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Israel Adesanya gets his revenge with vicious knockout over Alex Pereira in UFC 287 main event

It turns out four times was the charm for Israel Adesanya.
After suffering a knockout loss to rival Alex Pereira this past November — his third defeat to the Brazilian across kickboxing and MMA — Adesanya had to battle a lot of demons and the perception that one opponent just had his number. Like he was living through a Quentin Tarantino movie, Adesanya deserved his revenge and he got it with a pair of brutal right hands that demolished Pereira to end their fifth fight in the UFC 287 main event.
The official stoppage came at 4:21 in the second round as Adesanya becomes a two-time UFC middleweight champion but more importantly he picks up arguably the biggest and most important win of his career.
“They say revenge is sweet and if you know me, I’ve got a sweet tooth,” Adesanya said afterwards. “This is f****** sweet. I’m telling you, no matter what, Alex is a great champion. He lost the belt tonight but he will always be the champion.
“I told you, the hunter is now the hunted. Beating me, he made me a better fighter, a better person. In this camp, I didn’t f*** around. That last one had everything. Since 2017, that last hammer fist was from the gods.”
With so much time spent together in prior fights, there was a lot of familiarity as Pereira and Adesanya were both looking to set up leg kicks early while trying to establish dominance on the feet. Pereira was hammering with the calf kick while Adesanya started finding his rhythm with a series of body shots.
As the second round got started, Pereira unloaded several hard shots that backed up Adesanya with shades of their last meeting starting to resurface. This time around, however, Adesanya was able to defend and reset to then fire back at Pereira with some stinging punches of his own.
Adesanya was constantly composed, never showing any fear when Pereira decided to get aggressive because he was just waiting for the best possible moment to unleash his best strikes.
That time finally came after Pereira landed a thudding leg kick that wobbled Adesanya momentarily, which led to “Poatan” going for the kill. Pereira started unloading a barrage of shots including a knee right up the middle but nothing landed clean, which then allowed Adesanya to fire back.
Adesanya came back over the top with a right hand that immediately rattled Pereira but it was the second shot that finally put him down. As Pereira crashed to the canvas, Adesanya threw one more punch for good measure but the fight was already over as referee Dan Miragliotta jumped in to save the former GLORY kickboxing champion from any further harm.
It was certainly a satisfying moment for Adesanya, who eventually made his way over to shake Pereira’s hand just before having the UFC title wrapped around his waist again.
The victory cements Adesanya’s legacy as one of the greatest middleweights of all time, especially now that he was finally able to secure a much needed win over Pereira. Given their history, it’s entirely possible these two will meet again in the near future but for now Adesanya should certainly enjoy his moment.
He definitely earned it.

UFC 287 – New Blood! ‘Jacque’ Attack

UFC’s firehose of newbies is finally petering out, leaving just one Octagon debutante on Saturday’s UFC 287 pay-per-view (PPV) card from Miami, Florida. On this edition of New Blood, the series that keeps me committed to way too many streaming services, we look at a Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace with a history of quick finishes.

Jaqueline “Jacque” Amorim
Weight Class: StrawweightAge: 27Record: 6-0 (1 KO, 5 SUB)Notable Victories: Ashley Nichols, Loveth Young
After a lengthy and decorated run on the international grappling circuit, Amorim made her mixed martial arts (MMA) debut in 2020, scoring a pair of quick submissions to punch her ticket to Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA). She quickly racked up a perfect record (4-0) in the promotion that notably saw her tap Loveth Young for the Strawweight title and finish Ashley Nichols in her first defense.
Amorim’s entire career spans around 10 minutes and her last fight comprises almost half of that, so there’s only so much analysis I can do. On the feet, she prefers staying at long range and tossing out single strikes. These are mostly naked kicks, though she showed off some impressive power in her right hand when she stopped Megan Owen in 10 seconds. While she’ll paw with her lead hand, I don’t think I’ve seen her commit to a genuine jab or combination.
Her stand up is on the lower end of functional at the moment, especially since she’s not that quick, but that right hand and the fact that she’s training out of American Top Team means there’s some potential there.

Her featured attraction is her ground game. She can slice through guards with incredible ease en route to side control, mount or the back, where she’ll pound away until a neck or arm presents itself. While her entries aren’t the fastest and she doesn’t know how to set them up with strikes, she finishes her takedowns well. She proved dangerous off her back as well, catching Young in a nasty kneebar after getting a naked kick caught and eating hammer fists.
Her pedigree is spectacular and she’s fighting out of a great camp, so it’s worth getting excited about “Jacque.” I personally think she might still be a bit too green — particularly on the feet — but she’s definitely got some winnable match ups in UFC’s Strawweight division. She’s in tougher than the odds suggest against Sam Hughes, however, who’s a decent wrestler in her own right and has Amorim outclassed on the feet.
That said, Hughes does have some serious issues with her takedown defense, so Amorim should still come out on top.
Her LFA bouts are on Fight Pass.
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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 287 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 287: “Pereira vs. Adesanya 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

LIVE! PFL 2 2023 Results, Highlights

Week two of the 2023 Professional Fighters League (PFL) rolls on TONIGHT (Fri., April 7, 2023) inside The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the Heavyweights and women’s Featherweights taking the cage in hopes of winning $1 million at the end of the season later this year.

In the main event, Kayla Harrison slayer (and 2022 women’s Lightweight champion), Larissa Pacheco, takes on former Bellator champion, Julia Budd, and in the co-main event, 2021 Heavyweight champion, Bruno Cappeloza, rematches Matheus Scheffel.
The “Prelims” undercard starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, while the main card begins at 10 p.m. ET.

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Main Card (ESPN+/ESPN2, 10 p.m. ET)

Larissa Pacheco vs. Julia BuddBruno Cappelozza vs. Matheus ScheffelOlena Kolesnyk vs. Aspen LaddBiaggio Ali Walsh vs. Isaiah Figueroa
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“Prelims” Under Card (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

Rizvan Kuniev defeats Renan Ferreira via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Maurice Greene defeats Marcelo Nunes via TKO (punches) Round 2, 1:20

Danilo Marques defeats Yorgan De Castro via unanimous decision (30×27, 30×27, 29×28)

Amber Leibrock defeats Martina Jindrova via knockout (Punch) Round 1, 2:19

Evelyn Martins defeats Karolina Sobek via unanimous decision (29×28, 29×28, 29×28)Marina Mokhnatkina defeats Yoko Higashi via TKO (elbows) Round 2, 1:29

For more PFL 2 2023 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive archive right here.

Video! Glover Spooks ‘Poaton’ With Surprise Makeup Prank

Fight fans rarely see the jovial side of UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira, but the Brazilian knockout artist actually cracked a smile earlier this week courtesy of long-time training partner and former UFC light heavyweight champion, Glover Teixeira.

Pereira, who made his UFC debut less than two years ago, in entering his first official middleweight title defense tomorrow night (Sat., April 8, 2023) at UFC 287 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida. “Poaton” will meet former titleholder Israel Adesanya in a rematch for the undisputed 185-pound crown.

As usual, Pereira is all business entering his fifth appearance inside of the Octagon. The former two-division GLORY champion is known for his stone cold demeanor ahead of fights, but Pereira has been a little extra-dialed in this week ahead of his grudge match with “Last Stylebender.”

Luckily, Teixeira has been by Pereira’s side trying to lighten the mood along the way. Teixeira has been friends and training partners with “Poaton” for quite some time and has watched his UFC rise firsthand. During a recent makeup session backstage, Teixeira surprised Pereira by taking over artistic duties and doing a little brush work.
Check it out below courtesy of UFC:

You can count Pereira’s fight week smiles on one hand so be thankful this one was caught on camera. The reigning UFC middleweight champion will look to keep his focus this weekend in Miami and he tries to put an end to his rivalry with Adesanya and prove he’s a champion that can last at 185 pounds.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 287 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 287: “Pereira vs. Adesanya 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 287 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

White Insists UFC Will Remain ‘As Real As It Gets’

UFC purists can breathe a sigh of relief.
There was panic at the proverbial disco when Endeavor Group, parent company of UFC, announced its acquisition of WWE earlier this week, which led to speculation that both organizations would be pushing crossover appearances to help highlight the sale.
Unlikely, according to UFC President Dana White.

“The difference between the UFC and the WWE is you look at the WWE and they have an entertainment value and they have these guys that are incredible athletes that go in there and do their thing,” White told Associated Press. “It’s well known that it’s scripted. When you look at the UFC, this is as real as it gets, that’s our tagline.”
WWE and UFC have swapped talent before. Brock Lesnar and CM Punk both had opportunities inside the Octagon (with contrasting results) while Ronda Rousey and Matt Riddle each transitioned to pro wrestling after retiring from MMA.
Those appear to be the exception, not the rule.

“There won’t really be any type of crossover,” White continued. “Yeah, Brock Lesnar, who wanted to come over to the UFC and test himself became the heavyweight champion. He’s that good of an athlete. Then, you had Ronda Rousey who was a world champion here and then went over to WWE and tested herself there and became a world champion. That type of synergy will still exist.”
For much more on the WWE sale to Endeavor Group click here.

UFC 287 Clash: Font Vs. Yanez!

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight knockout artists Rob Font and Adrian Yanez will square off this weekend (Sat., April 8, 2023) at UFC 287 inside Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida.
This is very much a crossroads match. Font rose high up the Bantamweight ladder before crashing into his ceiling, a pair of damaging defeats to Jose Aldo and Marlon Vera that saw Font knocked down several times in each fight. He’s still ranked at No. 6 in the world, which makes him the perfect step up for Yanez. The Texan has opened his UFC career with five straight wins and four knockouts, scoring five performance bonuses in the process. There’s a lot of hype behind Yanez, but he faces the toughest test yet of his young career.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:

Rob Font
Record: 19-5Key Wins: Cody Garbrandt (UFC Vegas 27), Marlon Moraes (UFC Vegas 17), Ricky Simon (UFC on ESPN 7), Sergio Pettis (UFC on FOX 31), Thomas Almeida (UFC 220), Douglas Silva de Andrade (UFC 213)Key Losses: Marlon Vera (UFC Vegas 53), Jose Aldo (UFC Vegas 44), Raphael Assuncao (UFC 226), John Lineker (UFC 198), Pedro Munhoz (UFC Fight Night 119)Keys to Victory: Font is about as tough as they come. A high-volume boxer with good power in his hands, Font doesn’t shy away from exchanges and is also plenty capable of mixing it up with a double leg takedown.
This is a really interesting match up in that both men tend to excel in similar areas. They have strong jabs, line up their right hand well, and generally win by landing the heavier shots in extended exchanges. The most notable difference is that Yanez tends to land his kill shots on the counter, whereas Font is usually coming forward with big swings.
To avoid getting dinged on the counter, Font has to feint more often. This is the fight to pull out trickery and misdirection, which is part of how Davey Grant was able to give Yanez his toughest challenge yet. In the lead up to this fight, Font mentioned mixing in his wrestling, and that’s not a bad idea to give his offense another layer of unpredictability.

Adrian Yanez
Record: 16-3Key Wins: Davey Grant (UFC Vegas 43), Gustavo Lopez (UFC Vegas 22) Randy Costa (UFC Vegas 32), Tony Kelley (UFC Austin)Key Losses: Miles John (LFA 55)Keys to Victory: Yanez’s martial arts background begins in boxing, which absolutely shows inside the cage. He moves fluidly and puts together great combinations, which has resulted in 10 wins via knockout thus far. In addition, the Texan holds a jiu-jitsu black belt.
In Font’s last two fights, he technically won the volume game, throwing and landing more strikes overall. However, both “Chito” and Aldo were able to pick up his timing and hurt Font repeatedly, in part because Font’s high-volume style leaves openings available.
Given his reputation as a sniper, Yanez should be looking to do the same and really make his shots count more. I’d like to see Yanez maintaining an extra half step of distance and work his jab and calf kicking offense. When Font invariably starts trying to get his own combos flowing, Yanez can look to angle off and counter or simply stand his ground and fire back.

Bottom Line
This is a massive fight for each man.
Not too long ago, Font was closing in on a title shot. Now, he faces a pivotal moment, as defeat would make it three in a row and surely eject him from the Top 10 entirely. At 35 years of age in the Bantamweight division, I don’t know that there’s any way to truly rebound from that. To keep his title dreams alive, Font has to turn away Yanez and prove that he’s still a factor.
As for Yanez, he’s been steadily rising up the ranks and gaining momentum since his debut. He’s entertaining and charismatic, and everything is timing out for Yanez to burst into the Top 10 just as he hits his prime. Dispatching Font demonstrates that Yanez is ready to fight the best right now, opening up potentially massive fights against men like Marlon Vera or Petr Yan.
At UFC 287, Rob Font and Adrian Yanez will duel in a Bantamweight slugfest. Which man remains standing when the dust settles?

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 287 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 287: “Pereira vs. Adesanya 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

‘I Want To Slap Him In The Face’

Brock Lesnar is not welcome at UFC 287.
The former UFC heavyweight champion, who returned to WWE after failing to stay competitive in the 265-pound weight class, is unlikely to make an appearance at the “Pereira vs. Adesanya 2” pay-per-view (PPV) event this Sat. night (April 8, 2023) in Miami.
But if Endeavor wants to use Lesnar to help promote the WWE sale that took place earlier this week, UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns will be waiting.

“That would be nice, I think both are huge companies. They can help each other build even a better market for each one,” Burns said during the UFC 287 media day. “I think UFC can learn so much from the WWE and vice versa. And it’s a good opportunity to slap Brock Lesnar in the face too, right? It’s a good opportunity. I’ve never met him, he’s lucky I’ve never met him. But … I want to slap him because he cannot push ‘DC’ like that when he came all the way there in the Octagon. I want to slap him in the face.”
Seems like every time Lesnar is making the walk in UFC, someone is standing on the sidelines ready to slap him silly.

Burns is referring to the incident between Lesnar and Daniel Cormier from summer 2018, when Lesnar stormed the Octagon and two-handed “DC” to set up a potential title fight. Despite the post-fight hoopla, the bout never came to fruition and Lesnar retired from MMA.
Burns returns at UFC 287 to fight Jorge Masvidal for a spot in the welterweight title chase.