UFC 287 is bringing the heat to Miami, and we can hardly contain our excitement! For the first time in two decades, the Kaseya Center will host a UFC pay-per-view event, and what an event it promises to be.
The middleweight title rematch between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya is all anyone can talk about. Their last encounter in November was nothing short of epic, with Pereira staging an impressive comeback to snatch the championship title from Adesanya’s grasp.
But will history repeat itself? If Adesanya has anything to say about it, we’ll see a different outcome this time. He’s got revenge on his mind and is eager to regain his middleweight crown.
Back in their kickboxing days, Adesanya dismissed Pereira, stating that he would be a “nobody” in comparison to him. Oh, how that comment came back to haunt him! The challenge was all Pereira needed to propel himself into the world of MMA, and boy, did he make a statement.
In their 2016 bout at GLORY of Heroes 1, the two fighters were evenly matched, with Pereira edging out a unanimous decision win. But it was their rematch in 2017 that truly cemented their rivalry – with Adesanya dominating early, only for Pereira to pull off a stunning KO in the third round. Their careers took separate paths until they finally met again in the UFC, with Pereira’s TKO in November, further solidifying his position as Adesanya’s kryptonite.
Adesanya is not one to shy away from controversy, as demonstrated during a UFC 276 media day where he openly called out journalists for not watching the full fight from their earlier bouts, maintaining that he had “f—– up” Pereira in their first meeting.
Pereira’s rapid rise through the MMA ranks has been nothing short of spectacular. He’s come a long way from his kickboxing days and showed that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the UFC. In just his seventh MMA fight, Pereira took down Sean Strickland, earning the right to challenge for the middleweight title.
As for Adesanya, he has certainly proved his worth in the UFC since his arrival in 2018, becoming the middleweight champion after defeating Robert Whittaker in 2019. But as UFC 287 draws near, the burning question on everyone’s mind is whether Adesanya can finally exorcise his Pereira-shaped demon and reclaim his spot at the top of the middleweight division.
One thing is for sure; sparks will fly in Miami as these two juggernauts square off in their quest for middleweight gold. It’s a showdown you definitely don’t want to miss! So buckle up, fight fans – this is going to be one wild ride.