MMA Preview – Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira at UFC 281
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ISRAEL ADESANYA VS ALEX PEREIRA FACTS
When is UFC 281? Sunday 13th November, 2022 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC 281? Madison Square Garden, New York, (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 281? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 281
What channel is UFC 281 on? BT Sport 2
Where can I stream UFC 281? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
ISRAEL ADESANYA VS ALEX PEREIRA LOWDOWN
Israel Adesanya (23-1) continues to pick off top contender after top contender and now heads to New York for the second time in his fighting career. He makes the fifth defence of his middleweight title and has been flawless in the division. His sole loss came when he jumped up to light heavyweight to challenge Jan Blachowicz (2021) for his strap where he got out grappled and out muscled but quickly resumed business at 185 lbs racking up classy unanimous decisions over Marvin Vettori (2021), Robert Whittaker (2022) and Jared Cannonier back in July.
Alex Pereira (6-1) is the only fighter in the top six that Adesanya has not beaten. He is raw in MMA with only three UFC bouts in the bank however, what makes this fight so compelling is that he is an elite kickboxer with two wins over Adesanya. The first was a very tight unanimous decision back in 2016 and the following year he sparked him clean with a beautiful left hook which is a clip doing the rounds more than ever. He still has a lot to prove in MMA but his last fight bagged his title shot with another majestic knockout, this time over Sean Strickland back in July.
ISRAEL ADESANYA VS ALEX PEREIRA PREDICTION
This is exactly what Adesanya and the middleweight division needs – a new rivalry. You know he will still be bitter after Pereira’s reaction to knocking him out in 2017. Now, they meet in MMA where you can grapple, there is more space and the gloves are smaller.
If there is any grappling, it will be Adesanya throwing a curve ball, but he has the ego and skill to seek revenge on the feet. The odds are stacked in his favour due to his experience in the cage with eight UFC title fights in the bank.
That said, this is the test to see if Adesanya is the best striker in the UFC. They match up very evenly in physique standing at 6’4” with the champ boasting just an inch in arm reach and half an inch in leg reach. Where Pereira has the advantage, is power. He is devastating with all eight limbs, in particular is menacingly calculated left hook, straight right and jumping knee. He can turn the lights off from a distance.
Even Adesanya’s chin will not be able to eat a clean shot as we have seen. However, it is Adesanya’s defence that swing this in his favour for us. His reactions, head movement and shoulder rolls have enabled him to make fools of the best middleweights in the division.
Adesanya knows he cannot make a single mistake, but he has the patience and fight IQ to avoid the power and set his own traps. We can see him starting slowly and Pereira winning the first round but that is what Adesanya needs to download the data to control the range.
He will look to slip 1-2’s and the left hook while eating up Pereira’s legs. Expect the champ to dig into the Brazilian’s thighs and calves to slow him down and then begin to counter with his hands and head kicks.
This will be an incredibly cerebral fight from both fighters with Adesanya acting as the matador and Pereira the bull trying to close the distance, but with a series of feints and traps in between the feisty exchanges.
A Pereira knockout is likely whoever he fights, but we feel Adesanya’s octagon experience, defence and volume will make the difference. Either way, let’s sit back and enjoy the highest level of striking.
Prediction: Adesanya via Decision - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
