UFC Perth predictions

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 15: Jack Della Maddalena of Australia enters the Octagon in the UFC welterweight championship fight during the UFC 322 event at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Jack Della Maddalena, the road back starts here. Anyone who watched Della Maddalena’s fight at UFC 322 will to have a difficult time shaking the image of the then-welterweight champion wincing in discomfort as he spent much of a 25-minute main event pinned to the mat by Islam Makhachev.

It was Della Maddalena’s first title defense and it could be his last for a while if he doesn’t perform Saturday in another headlining opportunity against Carlos Prates at UFC Perth. This is a pivotal matchup for both fighters, with Della Maddalena seeking redemption and Prates heading into enemy territory knowing an impressive performance could set him up for his own championship opportunity. Prates has had a thrilling UFC career so far, winning six of seven fights and cashing in Performance of the Night bonus checks in each of those victories.

Della Maddalena vs. Prates should be a delight for striking fans and, on paper, this is one of the best matchups of 2026. Perth, you got yourselves a good one here.

Also on the main card, lightweight veteran Beneil Dariush looks to slow hard-charging blue-chipper Quillan Salkilld, Tim Elliott faces Steve Erceg in a matchup of cagey flyweights, Marwan Rahiki takes on last-second replacement Ollie Schmid in featherweight action, and not one, but two heavyweight bouts lead us off as Shamil Gaziev fights Brando Pericic and the slumping Tai Tuivasa puts it all on the line against Louie Sutherland. What: UFC Perth Where: RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia When: Saturday, May 2. The seven-fight early preliminary card begins at 4 a.