The UFC Vegas 50 main card features six bouts. It will see the return of highly-touted middleweight prospect, Alex Pereira and well as a high octane bantamweight bout between contenders Song Yadong and Marlon Moraes. The card is capped by a pivotal light heavyweight matchup between Thiago Santos (pictured above left) and Magomed Ankalaev (pictured above right). All win probabilities are based on a fighter’s CC Rating and their place in the CC Rankings.

You can find the previews for the prelim fights HERE and HERE.

Alex Pereira vs. Bruno Silva (Men’s Middleweight)

Alex Pereira

• Record: 4-1-0
• Division Ranking: 58/67 middleweights
• Vegas Odds: -195 (Favorite)

Bruno Silva

• Record: 22-6-0
• Division Ranking: 23/67 middleweights
• Vegas Odds: +165 (Underdog)

Pereira is one of the most frightening prospects in the UFC right now. He is a multi-time world champion kickboxer and holds two wins over current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. He seems determined to earn another bout against his old foe, this time in MMA. Since transitioning from kickboxing to MMA, Pereira has a 100 percent finish rate and has some of the quickest, heaviest hands in the sport. In his UFC debut, he was controlled well in the clinch, but once Pereira was given space, he ended the bout with a devastating flying knee. Don’t blink for this one.

Silva will likely have something to say about this. He has an astonishing 19 KOs in his pro MMA career, including in all three of his UFC bouts thus far. Each of his last two earned him performance of the night. This bout seems destined to end with a glorious first round KO. Silva hasn’t lost a bout since December of 2016. He is on quite a run and wants to show Pereira is not the only rising Brazilian star in the cage in this bout.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: Both men are prolific finishers on the feet. Silva presents no grappling threat. In fact, Silva all but one of Silva’s losses have come by submission. That means he’ll have to stand and trade with Pereira. Most men who do so end up going to sleep.

Editor’s Pick: Pereira

Drew Dober vs. Terrance McKinney (Men’s Lightweight)

Drew Dober

• Record: 23-11-0
• Division Ranking: 31/84 lightweights
• Vegas Odds: -170 (Favorite)

Terrance McKinney

• Record: 12-3-0
• Division Ranking: 48/84 lightweights
• Vegas Odds: +145 (Underdog)

Dober finds himself on a two-fight losing streak that saw him lose his UFC ranking. Though, he did face down two of the lightweight division’s best in Brad Riddell (NR CC, #14 UFC) and Islam Makhachev (#3 CC, #3 UFC). Dober is still a dangerous presence in the division and wants to make sure people don’t forget it. He’s owner of 16 finish wins in his long career (ten KOs, six submissions). He is a threat on the feet and on the groud.

Speaking of duel threats, McKinney can do it all. In 12 career wins, he’s got five KOs and seven submissions. That’s good for a perfect 100 percent finish rate. That includes his 7 second KO of Matt Frevola at UFC 263. He’ll turn himself around in just two weeks to take this fight. The fact that the official odds are not stacked heavily against him show how respected his talent is. He claims he’s ready to begin a run up the rankings. A win under these circumstances would certainly add fuel to that fire.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: Dober is being overlooked because of his recent losing streak. He’s still a very good fighter and it is a tall task to take him on with under two weeks notice, even someone as talented as McKinney.

Editor’s Pick: Dober

Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Karl Roberson (Men’s Light Heavyweight)

Khalil Rountree Jr.

• Record: 10-5-0
• Division Ranking: 32/40 light heavyweights
• Vegas Odds: +110 (Underdog)

Karl Roberson

• Record: 9-4-0
• Division Ranking: 52/67 middleweights
• Vegas Odds: -130 (Favorite)

Rountree ended his two-fight losing skid in gruesome fashion his last time out. An oblique kick landed just above the knee of Modestas Bukauskas and tore just about every ligament Bukauskas had. Rountree hopes he can get some momentum that he’s struggled to get thus far in his UFC career. Through eleven fights, he is an even 5-5 with one No Contest. Two-thirds of his wins come by KO, so be on the lookout for a finishing blow early.

Roberson is coming off of two consecutive first round submission losses. That prompted the decision to return to light heavyweight for this bout. It remains to be seen whether this is a longterm decision. Despite the skid, Roberson has four submission wins of his own, his most common method of victory. He may look to utilize that to his advantage against the striker Rountree.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: Rountree has been around a while, so he has gotten the false perception that he is an older fighter. However, he’s only 32, only eight months older than Roberson. He’s likely getting not enough respect. If he can keep the fight standing, he wins this.

Editor’s Pick: Rountree

Sodiq Yusuff vs. Alex Caceres (Men’s Featherweight)

Sodiq Yusuff

• Record: 11-2-0
• Division Ranking: 22/74 featherweights
• Vegas Odds: -270 (Favorite)

Alex Caceres

• Record: 19-12-0
• Division Ranking: 21/74 featherweights
• Vegas Odds: +220 (Underdog)

In his fifth UFC bout, Yusuff (NR CC, #12 UFC) finally tasted octagon defeat at the hands of Arnold Allen (#6 CC, #7 UFC). Prior to that, Yusuff had been just about perfect. He delivered a 4-0 record with two finishes and a performance of the night bonus. Yusuff may not be top 10 material yet, but he is getting there. With a KO rate above 50, not many want to face him right now.

This will be Caceres’ (NR CC, #15 UFC) 26th UFC bout. He is 14-10 with one No Contest since his debut in March 2011. He’s showing resurgence this deep in his career, as he’s now on a five fight win streak. His most recent win earned him a performance bonus. Caceres lives and dies in the ground game. He has seven career submission wins, but has also been submitted seven times himself.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: This is a battle of styles. Yusuff might be vulnerable on the ground, but he did showcase good takedown defense against Allen his last time out. If he’s able to do so again, his power should give Caceres fits.

Editor’s Pick: Yusuff

Marlon Moraes vs. [13] Song Yadong (Men’s Bantamweight)

Marlon Moraes

• Record: 23-9-1
• Division Ranking: 22/79 bantamweights
• Vegas Odds: +220 (Underdog)

Song Yadong

• Record: 18-5-1
• Division Ranking: 15/79 bantamweights
• Vegas Odds: -270 (Favorite)

What has happened to Moraes (NR CC, #10 UFC)? There was a time where he strung together three consecutive first round finishes (including one over the current champ, Aljamain Sterling) en route to a shot at the vacant bantamweight belt. While he would lose that shot to Henry Cejudo, many believed Moraes would remain a force in the division for the foreseeable future. Instead, he’s lost three of his next four, with the only win being a split decision over Jose Aldo (#2 CC, #3 UFC). Each of his last three bouts saw him get finished by TKO. First round Moraes is something of legend now, with Moraes following a formula of being dominant in the first minutes of a fight, before gassing out and getting finished easily.

The Chinese sensation Yadong (#13 CC, #14 UFC) on the other hand, has been stellar since joining the UFC, boasting a 7-1-1 record in nine bouts. This will be his toughest bout to date, however. None of his opponents have ever peaked as highly as Moraes. Yadong holds ten career finishes and, despite his flurry of activity, is only 24 years of age. This bout will no doubt be portrayed as a changing of the guard if Yadong hands Moraes his fourth consecutive defeat. Yadong’s only been finished once in his career and it came in January 2016, when he was just 18.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: Moraes will likely jump out early. What will determine the outcome is how well Yadong handles the early adversity and how Moraes retains his cardio. Moraes definitely needs this win more. Boldly, Moraes’ striking may be something Yadong has never seen before. If you’re feeling lucky, go with the veteran underdog to revive his career and hold tightly to his top 10 ranknig.

Editor’s Pick: Moraes

[5] Thiago Santos vs. [4] Magomed Ankalaev (Men’s Light Heavyweight)

Thiago Santos

• Record: 22-9-0
• Division Ranking: 6/40 light heavyweights
• Vegas Odds: +400 (Underdog)

Magomed Ankalaev

• Record: 16-1-0
• Division Ranking: 5/40 light heavyweights
• Vegas Odds: -550 (Favorite)

Santos (#5 CC, #5 UFC) admirably fought Jon Jones to a split decision in his lone title shot. Unfortunately, Santos did not work his way back to title contention, losing each of his next two. The first was a submission defeat to current champ, Glover Teixeira and then a snoozefest decision loss to Aleksandar Rakic (#6 CC, #3 UFC). At 38, he may only have one more shot to make a run to the top. He got started by defeating Johnny Walker (NR CC, #12 UFC) last October. Few men hit as hard as Santos. With 15 KOs, many have found that out the hard way.

Since losing his UFC debut to Paul Craig (#7 CC, #11 UFC), the Dagestani Ankalaev (#4 CC, #6 UFC) has looked unbeatable. That includes two first round KOs of Ion Cutelaba along the way. Ankalaev fights very well at range and has power in his hands. Being a Master of Sport in combat sambo, not many dare to try and take him to the ground. Ankalaev has done an excellent job of making the best light heavyweights in the world look pedestrian. He’ll have to do so again against the best he’s ever faced.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: Santos may be overlooked in this one, but that still doesn’t mean Ankalaev isn’t the more talented fighter by far. Santos hasn’t shown his trademark finishing ability as of late. In a technical fight, Ankalaev wins every day. Santos will have to try and force a KO and that is usually where Ankalaev makes you pay.

Editor’s Pick: Ankalaev

Photo Credit: UFC