UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 Odds, Predictions and Pre-Weigh-in Hype
The UFC heads to South Beach, Florida on Saturday when Israel Adesanya will attempt to settle a score and reclaim his middleweight title in a rematch against Alex Pereira at UFC 287.
Pereira has proved to be the bane of Adesanya's career to this point. He not only beat him twice when they were both kickboxers, but he has also now sullied his perfect record in the middleweight division.
The Last Stylebender had been the middleweight champion since 2019 when he took the belt from Robert Whittaker. Pereira ended that run with a fifth-round knockout victory over his old rival at UFC 281 in November.
It's a delightful main event chock-full of storylines and high stakes.
The co-main event should feature a raucous crowd and plenty of violence, with Jorge Masvidal fighting Gilbert Burns in front of a hometown crowd.
Here's a look at the complete card with odds and the latest buzz as we get closer to the weigh-ins.
UFC 287 Fight Card, Schedule and Odds
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Main Card (10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV)
Alex Pereira (c) +110 vs. Israel Adesanya -130: middleweight championship fight
Gilbert Burns -475 vs. Jorge Masvidal +380
Rob Font +160 vs. Adrian Yanez -190
Kevin Holland -245 vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio +205
Raul Rosas Jr. -245 vs. Christian Rodriguez +205
Prelims (8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+)
Chris Curtis +100 vs. Kelvin Gastelum -120
Michelle Waterson-Gomez +140 vs. Luana Pinheiro -165
Gerald Meerschaert +160 vs. Joe Pyfer -190
Karl Williams -460 vs. Chase Sherman +370
Early Prelims (6 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass
Cynthia Calvillo +235 vs. Loopy Godinez -280
Ignacio Bahamondes -350 vs. Trey Ogden +290
Shayilan Nuerdanbieke -200 vs. Steve Garcia +170
Jaqueline Amorim -240 vs. Sam Hughes +200
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Adesanya Ready to Show Greatness
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One day when Israel Adesanya hangs up his gloves and walks out of the Octagon for the last time, his rivalry with Alex Pereira will be a major storyline in his legacy. For now, it's the one mountain he couldn't climb.
Adesanya has a decorated kickboxing career and a dominant UFC title run to his name, but he has not been able to find a way to beat Pereira. Twice, he has dominated the contest just before the moment the Brazilian landed the fight-altering blow that ultimately lead to a finish.
So, there's a lot at stake for the 33-year-old here. If he loses for the second straight time in the Octagon and the fourth time in combat sports against Pereira, then he's an eternal asterisk on his record.
However, Adesanya appears to be embracing that pressure.
"That gives me a challenge. I love challenges. It gives me a challenge to rise to the occasion. Example: this weekend it gives me an opportunity to remind and show people how great I am," he told DC & RC (h/t Drake Riggs of MMA Fighting). "I love being in this position because not everybody can be in this position and thrive. I can."
Adesanya's greatness shouldn't be questioned based on this fight, though. Sometimes, an opponent simply has another one's number.
It won't be shocking if Adesanya can overcome his curse against Pereira, but there's definitely something to the 35-year-old's success against the New Zealand fighter.
Prediction: Pereira via fourth-round TKO
Masvidal Talking Retirement with UFC 287 Loss
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Jorge Masvidal is in an all-or-nothing mindset heading into the weekend's card.
The welterweight will have an opportunity to get back in the win column in a big way on Saturday night, but he's also well aware that a loss could end any hope of ever getting back in the title picture.
The 38-year-old has lost three consecutive fights, two for the championship against Kamaru Usman and a third against Colby Covington over a year ago.
So Gamebred knows a loss to Burns would make it difficult for him to ever get another shot at gold, even if he has some history with current champion Leon Edwards.
"This could be the last one," Masvidal told UFC Countdown (h/t Farah Hannoun of MMA Junkie). "If I lose, I'm pretty much calling it quits. But a win against Gilbert means that things are headed in the right direction. So, if I roll the dice and do everything right, I'm going for it all."
Masvidal isn't wrong. There's always going to be an audience for his fights. If you're willing to put on exciting bouts and go for finishes, the fans will always turn out. But his days of relevance in the title picture are all but over.
A loss to the 36-year-old Brazilian would put the finishing touches on that, and it's not going to be easy to avoid that fate. His only recent losses have come against Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev.
Both had the wrestling to mitigate Burns' aggression. Masvidal doesn't.
Prediction: Burns via decision
Yanez Looking to Make Name for Himself Against Font
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It's been 10 months since Adrian Yanez last fought, but he has a chance to regain serious momentum against Rob Font on the main card.
Yanez, 29, is currently in the middle ground as a prospect in the UFC. He's been good enough that he should have a ton of buzz. He's 5-0 since signing in 2020, with four of those wins coming by knockout. But he hasn't fought since June 2022, so he's been a bit "out-of-sight, out-of-mind."
That could quickly change if he takes care of business against Font, and he knows it.
"He's ranked No. 6 in the world (in the UFC rankings). For me, if I go out there and starch him, be the first guy to put him out, I get his number. So that just skyrockets me into another stratosphere," Yanez told reporters.
Knocking out Font is a lofty goal. The 35-year-old has never been knocked out in his career and only has one loss by submission. He's nothing if not tough, and he's been in the cage with the likes of Cody Garbrandt, José Aldo and Marlon Moraes.
Expect Yanez to put in another strong performance. His mission to be closer to the top five by the end of the night should be accomplished, even if he doesn't secure a knockout.
Prediction: Yanez via decision
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