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This is the 30th edition of OverUnder. Thanks for joining along as we aim to bring you the most important stories of the week in a 3-4 minute read every Friday. OverUnder is the first and only major weekly newsletter in combat sports history.
Jose Aldo is in talks to box Floyd Mayweather in Saudi Arabia.
Paddy Pimblett wants a rematch against Jared Gordon.
Tim Sylvia will compete in a slap fight on April 22nd.
Donald Cerrone is being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Khamzat Chimaev thinks he can finish Alex Pereira in 1 minute.
Ilia Topuria vs. Josh Emett is in the works for June 17th.
Cody Garbrandt was offered a Dominick Cruz rematch for July.
The UFC is targeting a return to London on July 22nd.
UFC 289 is rumored to take place in Calgary, Alberta on June 10th.
Charles Oliveira vows to ‘hunt’ Beneil Dariush at UFC 288.
- Israel Adesanya's mindset heading into UFC 287
- The PFL’s 2023 Season kicks off this Saturday
When Israel Adesanya lost his Middleweight title to Alex Pereira at UFC 281, we knew he’d get an immediate rematch, given everything he accomplished in the division. What many didn’t expect was how fast the turnaround would be. Adesanya will compete against Alex Pereira 147 days after suffering a TKO loss to him. This was Adesanya’s 3rd loss to Pereira which includes 2 kickboxing fights. This is likely his last shot at Pereira, and that’s exactly how he’s viewing it.
“I’m hunting, and I mean that in every sense of the word. The mindset is different, definitely. Even Eugene and I are on the same page. I like it because it puts it all on me, and it’s kind of poetic in a way. One life: Roll the dice. This is my last shot, and I’m going to give it all I’ve got in every sense of the word,” said Adesanya on his YouTube channel. Adesanya has always chased greatness. Losing to Pereira for the 4th time would mean that there was always someone there that had his number.
There’s no UFC this weekend, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any MMA fights. The Professional Fighters League returns to ESPN on April 1st for the start of the 2023 Season. To be a successful MMA promotion in 2023, you need to be different, and that’s what the PFL is. Fighters compete in a season and accumulate points based on their performances. The goal is to advance to the playoffs and eventually to the Championship event, where fighters compete for a $1 Million prize.
The PFL upgraded their roster this year by signing Shane Burgos, Thiago Santos, and Marlon Moraes, who will all compete in the 2023 PFL season. For some fighters, not being in the UFC might seem like a downgrade, but the PFL has proved otherwise, especially from a financial point of view. Brendan Loughnane was refused a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series because he shot for a takedown. He went on to become a millionaire in the PFL by winning the 2022 PFL Featherweight Championship. Now the likes of Thiago Santos and Shane Burgos have the opportunity to become millionaires themselves. If that happens, expect more fighters to join the PFL in the coming years.
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