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UFC Vegas 77: Holly Holm vs. Mayra Bueno Silva kicks off the prelims with a fight in the women's bantamweight division between Ashlee-Evans Smith and Ailin Perez. This will be Smith's first fight since 2020 meanwhile, Perez lost her UFC debut in September 2022 on short notice to Stephanie Egger. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Smith-Perez prediction and pick.
Ashlee Evans-Smith (6-5) hasn't fought in almost three years due to a serious back injury that needed surgery but she is healthy and ready to get back in there. She is winless in her last two fights and only has one win in the last six years. Smith will be looking to right the ship against Ailin Perez in her comeback fight this weekend at UFC Vegas 77.
Ailin Perez (7-2) came into her UFC debut on very short notice to take on the bigger and stronger Stephanie Egger. She held her own in the early going until Egger was able to take her down and submit her. Perez will be looking for her first UFC win as she takes on Ashlee Evans-Smith this Saturday night.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Vegas 77 Odds: Ashlee Evans-Smith-Ailin Perez Odds
Ashlee Evans-Smith: +176
Ailin Perez: -220
Over 2.5 Rounds: -192
Under 2.5 Rounds: +150
How to Watch Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Ailin Perez
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT (Prelims)
Why Ashlee Evans-Smith Will Win
Article Continues Below
Ashlee Evans-Smith is set to face Ailin Perez in a bantamweight bout at UFC Vegas 77 this weekend which will be her first fight in 32 months. Evans-Smith has a record of 3-5 in the UFC, while Perez has only had one fight in the promotion, which she lost. Evans-Smith has also been in the octagon with some tough opponents, including Raquel Pennington and Marion Reneau.
Evans-Smith is known for her wrestling and her top game, even though three of her six wins came via knockout or TKO. Perez, on the other hand, has a background in grappling and has yet to score a knockout in her professional career which tends me to believe that she will struggle with Evans-Smith on the feet and at range.
Perez may look to take the fight to the ground, but Evans-Smith has shown solid takedown defense in the past, with a 63% takedown defense rate and if she isn't able to complete her takedowns it could be a rough night for her.
Why Ailin Perez Will Win
While both fighters have had mixed results in their UFC careers, Ailin Perez is coming off a strong performance in her last fight, even though she ended up on the losing side. This experience could give her the confidence and motivation to bounce back and secure a win against Evans-Smith.
Perez possesses a solid grappling skill set, with a background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If she can effectively implement her grappling game plan, she may be able to neutralize Evans-Smith's striking and control the fight on the ground. At 28 years old, Perez is younger than Evans-Smith, who is 36 which will play a vital role in this matchup as Evans-Smith has had a nagging back injury that required surgery and which is what has kept her out of competition.
That back injury may hinder Evans-Smith's performance especially when she is going to need to defend takedowns and grappling for the majority of this bout. If Perez can impose her will she could get the job done.
Final Ashlee Evans-Smith-Ailin Perez Prediction & Pick
Ashlee Evans- Smith only has one win in her last five fights and her last win was five years ago against a fighter that is no longer in the UFC. While Ailin Perez may not be a world-beater she has the tools to get her first win inside the octagon this weekend. This is a favorable matchup for her and she should be able to bully Evans-Smith against the octagon, land some takedowns, and rack up some control time for a unanimous decision victory at UFC Vegas 77.
Final Ashlee Evans-Smith-Ailin Perez Prediction & Pick: Ailin Perez (-220), Over 2.5 Rounds (-192)
