Madison Square Garden is going to host UFC 281 this Saturday. The card includes a bout that sees defending middleweight champion Israel Adesanya back in the octagon to see if he can continue to reign.
Two title bouts headline tomorrow’s big card, with Adesanya facing Brazilian Alex Pereira. In the co-main event, Carla Esparza, with two championships, will defend her strawweight title against Zhang Weili.
Other matches on the card have been drawing a lot of attention, as well. Most notably, the Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler lightweight bout, which is expected to turn into a spectacle.
Knives And Machetes Make The Man
Adesanya, “The Last Stylebender,” will have his sixth starting defense against Pereira, the only one who was able to knock him out. Pereira is a former Glory champion and earned his title shot by taking down Sean Strickland at UFC 276.
| Adesanya | Pereira | |
| Moneyline | -210 | +180 |
| Over/under | O4.5 rounds (-130) | U4.5 rounds (+100) |
| Courtesy of DraftKings |
Adesanya (23-1) and Pereira (6-1) have faced each other twice, with the Brazilian winning both times – one by KO. However, The Last Stylebender has worked his finesse since then. Most recently, he outlasted Jaren Cannonier in UFC 276 at the beginning of July.
That bout required all five rounds to determine a winner. Although Adesanya has the stamina and endurance to go the distance, he can’t allow Pereira to force him into that position again tomorrow.
Adesanya knows what he’s up against, as well, and isn’t likely to take any big risks against Pereira’s powerful attacks. The Last Stylebender may have three times as many pro MMA fights, but Pereira obviously knows how his opponent fights.
Adesanya recently revealed some of the reasons he has become so competitive. When coach Eugene Bareman thinks the champ (or any other fighter) is beginning to slack off, he has the perfect motivation.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Adesanya revealed that Bareman regularly pulls out knives if he thinks fighters are “being complacent.” He added that the coach is “always packing.” That’s enough to get anyone to up their game.
Chandler Ready for Poirier
Chandler (23-7) isn’t too worried about facing Poirier (28-7) in the octagon. Just days before the fight that could define the next challenger for the lightweight belt, the former Bellator champ explained why he expects to find success quickly.
Chandler stated that he can easily read Poirier, calling his moves “basic.” However, he added that he knows this won’t be an easy fight, and that he expects his opponent to be aggressive.
One of the greatest talents in Bellator history, Chandler will be looking for another shot at the belt. The MMA fighter already fought for the belt in 2021. However, after an intense first round, he was knocked out by Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 262.
The fight between Esparza (20-6) and China’s Weili (22-3) will be a tough match, too. In addition, Frankie Edgar will face Chris Gutiérrez in a fight for the bantamweight division.
New Zealand veteran Dan Hooker (21-12) will have a tough test, as well. He faces 12-2 Peruvian Claudio Puelles in a fight for the lightweight division.
The post UFC 281 Puts Israel Adesanya Back In The Octagon In Defense of His Title appeared first on Casino.org.