UFC 287 - Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya 2: Date, start time, live stream, TV (2024)

9th Apr 2023, 07:33By Chisanga Malata

Adesanya explains his post celebration

Israel Adesanya has explained his bow-and-arrow post-fight celebration.

"I'm petty. I remember. The first time he knocked me out in Brazil, his son came to the ring and started to just lie dead next to me.

"And I was like, 'You f***ing little a**hole. I'll whoop your ass if your dad won't do it for you.'

"But yeah, I looked for his kid and I pointed at him and I saw him and I was like, 'Hey, hey (imitates Pereira laying KO'd) just to remind him.

"I saw him backstage, we're cool. He's a great champion, he's a warrior. In his story, I'm the antagonist in history.

"He's a f***ing beast. Coming where he's come from, the adversity he's been through in his life.

"To get to where he's gotten now and taking me out the way he has, it's a fking beautiful story for him.

"But like I said, tonight, it's about his about my story which is history."

9th Apr 2023, 07:08By Chisanga Malata

Trilogy fight?

UFC president Dana White has had his say on a potential trilogy fight between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.

He said: "Honestly, I think Pereira moves to 205 after this fight."

9th Apr 2023, 06:43By Chisanga Malata

Ice cold

This photo of Israel Adesanya celebrating his win over Alex Pereira will go down in history.

9th Apr 2023, 06:27By Chisanga Malata

Adesanya speaks

Israel Adesanya didn't hold back when giving the first address of his second reign as middleweight champion.

He said: "No matter what, Alex is a great champion.

"He lost the belt tonight but he will always be a champion.

"In his story, I'm the antagonist.

"In his story, I'm the bad guy. But tonight, it's my story. History!"

9th Apr 2023, 06:15By Chisanga Malata

Raw emotion

Israel Adesanya was overcome with emotion after finally getting one over Alex Pereira

9th Apr 2023, 05:54By Chisanga Malata

Adesanya wins

Israel Adesanya knocks out Alex Pereira to reclaim the middleweight title.

What victory for The Last Stylebender.

9th Apr 2023, 05:53By Chisanga Malata

Pereira vs Adesanya 2 – Round Two

Pereira exuded confidence in early in the second and began to walk down the former champion.

Adesanya, however, didn't wilt under the pressure - nor did his legs buckle after eating a big left hook from Poatan.

Pereira has continued to chew up the lead legs of Adesanya from both stances.

But Adesanya is deterred and continuing to come forward and trying to find a home for his body kicks.

A good right hand lands fir Adesanya with two minutes of the round remaining.

Another lands thirty seconds later but Pereira takes the sting out of it by rolling.

Adesanya's right leg buckled in the final minute due to more vicious calf kicks, which backed up the Kiwi.

Adesanya began to cover up as he ate a barrage of shots. And he rocked the champ with a huge overhand right.

And he finished the job with a left hook and academic ground and pound.

9th Apr 2023, 05:45By Chisanga Malata

Pereira vs Adesanya 2 - Round One

Adesanya relinquished the centre of the octagon to his old rival, who opened up with an outside leg kick early doors.

The Nigerian-born Kiwi was calm in the face of the overwhelming danger from the iron-fisted Pereira.

Both men stared stoically into one another's eyes as they jostled for octagon dominance and traded calf kicks.

Unlike their first fight, Adesanya had difficulty closing the distance and landing his right hand.

But he has success with multiple body kicks, although he continued to eat low calf kicks.

Pereira narrowly missed with a right kick moments before a left hand whizzed past his chin.

9th Apr 2023, 05:35By Chisanga Malata

Main event time

Okay, folks, it's time.

Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya are set to renew their rivalry for a fourth and possibly last time.

Will it be a repeat of their UFC 281 clash last November?

Or will Adesanya regain the belt? We're about to find out.

9th Apr 2023, 05:22By Chisanga Malata

Masvidal retires

Jorge Masvidal has just announced his retirement from mixed martial arts following defeat to Gilbert Burns.

A legend goes out with his head held high.

9th Apr 2023, 05:16By Chisanga Malata

Masvidal loses

Gilbert Burns defeats Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision courtesy of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 scorecards.

9th Apr 2023, 05:13By Chisanga Malata

Burns vs Masvidal – Round Three

Masvidal has upped the ante with his feints as he looks tp land something big.

Burns' jab is causing problems for Masvidal, who is somewhat flatfooted.

Masvidal lands a good spinning back kick to the midsection and then an inside low kick.

Burns staggerings Masvidal with a big overhand right but Masvidal implores him to bring it on.

Masvidal eats another but appears to have recovered.

An uppercut snaps back the head of Masvidal, who gets nailed with another overhand right moments later.

Masvidal comes storming back with a big two-punch combo but gets stifled by a clinch and a successful takedown from Burns.

Burns ends the round on top looking for a submission.

9th Apr 2023, 05:08By Chisanga Malata

Burns vs Masvidal – Round Two

Masvidal gets dropped early in the second by a right hand after getting swarmed by Burns.

And he finds himself on his back following a huge takedown by Burns.

Burns was at his suffocating best as Masvidal tried to work his way back to his feet.

Masvidal did an impressive job of not allowing Burns to transition to any dangerous positions and eventually worked his way back up to his feet with a minute of the stanza remaining.

And he landed a nice right hand ten seconds before the end of the round.

9th Apr 2023, 05:00By Chisanga Malata

Burns vs Masvidal - Round One

Burns takes the centre of the octagon but is being cautious early doors as he endures pro-Masvidal chants.

Masvidal is happy to throw kicks out early, despite the threat of the takedown.

Durinho is happy to stay on the feet early doors and try to get Gamebred to bite on his feints.

A good right hand lands for Burns just before the two-minute mark of the round.

Masvidallands a big right low kick which draws a big reaction from the fans.

Burns lands a big right hand and nearly gets a hold of Masvidal with a minute thirty left.

Masvidal lands a good right hand after having a scissor knee blocked by the Brazilian.

Huge right hand lands for Burns after Masvidal threw a second scissor knee.

Burns takes the fight down with seconds to go and looks to unload hammer fists until the end of the round.

9th Apr 2023, 04:56By Chisanga Malata

Co-main event time

Gilbert Burns vs Jorge Masvidal is up next ladies and gentlemen.

This is a massive, massive fight for the career of Gamebred.

A win here could set him up for a third crack at the welterweight title against Brit Leon Edwards.

Defeat could send him into retirement. I, for one, can't wait to see what happens next.

9th Apr 2023, 04:39By Chisanga Malata

Firing Font

Rob Font has just brutally stopped bantamweight prospect Adrian Yanez.

The No.6-ranked 135-pounder was involved in a crazy brawl with the Dana White's Contenders Series alum early in the round.

But he ended the Yanez hype train with an insane right shovel hook.

Yanez fell to the canvas and Font closed the show with some academic strikes.

Huge victory for Font.

9th Apr 2023, 04:26By Chisanga Malata

Fight of the night alert

Up next is a bantamweight banger between Rob Font and Adrian Yanez.

This one is going to be fireworks and is a real candidate for Fight of the Night.

9th Apr 2023, 04:17By Chisanga Malata

Trailblazer wins

Kevin Holland has just finished Santiago Ponzinibbio with a huge left hook late in the third.

Ponzinibbio was angry with the stoppage, but it was the right call as he fell face-first and wasn't defining himself.

What a finish for Holland.

9th Apr 2023, 04:12By Chisanga Malata

Holland vs Ponzinibbio – Round Two

Holland is continuing to fight well at range and frustrate a dogged and determined Ponzinibbio.

Ponzinibbio has struggled to close the distance and land strikes.

And his recklessness has led to openings for Holland, who has capitalised repeatedly.

9th Apr 2023, 04:06By Chisanga Malata

Holland vs Ponzinibbio - Round One

Ponzinibbio takes the centre of the octagon but Holland is happy to operate on the outside as he looks to get his reads.

A push kick sends Ponzinibbi backwards.

Ponzinibbio is having success with inside and outside low kicks.

Holland has ye to land anything of note. But as I say that, he lands two consecutive low kicks to the lead thigh of Ponzinibbio.

Ponzinibbo gets drops with seconds of the round remaining by a backfist after holding on to one of Holland's legs for too long.

That will likely have stolen the round for Holland.

9th Apr 2023, 03:53By Chisanga Malata

Welterweights up next

170lbs fan favourites Kevin Holland and Santiago Ponzinibbio are about to throw down.

This is gonna be a good one, folks.

9th Apr 2023, 03:45By Chisanga Malata

Rodriguez wins

Christian Rodriguez derails the Raul Rosas Jr hype train with a unanimous decision victory.

All three judges scored the contest 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 in favour of 'Ceerod'.

9th Apr 2023, 03:38By Chisanga Malata

Rosas Jr vs Rodriguez – Round Three

Rosas Jr gets hit with a big right hand early doors.

Another lands for Rodriguez as he expertly avoids a spinning back first.

Rosas Jr is unsuccessful with back-to-back takedown attempts and is being forced to strike.

Rosas Jr has his back taken after another fatigued takedown attempt.

Rodriguez glides into full mount before taking the back and dropping bombs with the help of a nasty body lock

Rodriguez is continuing to dominate the prospect on the ground. This is really a man fighting against a boy here.

Rodriguez lets Rosas Jr up with 20 seconds to go. But the teen is unable to land a Hail Mary strike to get the victory.

Barring some crazy judging, this should be a unanimous decision victory for Rodriguez.

9th Apr 2023, 03:30By Chisanga Malata

Rosas Jr vs Rodriguez - Round Two

Rosas Jr shoots for another takedown straight off the bat but sees the effort stuffed.

The teenager eats a knee following another takedown attempt but appears to be fine.

Rosas Jr takes the back of Rodriguez but eventually loses position against the cage and ends up on the wrong end of a north-south position.

Rodriguez moves to side control and lands an elbow and maintains top position after a scramble from Rosas Jr.

Rosas Jr is absolutely exhausted and has been dominated.

Let's see if he can survive the final round.

9th Apr 2023, 03:28By Chisanga Malata

Rosas Jr vs Rodriguez - Round One

Rosas Jr immediately shoots for a takedown but sees the attempt stuffed.

Rosas Jr is continuing to work hard for the takedown on the cage but Rodriguez is doing a brilliant job stopping the attempt.

He eventually gets it after hoisting Rodriguez's left leg up.

Rosas Jr goes for a guillotine choke but sees the attempt stuffed.

Rosas Jr is being relentless with his grappling and not giving Rodriguez an inch to breathe.

Rosas Jr hops on the back of a standing Rodriguez. Rodriguez gets grounded as Rosas Jr takes his neck.

Dominant round for Rosas Jr.