behind a 71-inch reach, which usually gains her some sort of advantage over most opponents. She's classically trained in Muay Thai and fights behind a tall stance where she's able to quickly throw strikes from. Every punch comes with bad intentions, but her right cross is particularly devastating when she's able to land it following a straight jab.
Pereira is also very adept at lulling opponents in and causing them to whiff on strikes once they think they've found the range. She does a great job of stepping back out of range and exploding into it with striking combinations. During this fight, however, Pereira may have to be the aggressor in avoiding a similar situation to her debut where she ultimately fell behind early and couldn't make up the ground in the later rounds.
Final Hailey Cowan-Alice Pereira Prediction & Pick
Both fighters come into this bout hungry for a win following their latest losses. With three UFC appearances between them, one woman will come away with her first promotional win by the end of this bout and oddsmakers are basically making this a 50/50 coin flip, Alice Pereira with the slightest edge.
I expect this fight to take place on the feet with a few unsuccessful takedowns mixed in throughout. Learning from her debut, Pereira should be much more aggressive with her striking and initiating the action against Cowan. Cowan, on the other hand, may be welcoming a kickboxing affair as well given her last quick loss once hitting the mat against Cornolle.
For our final prediction, we'll side with Alice Pereira to earn the win as her stock will only rise following her debut.
Final Hailey Cowan-Alice Pereira Prediction & Pick: Alice Pereira (-120); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-345)
