UFC Perth Predictions: Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes & Jimmy Crute vs. Ivan Erslan Best Bets

Here are the best bets for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card in Perth, Australia.

Carlos Ulberg by KO/TKO (-150) vs. Dominick Reyes

Carlos Ulberg is desperate for his first UFC title shot, but he needs to beat a motivated and resurgent Dominick Reyes to get there. Reyes has won three consecutive fights after returning from a 19-month hiatus that was preceded by a four-fight losing streak that appeared to be all but the end of his competitive career.

The first of those fights was a memorable decision where many believed Reyes was robbed against Jon Jones at UFC 247 in February 2020, ending a streak of 12 straight wins to start his career. His next three fights, all knockout losses within the first three rounds, generated the widespread belief that his initial run and his star-making performance against the GOAT was fraudulent.

Reyes’ second act has gone better than anyone around the sport would have planned, as the Hesperia, Calif. native has reversed his fortunes from before his hiatus by now winning each of his three fights since within the first two rounds since returning. Unfortunately, his run is likely to end on Saturday night (Sunday in Perth).

The opponents Reyes beat in his three most recent fights have a combined 41 career losses, while Ulberg has just one career loss. It was in Ulberg’s UFC debut against Kennedy Nzechukwu and it was a knockout loss that’s proven to be a fluke over time. Ulberg has won his last eight, four of which have come by knockout, and his power should prove to be too much for a fighter in Reyes who has already taken a lot of damage in his career and has proven vulnerable to the knockout in the past.

Jimmy Crute by submission (+210) vs. Ivan Erslan

This main event leaves a lot to be desired for fans in the States, but the Perth crowd should be electric when their fellow Aussie Jimmy Crute hits the Octagon at PAC Arena on Sunday. Crute won his last fight by submission in the first round after two draws and three losses in his previous five before that, but his opponent Erslan is probably not someone who will be fighting under the UFC banner for very long.

Both of Erslan’s fights with the company have been uneventful decision losses and he lost two of his last three fights with Polish-based promotion Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki (KSW) before making his way to the UFC.