UFC on ESPN 55 predictions: Matheus Nicolau or Alex Perez in Las Vegas?

Matt Erickson

April 27, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.·3 min read

The UFC is back on its home turf after a week off, and a pair of flyweight contenders is at the top of the lineup.

UFC on ESPN 55 (ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

Tim Means vs. Uros Medic

Records: Means (33-15-1 MMA, 15-12 UFC), Medic (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Past five: Means 2-3, Medic 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Means +245, Medic -305
Junkie pick results: Medic 6, Means 5

David Onama vs. Jonathan Pearce

Records: Onama (11-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Pearce (14-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
Past five: Onama 3-2, Pearce 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Onama +125, Pearce -150
Junkie pick results: Pearce 7, Onama 4

Jhonata Diniz vs. Austen Lane

Records: Diniz (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Lane (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Past five: Diniz 5-0, Lane 4-1
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Diniz -340, Lane +270
Junkie pick results: Diniz 11, Lane 0

Ariane da Silva vs. Karine Silva

Records: da Silva (17-8 MMA, 6-5 UFC), Silva (17-4 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: da Silva 4-1, Silva 5-0
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: da Silva honorable mention, Silva honorable mention
Odds (as of 04.26.24): da Silva +135, Silva -160
Junkie pick results: Silva 10, da Silva 1

Bogdan Guskov vs. Ryan Spann

Records: Guskov (15-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Spann (21-9 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Past five: Guskov 4-1, Spann 2-3
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: Spann No. 13
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Guskov +150, Spann -180
Junkie pick results: Spann 11, Guskov 0

Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez

Records: Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC), Perez (24-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC)
Past five: Nicolau 4-1, Perez 2-3
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Nicolau No. 10
Odds (as of 04.26.24): Nicolau -180, Perez +150
Junkie pick results: Nicolau 9, Perez 2

UFC on ESPN 55 main card picks

	Nicolau vs. Perez	Guskov vs. Spann	Da Silva vs. Silva	Diniz vs. Lane	Onama vs. Pearce	Means vs. Medic
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 68-37	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau (84%)	spann2024_50bea0 Spann (59%)	silva2024_b87843 Silva (69%)	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz (78%)	pearce2024_643595 Pearce (65%)	medic2024_ceb932 Medic (69%)
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 73-32 trophy copy 2014 Champion	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	pearce2024_643595 Pearce	medic2024_ceb932 Medic
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 69-36	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	pearce2024_643595 Pearce	means2024_e58c2f Means
Nolan King @mma_kings 68-37 trophy copy 2023 Champion	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	onama2024_bac5b8 Onama	medic2024_ceb932 Medic
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 68-37 trophy copy 2018, 2022 Champion	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	pearce2024_643595 Pearce	medic2024_ceb932 Medic
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 66-39	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	pearce2024_643595 Pearce	means2024_e58c2f Means
Matt Erickson @MattE 65-40	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	dasilva2024_f1c111 da Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	onama2024_bac5b8 Onama	medic2024_ceb932 Medic
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 64-41	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	onama2024_bac5b8 Onama	medic2024_ceb932 Medic
Simon Samano @SJSamano 62-43	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	onama2024_bac5b8 Onama	medic2024_ceb932 Medic
Brian Garcia @thegoze 58-47 trophy copy 2017 Champion	perez2024_7ca1a4 Perez	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	pearce2024_643595 Pearce	means2024_e58c2f Means
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 56-49	nicolau2024_8cc4a8_8cc4a8 Nicolau	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	pearce2024_643595 Pearce	means2024_e58c2f Means
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 49-56	perez2024_7ca1a4 Perez	spann2024_50bea0 Spann	silva2024_b87843 Silva	diniz2024_9f8f1a Diniz	pearce2024_643595 Pearce	means2024_e58c2f Means

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 55.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie

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