The UFC is heading to Miami, Florida for a stacked PPV event UFC 287. On tap for this PPV event, we have a barn burner for a main event between two of the best middleweight contenders in the UFC with champion Alex Pereira looking to defend his title for the first time against his arch-nemeses Israel Adesanya. Check out our UFC odds series for our Alex Pereira-Israel Adesanya prediction and pick.
Alex Pereira (6-1) has had one of the fastest rises to a championship fight in recent memory. That is all in part due to his rivalry with the former champion Israel Adesanya. He was 2-0 in kickboxing against Adesanya before making the move to MMA where he is now 1-0 against him with an emphatic knockout in round five. He will look to make this four straight and put this rivalry to rest.
Israel Adesanya (23-2) lost for the first time as a UFC middleweight fighter to his arch-nemeses Alex Pereira. He has the daunted task to finally defeat Pereira for the first time in his career between kickboxing and MMA in sunny south Florida. Adesanya will need to keep his emotions in check if he's going to defeat Pereira once and for all.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
UFC 287 Odds: Alex Pereira-Israel Adesanya Odds
Alex Pereira: +114
Israel Adesanya: -146
Over (4.5 Rounds): -102
Under (4.5 Rounds): -126
How to Watch Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya
TV: ESPN+ PPV
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Alex Pereira Will Win
Alex Pereira has been what some people Israel Adesanya's boogeyman. He is just someone that Adesanya has not been able to defeat, not only in MMA but in kickboxing as well. He was down on the scorecards coming into the fifth and final round against his foe, he knew he needed the knockout, and got the standing TKO with under four minutes to spare.
He is arguably the most dangerous striker the middleweight division has ever seen. He has power in all of his limbs but it is his powerful left hook that is his money maker. He is also massive for the division standing in at 6'4″ with a 79″ reach but it's his size that makes the difference. He weighed in at 217 lbs for a 185 lbs fight on fight day, the size discrepancy between him and the other middleweights is quite massive.
Pereira will need to do exactly what he did in their previous fight and that is systematically break down Adesanya. He started off with the leg kicks which played a massive dividend over time, that made Adesanya shoot for takedowns. Having him shoot for takedowns made him use his cardio that he is not used to using which ultimately had him gas out in that fifth round. If Pereira can replicate what he did without getting knocked out in the process, he has a great chance to retain his title.
Why Israel Adesanya Will Win
Israel Adesanya really wants to get that coveted win against his boogeyman Alex Pereira. He was close to winning all three matchups from kickboxing to MMA. In their first encounter many believe he was robbed of that decision. Their second fight, the referee stepped in for an 8-count when Adesanya was going in for the finish. As we saw in their last fight, Pereira was saved by the bell in round one and then got the comeback knockout after being down the whole fight.
Israel Adesanya has shown that he has the tools to solve the problem that is Alex Pereira. He is the quicker fighter with the better arsenal and overall MMA game. Adesanya just needs to do what he did in their last fight which was mixing it up with takedowns and striking and just keeping Pereira at bay with long range attacks. If he has able to maximize his range we can expect Pereira to be swinging and missing all night long.
Final Alex Pereira-Israel Adesanya Prediction & Pick
It is never a smart idea to go against a fighter that is 3-0 against another fighter but I can't go against Adesanya in this spot here. This one of the best lines we will ever get betting on Adesanya. Seeing how well he did in their first prior to the knockout he has a legitimate chance at retaining his title and getting the win come Saturday night.
Final Alex Pereira-Israel Adesanya Prediction & Pick: Israel Adesanya (-146)
Follow Us
Subscribe