The UFC 287 pay-per-view card is headlined by a middleweight title rematch between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya. The main event is set to take place in Miami, Florida, on Saturday night.
The fighters are coming into this matchup with a long history of rivalry between them. They’ve fought three times with each other in kickboxing and mixed martial arts.
Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira
Israel Adesanya is back in the cage for a UFC 287 title fight this Saturday at Kaseya Center in Miami. After losing his middleweight title in a controversial loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 281 last November, Adesanya is set to take on the Brazilian in their fourth clash.
In their previous three meetings, the Brazilian has been able to knock out Adesanya in each of them. However, he has never been able to win the fight in the Octagon against his long-time rival.
The rematch, which will be the first in a series of four, is expected to feature heavy leg kicks and pressure from both sides of the cage. It will also see both men switch stances frequently, which should make for an interesting matchup.
Round one saw Adesanya take a lot of low kicks from the challenger, but he defended well against them. He threw a few leg punches as well, and they looked to be taking a toll on Pereira in the early rounds.
Pereira started to work on the body in the second round, but Adesanya was able to counter with some leg kicks of his own. He was able to hurt the Brazilian and forced him into the corner.
Adesanya threw a few more leg kicks, but Pereira was able to defend them and keep the fight standing up. Eventually, Adesanya landed a nice left cross, which was followed by another leg kick that buckled the Brazilian’s leg.
Despite the tough start, Pereira didn’t let up and was able to keep the fight going in the second round. He continued to work on the body, but Adesanya was able too connect with some clean 1-2’s.
The third round began with a bit of trouble from both fighters, as Adesanya tried to get the upper hand and land a leg kick, which was blocked by Pereira. He then caught the Brazilian with a big right hand, which was able to stagger him and send him to the mat.
Adesanya was able to work a few more leg kicks in the final round, and he was able to land a couple of flush right hands as well. He was able to send the Brazilian to the mat and finish off the bout at 4:21 of the round.
Preparation
Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya are preparing to fight each other once more at UFC 287 this weekend in Miami, Florida. Both fighters are ready to reclaim their middleweight titles and add another chapter to their rivalry.
This is a fight that should not be underestimated by any means. Both men are very talented and can throw a huge amount of punches. They also know how to use their footwork well to close the distance and make it harder for their opponents to get in range.
However, Pereira is a much more experienced fighter than Adesanya and has been in the UFC longer than his opponent. He is a seven-time veteran of the sport and has won eight of his 11 pro MMA fights.
In fact, he is a perfect 4-0 in the UFC and has won three of his last four fights by knockout. He is also an extremely smart striker and knows how to set up his power shots.
His grappling is not as polished as his striking and he often struggles with the clinch, but he is a very tough fighter. He has a very good chin and is well-trained in kickboxing, where he is 2-0 against Adesanya.
As a result, it is no surprise that he is a formidable contender in the UFC. He was once considered one of the best fighters in the world and has proven to be a true threat on the UFC stage.
Aside from the welterweight co-main event between Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns, there are several other upcoming fights at UFC 287 that are worth keeping an eye on. In addition to the main event between Adesanya and Pereira, the card features Rob Font taking on Adrian Yanez at welterweight, Kevin Holland versus Santiago Ponzinibbio at Bantamweight, and Raul Rosas Jr. battling Christian Rodriguez at Bantamweight.
This fight will be an exciting one and fans are sure to enjoy watching it live from Kaseya Center on Saturday night in Miami. The action will begin at 10PM EST, so make sure you come early and grab a seat along with a 23oz Big House Beer to watch it all go down.
Fight Time
The middleweight division is set for an epic rematch this weekend at UFC 287, as newly crowned champion Alex Pereira takes on fan-favorite Israel Adesanya. The two fighters met at UFC 281 last November and both ended up with impressive wins, although it’s Adesanya who has been the victim of more brutal strikes.
The pair have a long history in both kickboxing and MMA, but this is their first encounter in the Octagon and a chance for one of them to make some serious noise. Both of these guys are known for their devastating striking and they have a very bitter rivalry that spans both sports and continents.
It’s easy to see why Adesanya is adamant that this fight is his last chance to exact revenge on Pereira. He’s been beaten twice in kickboxing and also lost his UFC middleweight title to the Brazilian. But he has vowed to make changes and show some improvements in his game against Pereira this time around.
As a result, Adesanya is a huge favorite to win this fight against the dangerous Brazilian. However, the fight doesn’t feel as if it’s as straightforward as that.
Rather, it feels like a similar battle to Kamaru Usman versus Leon Edwards. Both of these fighters were up on the scorecards comfortably 3-1 going into the fifth round, only for their opponents to shock the world and win by knockout.
That feeling of being caught with a bomb late on is what Adesanya will have to avoid in his rematch with Pereira. He’ll need to keep the strike rate down and focus on keeping his opponent off his back.
If Adesanya can do that, he’ll be able to get the win and regain his UFC middleweight title. He’s vowed to take the time to train hard and work on new strategies to better combat Pereira’s pressure and power.
Adesanya will be able to use his power and his speed to attack Pereira from the inside out and the outside, while he’ll also be able to mix things up with a little grappling if he needs to. That combination of tactics is what makes the battle between these two fighters so fascinating.
Final Words
Israel Adesanya reclaimed his UFC middleweight title by knocking out Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 287. Adesanya, who had lost three bouts with Pereira across kickboxing and MMA, took the fight to his longtime rival in the second round, where he unleashed a vicious right hand that dropped Pereira and followed up shots put him away for good.
As Adesanya walked off the stage at the Kaseya Center in Miami, the crowd was in awe of his performance. He gave a speech that was widely praised by fans on social media. He also hailed Alex Pereira as a true champion in what was a beautiful display of respect.
In the post-fight press conference, Adesanya thanked Pereira for bringing out the best in him. He said that he wanted to return to Brazil and spend time with Pereira.
Despite their differences, the two men were able to work together well in the octagon. They respected each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and they made each other feel comfortable in the cage.
The first round started with both fighters going back and forth, but neither one landed much. Pereira threw some body kicks and leg kicks, while Adesanya kept it up with his jab and left kicks.
Adesanya lands a couple of body kicks, but Pereira manages to get him off balance with his high kicks. He also threw a leg kick that barely missed the target.
Both fighters landed punches to the head, but the most damage was done by the calf kicks that both threw. The referee stepped in to stop the action.
After a few minutes, Adesanya finally managed to get Pereira down to the mat. He pressed against the cage and took a few hits from Pereira.
It looked like the Brazilian was on his way to winning the fight. He threw some leg kicks, but Adesanya managed to land his own with a big left hand.
With a few minutes remaining, Adesanya was able to land a body kick. He threw a few other body kicks and even tried to back up Pereira with a jab, but he was unable to do so.
