Noche UFC is back once again, this time taking over San Antonio, Texas as fans are set for a full night of fights. This next bout takes place in the Women's Bantamweight (135) Division and features Mexico's Montserrat Rendon taking on Brazil's Alice Pereira. Check the Noche UFC odds for our Rendon-Pereira prediction and pick.
Montserrat Rendon (6-1) has gone 1-1 under the UFC banner since debuting in 2023. Following a split decision win and a unanimous decision loss, she had to withdraw from a scheduled bout with Melissa Mullins. Now, Rendon is back and ready to face a young prospect as the slight underdog. Rendon stands 5-foot-8 with a 68-inch reach.
Alice Pereira (5-0) will be making her promotional debut on Saturday following a perfect five-fight run through South American regional MMA circuits. This is truly her biggest step-up in competition, but her odds as the betting favorite could indicate a strong debut. Pereira stands 5-foot-10 with a 71-inch reach.
Here are the Noche UFC Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
Noche UFC Odds: Montserrat Rendon-Alice Pereira odds
Montserrat Rendon: +124
Alice Pereira: -148
Over 2.5 rounds: -280
Under 2.5 rounds: +210
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Why Montserrat Rendon Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Darya Zheleznyakova – U DEC
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: N/A
Montserrat Rendon will be looking to bounce back from a performance against Darya Zheleznyakova where she looked out-of-sorts for most of the bout, being out-paced by her opponent 28-73 in significant strikes. While Rendon managed to land three of six takedowns and work her wrestling, it clearly wasn't enough as she failed to mount meaningful offense as a result. This time around, expect Rendon to be much more active with her ground-and-pound if she can manage to take her opponent down.
During this fight, she'll be facing an opponent 17 years her junior, certainly a challenge given Rendon has only seen two opponents in the UFC. Still, I think physical strength is a huge factor in this division and Rendon should prove to be the physically dominant side over the much younger opponent.
Ultimately, if Rendon is able to use her strength in closing the distance and bring Pereira down, she has a solid chance to win this fight off control time. However, her activity on the ground will truly determine if she's able to make this win look dominant, or if she opts towards another close split decision.
Why Alice Pereira Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Samara Santos – U DEC
- Last 5: 5-0
- Finishes: 3 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
Alice Pereira will be making her UFC debut at just 19 years old with five professional fights all ending in victories. She managed to finish three opponents by knockout and one by submission, but it's worth noting that her opponents through these fights shared a combined record of 15-15 including one opponent who made their debut. There's still a ton of questions surrounding her game and it's hard to tell what her condition will look like in this high-pressure situation.
Aside from the crowd being against her and shaking off any first-fight jitters, Pereira is listed as the betting favorite thanks to her size and length at this weight class. She's a very tall and rangy kickboxer, evident by her lead jab and front kicks. If she's able to dial-in the range early, she should be able to land some clean shots on her opponent.
Pereira will also have to be active in stuffing the takedowns if Rendon plans to follow a similar style to her last few fights. This time around, expect Rendon to be much more aggressive in chasing the takedown, to which Pereira will have to ultimately respond to.
Final Montserrat Rendon-Alice Pereira Prediction & Pick
We've got another solid matchup to open the action from San Antonio as both fighters present a differing set of skills in this fight. Montserrat Rendon is looking to employ her grappling-heavy style while adding more striking output than some of her previous bouts. Alice Pereira, on the other hand, is making a huge UFC debut as a very fresh talent and the surprising betting favorite.
I think Alice Pereira has all the tools necessary to control this fight on the feet, particularly with her long limbs and ability to control the striking distance. However, Montserrat is smart enough to force opponents into a dirty fight and I expect her to do the same during this bout. In the clinch and along the fence, Rendon could prove to be the more dominant force and negating the offense of Pereira.
For our final prediction, we have to roll with Montserrat Rendon to come away a winner. This may be too steep of a competition increase for Pereira to handle alongside the debut nerves.
Final Montserrat Rendon-Alice Pereira Prediction & Pick: Montserrat Rendon (+124)
