Preview: UFC 302 Prelims

Women’s Bantamweights

Ailin Perez (9-2, 2-1 UFC) vs. Joselyne Edwards (13-5, 4-3 UFC)

ODDS: Perez (-198), Edwards (+164)

After an apparent altercation in November, these two bantamweights now get to settle things in the cage. Based on her regional footage, it didn’t look like Perez's UFC career would amount to much. A dogged wrestler out of Argentina, Perez’s lack of athleticism figured to run her headlong into her ceiling. However, that determination has paid off greatly for Perez in her three UFC fights to date. She got handled by a much larger grappler in Stephanie Egger but embraced the grind in clear wins over Ashlee Evans-Smith and Lucie Pudilova that justified her self-confidence. That also figures to be her path to victory against Joselyne Edwards, a fighter clearly in the opposite mold as a standout athlete who has yet to put much of a cogent game together.

Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+

An aimless if potent striker whose takedown defense was exploited early on in her UFC career, Edwards has shown some flashes of offensive wrestling in recent fights, even though it’s hard to tell if that’s a reliably winning path after her strange 2023 campaign. Pudilova clearly outwrestled Edwards, and Edwards clearly outwrestled Nora Cornolle, only for Edwards to win a controversial decision over Pudilova and lose just as controversially to Cornolle. Either way, Perez looks to be the kind of relentless and aggressive fighter who can take advantage of the Panamanian’s tendency to coast, even if the grudge match nature of this fight does raise the odds that Edwards might fight with some focus and initiative. The pick is Perez via decision.

Jump To »
Almeida vs. Kopylov
Dawson vs. Solecki
Matthews vs. Rowe
Morono vs. Price
Hafez vs. Gall
Perez vs. Edwards
Lima vs. Raposo