UFC Vegas 93 Preview And Predictions

UFC Vegas 93 Preview And Predictions

The UFC is back in the Apex with UFC Vegas 93. The quality of the card represents that. The main event features a flyweight bout between Alex Perez and Tatsuro Taira. That is an important fight for the weight class. The issue is that the remainder of the card lacks excitement.

Join Vendetta Sports Media as we preview and predict the UFC Vegas 93 main card. You can find our 2024 prediction records below.

James: 64-44

Garrett: 61-47

Anthony: 65-45

Jerry: 55-42

Josh Quinlan vs. Adam Fugitt- Welterweight Bout 

James: The UFC Vegas 93 main card opens with a welterweight bout between Josh Quinlan and Adam Fugitt. This is a bout between two fighters with identical 1-2 records in the UFC. In all likelihood, the loser of this fight will lose their spot on the UFC roster. 

In theory, Quinlan is an athletic striker with knockout power. The issue is his power has not translated to the UFC level. The only UFC knockout on his record is against the weak-chinned Jason Witt. In subsequent bouts, he has failed to land big shots because his striking is not technical. 

Fugitt will pressure opponents and exchange with them. This is a dangerous strategy because he typically has less finish potential than his opponent. On the flip side, he is durable. This helps compensate for his lack of finish upside. Fugitt will also occasionally look to incorporate grappling. The downside with Fugitt is that he is not athletic. This caps his potential. 

This UFC Vegas 93 bout is a tough fight to preview. That is mainly because it does not feel great to pick either fighter to win a UFC fight. Quinlan will have chances to land knockout shots because of Fugitt’s lack of athleticism. Fugitt will likely hold a grappling and durability edge, however. I prefer to side with Fugitt because he has managed against other athletic strikers. Plus, the advantages in durability and grappling could swing a close fight in his favor. I will take Fugitt by decision.

Garrett: Quinlan via TKO

Jerry: Quinlan via decision

Anthony: Fugitt vis decision

Assu Almabayev vs. Jose Johnson- Flyweight Bout 

James: At UFC Vegas 93, Assu Almabayev will fight Jose Johnson. Almabayev is 19-2 in professional MMA with a 2-0 UFC record. That has made him a flyweight prospect worth keeping an eye on. Johnson is 1-1 in the UFC. This will be his first fight at flyweight. It is ridiculous that he is making the drop considering he is six feet tall. I have no idea how he will make the 126-pound limit. 

Almabayev is a respectable grappler who will consistently work to get his grappling going. In a 15-minute fight, he will remain focused on landing takedowns. On the ground, his BJJ is not elite, but it is good enough when paired with his wrestling. As a striker, he is nothing special. It is a limited skillset, but he throws hard. If he lands, he will likely land hard. 

Johnson’s six-foot frame and 71-inch reach are insane for the flyweight division. This allows him to attack with a teep and straight strikes. At this weight class, he presents serious stylistic issues purely based on his size. 

This UFC Vegas 93 preview favors Almabayev because of his grappling upside. Johnson will be outgunned in the pure grappling skills. The hope is that he can use his length to manage distance and get under hooks. I doubt that is possible considering the small octagon in the UFC Apex. I will take Almabayev by decision.

Garrett: Almabayev via submission

Jerry: Almabayev via submission

Anthony: Almabayev via decision

Brady Hiestand vs. Garrett Armfield- Bantamweight Bout 

James: UFC Vegas 93 features a s bantamweight bout between Brady Hiestand and Garrett Armfield. This is a matchup between two young fighters that have picked up wins early in their UFC careers. Hiestand, 25, made his way to the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter Season 29. In the promotion, he has tallied a 2-1 record. Armfield, 27, has an identical 2-1 record in the promotion. The winner of this bout will put themselves in a solid position to move up the bantamweight pecking order while being a young fighter. 

Hiestand is a wrestler at heart. I would not claim he is an elite grappler, but he landed takedowns. On the feet, he throws a jab and kicks with his left leg. It should also be noted that Hiestand is a dog. He will not quit on himself and will fight hard for three rounds. 

Armfield is a respectable fighter with solid skills. In the boxing realm, he has a nice jab and will put a straight behind it. On top of that, he pressure with good volume. Armfield’s range management and comfortability in boxing exchanges are also strong. Occasionally, he gets taken down, but he works hard to get back to his feet. 

The preview for the UFC Vegas 93 main card opener favors Armfield. The difference in striking skills should be potent. On the feet, I expect Armfield to land a decent amount of strikes. Furthermore, I trust that he can stand up if taken down. The hope for Heistand is that he can set a grappling pace that Armfield cannot match. That preview provides Armfield with a much wider and more realistic path to victory. I will take Armfield by decision.

Garrett: Armfield via KO

Jerry: Hiestand via KO/TKO

Anthony: Hiestand via decision

Timmy Cuamba vs. Lucas Almeida- Featherweight Bout 

James: At UFC Vegas 93, Timmy Cuamba will fight Lucas Almeida. Cuamba made his UFC debut in a short-notice lightweight fight against Bolaji Oki. Cuamba ended up losing a close decision. A win would be optimal, but Oki is an impressive prospect. That performance bodes well for Cuamba as he drops to his natural weight class and is given proper time to prepare. Almeida is 1-2 in the UFC and likely needs a win to remain in the UFC. 

Cuamba, 25, has some impressive skills. On the feet, he has quick hands and solid movement. This allows him to avoid big swings from his opponent and establish his jab. On top of that, his offensive grappling can be an asset even though he is not an elite grappler. 

Almeida is a striker who looks to land big strikes. The problem is that he is not technical and can be desperate. Still, he presents danger because of his power. The bigger issue is that he has poor grappling. Almeida can be taken down and he does not work back to his feet. 

This UFC Vegas 73 bout favors Cuamba. The movement skills should allow him to avoid big strikes. I also expect him to land takedowns. If he avoids getting clipped, he should win rounds with his quick hands and takedowns. I will take Cuamba by decision.

Garrett: Almeida via submission

Jerry: Cuamba via KO/TKO

Anthony: Cuamba via KO/TKO

Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Miles Johns- Bantamweight Bout

James: Douglas Silva de Andrade will fight Miles Johns at UFC Vegas 93. Both of these fighters have a decent amount of UFC experience. Silva de Andrade is 7-5 in the UFC while Johns is 5-2. 

Silva de Andrade is a power fighter who throws a good selection of strikes. This includes a jab, big hooks, a left hand to the body, and a decent variety of kicks. These shots do damage when they land. This style is also paired with some decent grappling skills. The downside is that he is a 38-year-old with suspect cardio and durability. 

John’s goal is to get on the inside and throw big hooks. This has been successful thus far in his career. Occasionally, he will mix takedowns into his game. Similarly to Silva de Andrade, Johns has cardio concerns. In previous fights, he has not looked as strong in the later rounds. 

This UFC Vegas 93 bout previews to be a close fight. Frankly, I do not love planting my flag on either side. The pair hold stylistic similarities in their willingness to throw hard shots in the pocket. That said, I do prefer Silva de Andrade. That is mainly because he can use his kicks and jab to land shots. This should help him win the minutes when they are not trading in the pocket. That is enough to edge a close decision in his direction. I will take Silva de Andrade by decision.

Garrett: Johns via decision

Jerry: Silva de Andrade via decision

Anthony: Johns via decision

No. 5 Alex Perez vs. No. 13 Tatsuro Taira-Flyweight Bout 

James: The UFC Vegas 93 main event features a flyweight bout between Alex Perez and Tatsuro Taira. In his last fight, Perez picked up a first-round knockout against Matheus Nicolau to get back in the win column. Taira is a 24-year-old prospect with a 15-0 professional record and a 5-0 UFC record. This bout will be a massive test for the young prospect. If he passes, he will get on the verge of a title fight. 

Perez is a solid fighter with a well-rounded skillset. On the offensive side, he throws power hooks, kicks the leg, and has wrestling skills. Those wrestling skills also allow him to keep the fight standing. The serious grappling concerns come when elite BJJ practitioners get him to the ground.

Taira has great skills on the ground. The young prospect can attack submissions from various positions, controls position well, advances when given the chance and opens up to throw strikes. On the feet, his skillset is limited. That said, he is quick and has power. It is also a positive that he throws a lot of straight punches. Despite having less developed striking, he stays fundamental. It is also promising that he has shown growth throughout his UFC run. 

The UFC Vegas 93 previews to be a serious test for Taira. The stylistic matchup against Perez is challenging. Perez will not be easy to take down and he has solid cardio. This fight could get difficult for Taira if he does not have serious grappling success early. The later rounds will present massive questions. Ultimately, I believe Taira can get to a submission early; therefore, he will be my pick. It is far from a foregone conclusion, however. I will take Taira by second-round submission.

Garrett: Taira via submission

Jerry: Taira via decision

Anthony: Taira via submission

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