MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in depth to interrupt down the most important fights within the UFC. At the moment, he takes a more in-depth take a look at the UFC on ESPN 57 most important occasion between former flyweight title challenger Alex Perez and Tatsuro Taira.
Alex Perez UFC on ESPN 58 preview
Alex Perez
Staple data:
- Report: 25-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC
- Peak: 5’6″ Age: 32 Weight: 125 lbs. Attain: 65.5″
- Final battle: Knockout win over Matheus Nicolau (April 27, 2024)
- Camp: Group Oyama (California)
- Stance/placing type: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Danger administration: Good
Supplemental data:
+ Tachi Palace flyweight title
+ Wrestling base
+ A number of wrestling accolades
+ 6 KO victories
+ 7 submission wins
+ 11 first-round finishes
+ KO energy
+ Constant tempo and stress
+ Improved placing capacity
^ Combos and bodywork
+ Laborious calf kicks
+ Wonderful wrestling capacity
+ Strong transitional grappler
^ Harmful from front-headlock
+/- 2-2 within the UFC Apex
Tatsuro Taira UFC on ESPN 58 preview
Tatsuro Taira
Staple data:
- Report: 15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC
- Peak: 5’7″ Age: 24 Weight: 125 lbs. Attain: 70″
- Final battle: TKO win over Carlos Hernandez (Dec. 9, 2023)
- Camp: Paraestra Okinawa (Japan)
- Stance/placing type: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Danger administration: Good
Supplemental data:
+ Shooto flyweight title
+ Newbie MMA accolades
+ 4 knockout victories
+ 7 submission wins
+ 8 first-round finishes
+ Constant tempo and stress
+ Steadily bettering placing
^ Laborious kicks from the left facet
+ Serviceable takedown capacity
^ Chains effectively in opposition to the fence
+ Wonderful transitional grappler
^ Very good back-taker
+/- 4-0 within the UFC Apex
Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira focal point: Flyweight fisticuffs
Alex Perez
The principle occasion in Las Vegas options an attention-grabbing pairing of flyweight skills who proceed to progress within the placing realm.
Regardless of rising up as a wrestler, Alex Perez has developed increasingly of a style for the placing arts since stepping onto the MMA scene.
Initially implementing extra of a wrestle-boxing type to begin his profession, Perez has steadily refined his method after years spent working with Group Oyama and firm. Making use of higher feints and footwork, Perez will sometimes prod with jabs off of a excessive guard as he seems to be to make his manner inside.
Perez shows an honest capacity to slide to the skin, normally trying to change ranges off it by going to the physique. This vary of movement additionally lends itself to the left hooks and leg kicks that the 32-year-old contender has been punctuating his mixtures with – abilities that had been on full show in his battle reverse Jussier Formiga.
Alex Perez TKOs Jussier Formiga in spherical 1: pic.twitter.com/8pz6qyVALd
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) April 25, 2024
Nonetheless, Perez will nonetheless have to respect continuous placing enhancements of Tatsuro Taira.
Combating his body and stylistic sensibilities, Taira will sometimes look to play all the best way in or all the best way out in terms of his working vary.
At distance, Taira seems to be to arrange lengthy straight pictures off his in-and-out motion. When feeling in stride, Taira will connect stable kicks to his mixtures.
Though Taira’s change kick from his left facet may serve him effectively in opposition to a wrestle-boxer like Perez, the Japanese fighter will seemingly be trying to get to his A sport on condition that he’s the much less confirmed competitor within the pocket.
Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira breakdown: Profitable the wrestling
Jul 8, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Tatsuro Taira (purple gloves) fights Edgar Chairez (blue gloves) throughout UFC 290 at T-Cell Enviornment. Obligatory Credit score: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports activities
Contemplating the debatable crux of Taira’s sport, successful the wrestling can be paramount for each fighters this weekend.
A proficient back-taker who’s steadily rounding out his surrounding ability set, Taira seems to haven’t any illusions as to the place his bread is buttered.
Not solely is Taira affected person in terms of establishing his pictures, however the Japanese fighter doesn’t appear simply discouraged when failing on his first try.
Akin to nice MMA grapplers like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Taira seems to be to be completely content material with utilizing his first shot to drive his opposition towards to octagon partitions. From there, Taira will chain to and from single-legs to journey takedowns that enable him to tug the battle into his world.
Nonetheless, I’m unsure how a lot success Taira can have in terms of dictating grappling exchanges with a wrestler like Perez.
Indoctrinated into wrestling from a younger age, Perez adopted the trail of his brothers, Julian Perez and Silverio Esparza (who had been additionally Lemoore Excessive College wrestling champs), excelling as a two-time divisional champ who maintained a top-12 state rating for his weight class. And by his sophomore yr at West Hills Faculty Lemoore, Perez acquired All-American honors earlier than finally crossing over into MMA.
Stumbling into his fair proportion of submission losses on a deceptively robust regional circuit, Perez’s transition into MMA actually wasn’t a simple one. However since his time spent on the Tachi Palace scene, Perez has appeared to make some critical strides, displaying the power to each end and management fighters at a excessive degree.
Whether or not Perez is chaining off of singles and doubles within the open or getting issues finished within the clinch, the previous Selma Excessive College wrestling coach can just about do all of it. And when he’s capable of set up his favored front-headlock place, Perez is fast to abuse a plethora of choices that vary from front-chokes to back-takes, typically chaining them off of one another (as seen in his battle with Carls John de Thomas).
Nevertheless, if Perez does discover himself beneath Taira this Saturday, then he’ll must be cautious with the again publicity that his wrestling-style getups sometimes provide.
An indication you understand Taira is an efficient grappler:
Takes the again and instantly makes use of his hook to show Vergara so Taira’s hook is on backside
That stops Vergara from sliding out and Taira can lock the determine 4The journey was actual good too pic.twitter.com/5xpxad7l9q
— William – Open Notice Grappling 📝 (@OpenNoteGrapple) June 13, 2024
Taira should still be growing giant components of his sport, however the 24-year-old’s back-taking skills are potent past his years. Whether or not Taira is searching for rear-naked chokes or baiting escapes that result in armlocks, the native of Japan can be extraordinarily harmful anytime he attaches himself to Perez.
Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira odds
The oddsmakers and the general public are favoring the undefeated fighter, itemizing Taira -205 and Perez +158 by way of FanDuel.
Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira prediction, choose
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: Alex Perez celebrates after his TKO victory over Jussier Formiga of their flyweight bout through the UFC 250 occasion at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Regardless of my pleasure for a brand new Japanese prospect with promise, I can’t say that I agree with the betting line listed above.
I get that Taira is undefeated and the youthful celebration at play, however the 24-year-old has solely been coaching martial arts for 9 years and continues to be largely unproven in opposition to top-level expertise.
Extra importantly, I’m seeing manner too many benefits for the underdog Perez from a stylistic perspective.
Not solely does Perez have the wrestling capacity to dictate grappling exchanges (as seen in a battle that he arguably gained in opposition to one other tremendous prospect in Muhammad Mokaev), however the 32-year-old additionally has some crushing calf kicks that may doubtlessly punish the stance of Taira contemplating the success previous opponents have had on the Japanese fighter.
And although Taira is the extra famous submission risk on paper, I additionally wouldn’t be shocked to see Perez catching him from the front-headlock place on condition that Taira will willingly put his neck in precarious positions as a way to get his grappling going. For that cause, I can’t assist however facet with the American to deal out a traditional “vet lesson” this Saturday.
The official choose is Perez to pressure a stoppage by way of strikes in spherical 2.
Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira begin time, the place to observe
As the principle occasion, Perez and Taira are anticipated to make their walks to the octagon at roughly 12:30 a.m. ET. The battle broadcasts reside on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+.
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC on ESPN 58.
Make sure you go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.