New FSM Preview: UFC 287 - Alex Pereira Vs Israel Adesanya 2

Photo Credit: UFC

New FSM Preview: UFC 287 – Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya 2

Saturday night, careers will be defined, and rivalries will be settled at UFC 287 in Miami!

UFC 287 is taking place Saturday at Miami-Dade Arena.

It’s been 20 years since the UFC held a major event in Miami, Florida. With the return to Vice City, The UFC has prepared a stacked card worthy of the occasion. With 18-year-old phenom Raul Rosas Jr. making his major card debut and Miami’s own Jorge “Gamebred” Masivdal fighting in the co-main against Gilbert Burns, UFC 287 is shaped to be one of the best cards of 2023. And headlining it all at the top of the night, the next chapter of one of the greatest rivalries in combat sports takes place. Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya looks to regain his belt against the standing champion, Alex “Poatan” Pereira, for the middleweight title.

UFC 287 is Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya 2.

Stylebender faces his greatest challenge

Can Israel Adesanya get his revenge at UFC 287?

Before his reign began, the MMA world had never seen anything like Israel Adesanya.

After leaving the kickboxing world, Adesanya converted to MMA and made his UFC debut in 2018. “The Last Stylebender” displayed incredible striking, fight IQ, and an outspoken love for Anime that made him stand out as he began his MMA career with six-straight victories.

Adesanya received his first title shot and secured the belt against Robert Whittaker in 2019, and from there, he had the middleweight division locked down.

Adesanya defended the title five times and lapped the division after beating multiple opponents twice during his reign as champion. After so many victories and flawless performances, It seemed the UFC had no middleweight on the roster who could threaten the king at 185; until the corporation signed another kickboxer with a history with Adesanya.

Enter Alex “Poatan” Pereira.

Before his UFC debut in 2021, little was known about “Poatan” or Stone Hand. With the most significant accomplishment on his resume being two victories over Adesanya in a different sport, his signing was overlooked by most MMA fans. Few gave him attention after his first two victories in the UFC. But in his third fight under the UFC banner, Pereira put the combat world on notice after starching Sean Strickland in the first round on the same card Adesanya was headlining at UFC 276.

There was no question that Alex Pereira was next up to face Adesanya after his performance against one of the top-ranked fighters in the division.

The two bitter rivals faced off in November of 2022 as the headline bout at UFC 281. The tension was present from the first round as Adesanya came close to finishing Pereira before the end of the round. Adesanya continued to outpoint Pereira through the fight and led the scorecards at the beginning of the fifth round.

As the fight dwindled to the final minutes, it seemed Adesanya was on his way to his sixth title defense until Pereira caught him with a powerful left hook. Adesanya stumbled to the fence, hurt as Pereira continued to land shots.

As much as Adesanya fought to stay in the fight, Pereira was too powerful and forced the referee to call the fight, giving Israel Adesanya his first loss at middleweight and making Alex Pereira the new 185-pound champion.

The feud between these former kickboxers has quickly turned into one of the best rivalries in mixed martial arts. Adesanya and Pereira face off this Saturday for their second UFC title fight. With Pereira leading the record at 3-0 all-time against Adesanya, Saturday’s main event might be the last shot “The Last Stylebender” will have to face his biggest challenge, “Poatan.”

UFC 287 – Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya 2 should be another epic UFC fight!