UFC 287 Set In Miami, Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2 Headlines

Liam Lindsay·February 4, 2023

The UFC is returning to Miami, Florida, on April 8th at the Miami-Dade Arena, per Dana White. Middleweight Champion Alex Pereira will make his first defense against Israel Adesanya in the main event.

It will be the first time since UFC 42 in 2003 that the UFC has come to Miami, and the first time in the modern era they will do so. UFC 42 saw Matt Hughes defend his Welterweight Championship, winning a unanimous decision over Sean Sherk.

The headliner will see the rematch between Pereira and Adesanya, who previously fought at UFC 281 at the MSG Arena in New York City. After four competitive rounds, Pereira would TKO Adesanya in the 5th round, claiming the Middleweight title. This fight is historic for the Middleweight division, and both kickboxers will be looking to finish the fight with a devastating knockout.

Alex Pereira landing a huge shot on Israel Adesanya at UFC 281. Credits to: Jeff Bottari - Zuffa LLC.

Other fights currently announced for this card include:

Main Card

Welterweight: _Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal_

Welterweight: _Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Kevin Holland_

Bantamweight: _Raul Rosas Jr vs. Christian Rodriguez_

Bantamweight: _Rob Font vs. Adrian Yanez_

Prelims

Middleweight: _Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer_

Middleweight: _Kelvin Gastelum vs. Chris Curtis_

Welterweight: _Michael Chiesa vs. Li Jingliang_

Lightweight: _Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Nikolas Motta_

Women's Strawweight: _Michelle Waterson vs. Luana Pinheiro_

Featherweight: _Shayilan Nuerdanbieke vs. Steve Garcia_

Women's Strawweight: _Cynthia Calvillo vs. Lupita Godinez_

Do you think Pereira will close out the rivalry once and for all, or will Adesanya be able to re-claim his Middleweight throne? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.