There is no such thing as being down to your last chance in mixed martial arts. Just about everyone in the sport loses at some point, and even a multifight skid doesn’t necessarily deposit you at the end of the road. Unlike in boxing, where the zero in the “L” column of a carefully curated record is usually a career-defining selling point, redemption is always right around the corner for MMA fighters.
The top two bouts at UFC 287, however, each feature a fighter with his back against the wall.
The headliner on Saturday night in Miami (ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET main card) will be a middleweight title rematch in which Alex Pereira defends his title against the man he dethroned by knockout in November, Israel Adesanya. It was Adesanya’s third loss to Pereira, counting their two meetings back when they were professional kickboxers. A second MMA defeat at the thunderous hands of Pereira would put “The Last Stylebender” in no-man’s land on the dingy outskirts of 185-pound contention.
In the fight that will command center stage right before, top-10 welterweight Gilbert Burns will throw down with Jorge Masvidal. Both former title challengers are based in South Florida, but it’s reasonable to assume that the UFC situated this event at Miami-Dade Arena specifically as a nod to Masvidal’s local popularity. Prior to his MMA career, he made his name as a teenage street fighter in unsanctioned fisticuffs in Miami backyards under the auspices of YouTube legend Kimbo Slice. Masvidal has gone on to a hugely popular UFC run built on big moments and even bigger swagger, but he has lost three fights in a row and has not competed in over a year. A win might make fans and matchmakers forget all of that. But another loss?
The UFC is billing Pereira-Adesanya 2 (isn’t it really 4?) as the main event, and Burns-Masvidal is nominally the co-main, but the promotion’s official event poster gives equal weight to all four principals in these fights, depicting them side by side. One is a title bout featuring one of the sport’s shining stars. The other is the reason the UFC is in Miami to begin with.
So which is truly the evening’s main attraction? And what else is in store this weekend? Here are some things to look for … and listen for:
The main event — for the eyes
Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2
Both fighters are must-watch at every moment. With Pereira, it’s all about the power in his fists that he can land when least expected. He’s one of those rare don’t-blink threats. In the case of Adesanya, he has an eye-catching style not just in the cage but even before he steps inside. His walkout is performance art. And once the fight begins, Adesanya has a flow to him that vibes with how things are going in there. It will be fascinating to see how deep of a flow state Adesanya can attain while back in the cage with a guy who less than five months ago knocked him out.
And yet this rematch puts Adesanya right where he belongs. Before the TKO loss in November, he had been undefeated in 23 career middleweight fights, the last dozen in the UFC. He had made five successful title defenses. And going into the fifth round against Pereira, the then-champ was comfortably ahead on all three judges’ scorecards. But Pereira, who five years earlier had knocked out Adesanya in their second kickboxing matchup, went for it with last-gasp gusto, trapped Adesanya against the cage less than two minutes into that final round and battered him with head-snapping rights and lefts until the referee jumped in to stop the bout. What a visual.
It was the kind of fight — and turnaround finish — that begs for a rematch. Each man showed off a winning combination of skills and mettle in the first fight. And yet each now has much to lose. If Pereira does not get his arm raised again, he risks being regarded as just a fluky blip on the championship radar. If Adesanya loses, he likely would be out of the title picture until someone else were to dethrone Pereira.
The main event — for the ears
Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal
When the lights dim for the Masvidal walkout, it promises to be the most electric moment of the night, at least to that point. As cage announcer Bruce Buffer is bellowing out Masvidal’s name, the crowd noise likely will drown out the last couple of syllables. The energy in the building will rise again when “Gamebred” lands his first punch, and if he lands a big one, it will be deafening in there.
That is not to say that the fight won’t be a sight to see as well, but if you mute your TV you’ll be depriving yourself of the sensory experience most likely to produce chills. It may not reach the Conor-McGregor-in-Dublin level of full-throated local pride, but Masvidal in Miami promises to be a feast for the ears.
Both men train in gyms around 40 miles north of Miami. So Burns will have support in the stands, too. He’s a heavy favorite (-450), and he has what it takes to make the arena his own. But all it will take to spark a Masvidal takeover is one feisty moment that gets a rise out of his crowd. Make no mistake: This is a home game for Masvidal, as you will hear on Saturday night.
Looking at the fight itself, the stakes are unclear but fun fodder for speculation. Would a Burns win boost him into a title fight, despite his opponent not being ranked in the top 10? Would a win by Masvidal, even coming off a three-fight skid, secure him a date in the cage with the champ, Leon Edwards, with whom he has a “three-piece with a soda” backstory?
The rest of the sights and sounds
The future is being tested
Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez: This will be the second UFC appearance for Rosas, who at age 17 became the youngest fighter to sign with the promotion. He authored a quick finish in his December debut, and now gets a step up in competition against another young bantamweight, the 25-year-old Rodriguez. The winner here will get to climb up another rung on the ladder of prospects.
The straws that break … into contention
Michelle Waterson-Gomez vs. Luana Pinheiro and Cynthia Calvillo vs. Loopy Godinez
Of the three strawweight bouts on the card, these two are similar pairings of an established fighter against a possible future contender. We already know what Waterson-Gomez and Calvillo can do, or at least we think we do. They have an opportunity here to redefine themselves in our eyes, by halting the rise of Pinheiro (10-1) or Godinez (8-3). Pinheiro is on a particularly hot streak, having won eight in a row.
‘Big Mouth’ doesn’t bore, but will he roar?
Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
Holland talks a lot, both in the lead-up to fights and during the fights themselves. What sets him apart from other big talkers is that when Holland opens his mouth, he always entertains. His freewheeling fighting style entertains, too, especially when his attacks from unexpected angles demand that you rewatch a sequence just to understand what went down. But Ponzinibbio (16 KOs) has the power to put Holland down and shut him up.
The full UFC 287 fight card
ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET
Middleweight championship: Alex Pereira (c) vs. Israel Adesanya
Welterweight: Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal
Men’s bantamweight: Rob Font vs. Adrian Yanez
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
Men’s bantamweight: Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez
ESPN, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET
Middleweight: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Chris Curtis
Strawweight: Michelle Waterson-Gomez vs. Luana Pinheiro
Heavyweight: Chris Barnett vs. Chase Sherman
ESPN+, 6 p.m.
Middleweight: Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer
Strawweight: Cynthia Calvillo vs. Loopy Godinez
Men’s featherweight: Shayilan Nuerdanbieke vs. Steve Garcia
Strawweight: Jacqueline Amorim vs. Sam Hughes
(c) = defending champion