Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira has been one of the most intriguing battles in combat sports history and the story continues this weekend in Miami.
The Brazilian has a flawless record against Adesanya, once a dominant champion in the UFC, plus two titles in kickboxing and one in mixed martial arts.
Can the Kiwi superstar regain what he believes is rightfully his or will Pereira defend his crown for the first time?
Jorge Masvidal fights in front of his home crowd when he takes on Gilbert Burns in the Co-Main Event and there are plenty of bouts to look for ward to.
Our full UFC 287: Pereira vs Adesanya 2 Preview can be found below.
MAIN EVENT
After such a dominant run in the UFC, Israel Adesanya was dethroned by his former arch nemesis in kick boxing Alex Pereira.
The Brazilian had beaten Izzy twice before he entered the UFC and is now looking to go 4-0 in combat sports over Adesanya, ending a fantastic rivalry.
Of course Pereira has not had it all his own way in any of the three fights, relying on his patented left hook to get the job done in the final round in November.
Had he not have found a home for his devastating hook, he would have lost in a decision.
The now UFC Middleweight champion is noticeably bigger than Izzy once the fight starts and there is no doubt this is a huge advantage.
Israel Adesanya is an incredible athlete, has a strong character and I have no doubt he can overcome the mental hurdles associated with this match up.
But, from a betting standpoint, I believe the odds should be switched and the value lies with the current champion.
1 Unit Alex Pereira @ $2.10
2 Units Fight To End In KO/TKO @ $2.10
CO-MAIN EVENT
Gilbert Burns has been at the top of the UFC Welterweight rankings for quite some time now having failed when given his only chance at securing UFC gold in 2021 against Kamaru Usman.
A new king of the division in the shape of Leon Edwards is sure to have given a new sense of opportunity got Burns and he heads into this fight as a very short priced favourite.
He lost a very close decision against one of the most hyped, and avoided, fighter in the division Khamzat Chimaev before submitting Neil Magny in the first round in January this year.
Masvidal’s star power rose to extreme levels in 2019 with three KO wins and while he is a stalwart of the sport and promotion I’m not sure how well they stack up in hindsight.
The three wins were over Darren Till, Ben Askren and Nate Diaz and he now has three losses in a row.
While this is going to be a fun one, I’m of the opinion that Masvidal is no match for the top of this division, which is exactly what Gilbert Burns is.
4 Units Gilbert Burns by KO/TKO or Points @ $1.62
MAIN CARD
Five of those wins have been in the biggest promotion in the sport, the most recent, a first round TKO victory against Tony Kelley last June.
Rob Font finds himself on the first two-fight losing streak of his career after losing to Jose Aldo and Chito Vera consecutively.
Most concerning for Font was the fact he was knocked down five times in 10 rounds during those fights.
He is certainly durable, and tough, and has never been KO’d in the UFC.
2 Units Adrian Yanez by Points @ $3.50
There is almost certainly zero chance that this fight isn’t entertaining.
The last time we saw Kevin Holland he went to war against Wonderboy Thompson that unfortunately stopped due to a broken hand suffered by Holland.
That was the second fight he’d lost in a row, previous to the Wonderboy fight he was mauled by Khamzat Chimaev albeit at a catchweight of 180lbs which in now way favoured Holland.
Ponzinibbio has only six losses in his 25 pro fight career.
Three of those losses have come in his last five but two were via close split decisions.
The Argentinian has come up an enormous price head to head and is worth a small bet at the price.
1/2 Unit Santiago Ponzinibbio @ $3.10
Raul Rosas Jnr become the youngest fighter in UFC history when he made his debut at 18 years of age in December last year.
He won that fight via submission in the first round against Jay Perrin and he now gets his chance on a main card of a PPV!
His opponent is Christian Rodriguez who, like Rosas Jnr, earned a UFC contract through the Contender series.
He lost to Jonathan Pearce when making his UFC debut but responded with a first round submission over Joshua Weems in October last year.
Two young and inexperienced fighters locked in the octagon in front of a big crowd.
I have this going to the judges to decide.
2 Units Fight To Go The Distance @ $2.15
PRELIMS