MMA legend Kenny Florian is siding with the sizable underdog to earn a major upset victory this weekend in the main event of UFC Vegas 93.
This weekend’s main event will be Alex Perez’s third outing of 2024, and whilst the majority of the MMA community are picking against the American, there are those who are predicting that the former UFC flyweight title challenger will earn himself a shock underdog victory.
Flyweights Tatsuro Taira and Alex Perez headline UFC Vegas 93
Former UFC flyweight title challenger Perez could very well end 2024 as the most active fighter on the entire roster, having fought Muhammad Mokaev only in March before making a short-notice turnaround to face Matheus Nicolau just seven weeks ago.
This weekend, the fan-favorite veteran returns to action to face the undefeated Japanese finisher Tatsuro Taira, who has certainly made an impression on fans as he rides into the Apex with a perfect 15-0 record: with 11 of those wins coming inside the distance.
Yet despite being a heavy betting underdog to the undefeated Taira, fans would be cautious to overlook or underestimate the hard-hitting American.
Kenny Florian is siding with the underdog in UFC Vegas 93 main event
Speaking via the latest installment of the Anik and Florian podcast, former UFC title challenger and MMA icon Kenny Florian revealed that he’s picking against the bookies for the main event of UFC Vegas 93.
A few days out from the latest Apex main event, the undefeated Japanese phenom is a moderate favorite over the veteran American; and whilst Florian doesn’t believe that anyone is overestimating Taira’s potential, he is seeing holes in the young prospect’s game.
“Tatsuro Taira is a finisher, whether it’s on the ground or on the feet, you’ve got to mind your p’s and q’s. He’s a sharp striker, but there’s one thing that I see when he throws his right-hand cross, he does kind of fall forward a little bit, which makes him susceptible to counter shots.
“We’re seeing Perez getting more and more comfortable on the feet, he certainly has power and always has,” noted Florian, with Perez having bounced back from three consecutive losses with a stunning round-two knockout of Nicolau just a few weeks ago in April.
“I think Taira, while he can wrestle offensively very well, I just don’t see that level of takedowns working on someone like Perez who is a very good wrestler, who’s been in there with some very good fighters – especially recently.
“I like this momentum from Perez, I’m kind of feeling it right now and I like these numbers, Taira is a favorite and I understand why – 15-0 in MMA is no easy task and he’s been looking very good, he’s been gaining that experience and I think there’s a lot of potential, but I like Perez here.”
Perez was a similarly large betting underdog against Nicolau, yet that didn’t stop the 32-year-old American from delivering a brutal right hook KO in the second – the sixth knockout of his professional career.
Given many of the similarities between Taira and Nicolau, and with the strength of schedule certainly being on the side of the American, UFC icon Kenny Florian is picking the sizable underdog to earn the upset victory this weekend in Las Vegas.
“Coming off that last win, I think he gained a lot of confidence from that and even in his loss, I don’t think he looked bad… It’s a good sign that he’s staying this busy and give me Perez dude.”
Alex Perez vs Tatsuro Taira is the main event of UFC Vegas 93, scheduled for Saturday, June 15.