The time has finally come. The highly anticipated rematch between former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and current middleweight champion Alex Pereira takes place this Saturday at UFC 287. There is a lot at stake here, as Adesanya will have one last chance at redemption. UFC 287 also includes two former title challengers at welterweight. Jorge Masvidal takes on Gilbert Burns in the co-main event. Rounding out the best of Saturday’s main card features 18-year-old prospect Raul Rosas Jr, rising star Adrian Yanez and fan favorite Kevin Holland.
A Tough Task
Pereira and Adesanya will be competing for the fourth time in their career on Saturday. In their last fight back in November, it was a back-and-forth brawl where both fighters had their moments. It looked like Adesanya would end up victorious as the fight went on. He started to find the openings as the fight progressed, catching Periera in the majority of exchanges. However, the fifth round is where it all changed. Alex Periera came out strong, catching Adesanya off guard with vicious right and left hooks. He was doing whatever he wanted to Adesanya on his way to eventually forcing the ref to stop the fight.
Adesanya can’t seem to find Pereira’s number. He is now 0-3 when taking on Pereira. Two of those losses came during their time in kickboxing. He will have to make a few adjustments in his camp to defend the versatile Pereira, who can do it all. It will be a tough task. Adesanya looked untouchable before his last fight with him. Alex Pereira is a killer. One mistake can cost the whole fight when taking on the new champion. If he gets in range of that left hook, best believe Adesanya is going to sleep once again in the main event.
Roses Hype Is Real
In the main card opener, we see the very popular 18-year-old prospect Raul Rosas Jr, the youngest fighter on the roster, face another prospect in Christian Rodriguez at bantamweight. Many fans are giving criticism for this being on the main card. Veterans like Kelvin Gastelum and Chris Curtis are on the prelims. The hype behind Raul Rosas Jr is way too big. Dana White is taking full advantage by allowing him to gain even more fans if he can get another impressive win on Saturday night. Look for Rosas to control the octagon with a few takedowns and lots of control time. One mistake from Rodriguez will allow Rosas to secure yet another submission win on his record. I would love to see Rosas get tested here on the big stage. I believe he is way more advanced on the mat for this to be a close fight.
Look for a Brawl
The co-main event features one of the biggest PPV draws in UFC history. Jorge Masvidal takes on former title challenger Gilbert Burns. This welterweight bout has a lot on the line. Many believe the winner of this fight will be next in line for a title shot, especially with Kamaru Usman out of the picture. This bout will feature two fighters that love to throw hands. Both fighters are not easy to knock out. I expect a three-round brawl that can possibly be a contender for Fight of the Night. Masvidal has some great value at +400, having the striking advantage, and not to mention he will be fighting in his backyard in Miami.
Must Watch TV
A must-watch prelim fight on Saturday night features number 14 ranked Chris Curtis taking on the very experienced number 15 ranked Kelvin Gastelum. These fighters seem to be going in the opposite direction, as Gastelum is 1-5 in his last six after his scrap with Israel Adesanya for the interim Middleweight championship. He has only fought the best since then, which is why he still has faith in his skills leading up to this fight. Chris Curtis took the UFC by storm, winning his fight three fights in the UFC, despite being a sizeable underdog in all three. He is 9-1 in his last ten and is not looking to slow down now. Look for Curtis to cruise to a unanimous decision victory, as I believe Gastelum has lost a step after that crushing war with Adesanya.
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