Melquizael Costa and Julian Erosa meet Saturday in the main card opener of UFC Fight Night 256 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.

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Melquizael Costa vs. Julian Erosa UFC Fight Night 256 preview

Costa (23-7 MMA, 4-2 UFC) continues his hyper-active 2025 campaign by entering his third fight of the calendar year. Costa will look to extend his current winning streak to four, following stoppages of Shayilan Nuerdanbieke and Andre Fili, plus a unanimous decision win over Christian Rodriguez. … Erosa (31-11 MMA, 9-7 UFC) is also riding a three-fight winning streak, although his run consists of all first-round stoppages. Since 2024, Erosa has stopped Ricardo Ramos, Christian Rodriguez and Darren Elkins each in the opening frame.

Melquizael Costa vs. Julian Erosa UFC Fight Night 256 expert pick, prediction

The main card in Las Vegas kicks off in proper fashion with a fantastic featherweight action fight between Costa and Erosa.

Costa is an easy fighter to root for, and I can understand the betting public backing him on paper. That said, I've noticed that Costa tends to be content with whatever fight his opponent brings to the table – and that's not the archetype that traditionally beats Erosa.

Although Costa's kicks could certainly have some play this Saturday, I don't think he has the explosive, one-shot knockout power and boxing presence that appears to be a common thread in the Americans' losses.

Add in the fact that Erosa only gets better as the fight continues, and I can't help but side with this superior volume and pressure to win the day.

The pick is Erosa to force a club-and-sub situation by Round 2.

Melquizael Costa vs. Julian Erosa UFC Fight Night 256 odds

The oddsmakers and the public favor the Brazilian fighter, listing Costa -180 and Erosa +146 via FanDuel.

Melquizael Costa vs. Julian Erosa UFC Fight Night 256 start time, how to watch

As the main card opener, Costa vs. Erosa are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 7:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts on ESPN+.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 106: Melquizael Costa vs. Julian Erosa prediction, time

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