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The time has come and UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 is finally here as the UFC will make it's first return to Miami, Florida in 20 years. A true city with a fighting spirit, the fans will be treated to a spectacle in the 305 as some of the promotion's biggest names will square off for the highest stakes. Alex Pereira will defend his Middleweight belt against his biggest rival Israel Adesanya. The Co-Main Event will feature Gilbert Burns make his claim for a title run against Miami's own Jorge Masvidal. The Main Card is fill with action and you won't want to miss a second! The fighters are weighed in and ready to go – let's take a look at some of our favorite Underdog and Prop plays for this stacked card. Check out our UFC odds series for our prediction and picks for UFC 287.
Cynthia Calvillo (+235) vs. Loopy Godinez
Calvillo hasn't shown much in her last four UFC fights that indicates she could win against a young, evolving prospect like Loopy Godinez. However, if she can manage to turn back the clock and fight like her old self, her style could match up well against Godinez. Godinez has struggled in the past to find the range against some of her longer opponents. She's still young and fairly inexperienced, causing her to mentally stumble throughout the fight. Calvillo has been known to control fights on the ground and will have an opportunity to do so if Godinez is lazy in getting up to her feet. Calvillo looked great on the scales and will have her back against the wall; one of the most dangerous signs of a fighter willing to risk it all. It's not the best of our underdog and prop plays, but it may warrant a look.
Chris Curtis (+108) vs. Kelvin Gastelum
A lot of people hopped off the Chris Curtis hype train after his disappointing performance to Jack Hermansson, but he showed his ability to bounce back and win when he outclassed Joaquin Buckley in his last fight. Before his loss to Hermansson, Curtis won eight consecutive fights and won most in dominant fashion. Kelvin Gastelum, on the other hand, is 1-5 in his last six. While Gastelum has undoubtedly faced the much better competition, it shouldn't be overlooked how good Chris Curtis has looked with his hands when he's on. He's emphasized a mindset change, going back to his roots and fighting with a newfound love for the game. Watch out for him as a live dog here.
Kevin Holland Wins by Submission (+700)
People see Kevin Hollands style of fighting and assume immediately that he's just a talented striker. He's also constantly working on his Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has shown an ability to get creative on the ground in past fights. While he'll have an advantage on the feet, it's worth noting that Kevin Holland broke multiple bones in his right hand during his last fight against Wonderboy. He was seen acting gingerly with it during fight week, indicating that he may not be 100% coming into this one. With his hand compromised, look for Kevin Holland to surprise a lot of people here and show off his jiu-jitsu skills with a submission win, making this one of our juicier underdog and prop plays.
Alex Pereira (+116) vs. Israel Adesanya
There should be no surprise that Israel Adesanya is favored in this matchup. It's clear that he's faced the much better competition in the UFC and was winning most of the first fight between these two. However, there's seems to be a serious mental block for Izzy when it comes to Alex Pereira. Pereira has been playing mind games all fight week while Izzy has been stonefaced. Pereira looked even better on the scales than he did in their first meeting, indicating that he's beginning to dial-in his weight cut. This seems like one of those impossible tasks to accomplish for Adesanya as he just can't seem to find the answer against his biggest rival. I think we see the title switch hands soon, but it won't be Saturday Night. How can you not bet the champ as an underdog?
*Bonus* Israel Adesanya by Submission (+1200)
Why not hedge the Main Event and take Adesanya by sub? He hinted at grappling a lot more in this second meeting and went for a number of submissions in the first meeting. If he can't beat Pereira at his own game, go where he isn't as good.
