Sean Strickland vs. Alex Pereira Prediction, Picks, Odds

The MMA world is buzzing with excitement this week as UFC 276 is scheduled for this weekend. The UFC’s latest pay-per-view event will be taking place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, July 2.

Just about every matchup on the card is worth watching, however, one bout that stands out is the main card middleweight fight between Sean Strickland (25-3) and Alex Pereira (5-1).

As it stands, Strickland is currently the No. 4-ranked middleweight fighter in UFC, while Pereira has yet to crack the top 15. A victory would surely put Strickland in contention for a title opportunity while winning would help Pereira firmly establish himself in the promotion.

Fortunately, the latest betting odds help shed some light on the Strickland vs. Pereira matchup. Here’s a look at those odds, as well as the best bet ahead of the UFC 276 meeting.

UFC 276: Sean Strickland vs. Alex Pereira Fight Odds (as of Wednesday, June 29)

Odds are via our top reviewed and recommended sportsbooks.

BetOnline Sportsbook

• Sean Strickland -102
• Alex Pereira -125

Bovada Sportsbook

• Sean Strickland +100
• Alex Pereira -120

BetUS

• Sean Strickland +100
• Alex Pereira -120

MyBookie

• Sean Strickland +100
• Alex Pereira -120

BetMGM

• Sean Strickland -104
• Alex Pereira -121

Strickland Enters as Underdog Despite More Experience

Fans might’ve expected Strickland to enter UFC 276 as the favorite considering that he has 22 more fights in the octagon than his opponent. However, it’s Pereira who enters as the slight favorite across the board.

In other words, Strickland will try to demand the respect that he deserves this Saturday. The 31-year-old is on one of the better runs of his career, rattling off victory after victory. He’s won seven of his last eight fights, including the last six in a row.

Strickland has scored two TKO victories over his six-fight winning streak, winning the other four outings by decision. Nobody has been able to stop him and he’ll probably use his underdog status as motivation to hand Pereira his first UFC loss.

On the other hand, defeating Pereira is far from an easy task. Though the 34-year-old Brazilian is a newcomer to the UFC, he was an accomplished kickboxer for over a decade, winning the Glory Light Heavyweight and Middleweight championships over his career.

Pereira’s kickboxing background has certainly paid off, resulting in him winning each of his last five MMA fights. He scored a trio of KO/TKO victories before joining UFC in 2021, knocking out Andreas Michailidis in his debut. He then followed it up with a unanimous decision victory over Bruno Silva at UFC Vegas 50 back in March.

It’s going to be a fight that could potentially go this distance due to how talented both fighters are. Pereira might be the favorite, but Strickland has enough skill to pull off an upset. Only time will tell who walks out victorious from T-Mobile Arena this weekend.

UFC 276 Betting Markets & Trends for Strickland vs. Pereira

When it comes to UFC betting, one of the most common trends is to just pick the outright winner. However, there are other markets on sites like BetOnline Sportsbook that hint at exactly what could happen in Strickland and Pereira’s UFC 276 collision.

The favored method of victory for the fight is a Pereira KO/TKO victory at +155. As mentioned earlier, four of his five career MMA victories have come by knockout. What’s interesting about that is that Strickland’s last loss (May 2018) was by first-round knockout. However, that was the only time he’s ever been KO’d.

Speaking of Strickland, his top method of victory is to win by decision at +280. He’s won four of his last five fights by decision and is 11-2 in his career when his fights go the distance. Meanwhile, Pereira has only had one fight that hit the time limit.

As for the odds of the fight going the distance, BetOnline is saying that it won’t happen at -190. Clearly, the sportsbook is truly leaning on that Pereira KO/TKO victory to happen.

Strickland vs. Pereira Fight Prediction

This fight is sure to be one of the closest on the UFC 276 card. On one hand, Strickland has experience on his side. On the other, Pereira has looked as dominant as a newcomer can be.

Having said that, I think Strickland is going to pull off the upset and walk away with the victory. It’s going to be a close battle, but I could see the fight going the distance with him snagging the victory.

That’s also why I’m also choosing Strickland winning by decision at +280 as the best bet. There’s some decent value to be had here and working a longer fight has been his style lately.

UFC 276 Event Details

When is UFC 276?

UFC 276 will take place on Saturday, July 2, 2022.

Where is UFC 276?

UFC 276 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

What time does UFC 276 start?

• UFC 276 Early Prelims Start Time: 6 p.m. ET
• UFC 276 Prelims Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Start Time of UFC 276’s Main Card: 10 p.m. ET

How can I watch UFC 276?

The early prelims will be available on UFC Fight Pass, while the prelims will be available on both ABC and ESPN/ESPN+, and the main card will be available via pay-per-view (which can be ordered through the ESPN+ app).

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