UFC 287 Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 summary: results, main card, round by round
Israel Adesanya knocks out Alex Pereira
Israel Adesanya knocks out Alex Pereira to reclaim his title
In a fight that was often cagey, where both fighters knew that the other was extremely dangerous, it ended in the only way that it could have done: with a knockout.
And what a knockout it was. With two minutes left in round two, Israel Adesanya laid out Alex Pereira with a massive right hand, stopping Pereira's assault dead in its tracks. The follow up right to his temple turned out the lights and the fight was waved off as Pereira fell unconscious to the mat.
This now marks the return of the undisputed middleweight title to the man who many reckoned was the true champion, who should have won their previous meeting, and who now can claim to have avenged that loss.
In his post fight interview, Adesanya urged the fans to be inspired to do something themselves, noting that he was inspired to follow his dream and that has led to his feeling an extreme level of happiness.
And for us fans, we too feel the champion's happiness as well, just in the watching.
Goodbye
That is going to be it from us and our live coverage of UFC 287. We hope that you have enjoyed it as much as we have and we hope to see you again right here with Diario AS USA.
Adesanya wins by KO
In a huge knock out, Israel Adesanya threw a huge right hand that just turned Alex Pereira's lights out in the second round, reclaiming his title as undisputed UFC World Middleweight Champion.
Pereira is awake now but dazed. That was a huge right hand that he ate.
The second round gets goint and the distance is now closed. They are both happy to box now, and Pereira backs Adesanya onto the cage with a good combo of punches.
Adesanya works his way off and comes back with a kick of his own, now landing some heavy punches on Pereira.
Once again Adesanya is backed onto the cage but comes back with a huge punch and knocks Pereira spark out! The fight is waved off and that shot put Pereira to sleep!
He is still on the canvas, out cold, as Adesanya celebrates.
Izzy comes out switching up, first orthodox, then southpaw, and back. Both men a respectful, feeling each other out. Few punches are thrown, with most of the work being done with the calf kicks.
As the first third of the round ticks away, the pace quickens but neither fighter is taking too much risk. Adesanya is the more efficient fighter, landing the majority of his strikes. The horn sounds to end what turned out to be a probing round.
Middleweight Main event Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya
This is what we are all here for. Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi is by far the more experienced of the two fighters, but Pereira has been his nemesis, handing Adesanya a loss each time that they have met.
Masvidal retires
In the post-fight interview, Jorge Masvidal confirms that we have witnessed his last professional fight. Good luck to him in his retirement.
Decision: Gilbert Burns wins!
Masvidal was game, but in the end, the judges gave the fight to Burns, with all three agreeing and scoring it 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28. He was just too good for Jorge.
Now a kickboxing match once again, Gilbert has this figured out. He is landing big shots, rights and lefts on his opponent. Masvidal is game but he looks completely overmatched. Gilbert lands two huge right hands, and then another. You have to hand it to Jorge, he has a strong chin. Burns has landed some big shots and Masvidal won't go down.
With a minute to go, Burns charges and takes Masvidal to the mat. He has taken so much abuse, I can't see how he can have any strength left to get out of this.
Burns is on top and stays there throughout the round.
Gilbert comes straight out and puts Masvidal down with a big right. He recovers but Burns is on the all-out attack now. He lands a few more punches before picking his man up and throwing him to the canvas. This is now a grappling match, and Burns is on top.
Masvidal is trying to work his way out of the clench, but Burns has some heavy punches to put a stop to anything that he tries. Jorge is in trouble now.
Masvidal is trying to work his way out, but Burns is able to counter every twist. Both men are exhausted and they work their way to their feet, still clenched. Finally Masvidal manages to break free and we are back to boxing.
The horn goes and that round was a big one for Gilbert Burns.
Both men come out cagey. There are a few probing kicks but neither wants to come into range of their opponent. The crowd is up and into the fight, expressing their support for Masvidal.
He responds to their cries by going in with a nice combo finishing with a low kick. Burns comes back with his own and while he may be doing more work, Masvidal is more efficient, landing the better shots.
Masvidal steps it up now and brings a few flying kicks to the party. He tries the trick once too many and Burns catches him with a jab. Both men go to the canvas with 10 seconds left and Gilbert jumps on top, pounding punches to the face, but there is not enough time in the round to do any damage. The horn sounds to end the round.
Welterweight Burns vs Masvidal
Now the co-main event as Brazilian Gilbert Burns meets Miami native Jorge Masvidal in a Welterweight contest.
Masvidal holds the record for the fastest ever finish in UFC history when he ended a fight in just five seconds.
Burns is one of the best Welterweights in the world, a four-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion, and will need to start fast, something that he is used to, with 11 first-fournd stoppages.
Rob Font wins by TKO
The referee made the right choice there, Yanez was taking too much punishment and throwing nothing back. Good stoppage.
Rob Font comes out throwing that right hand. Yanez comes back with a low kick, but Font throws a sweet jab to stop the attack.
Yanez lands a nice left but Font is a good boxer and comes back with another nice jab, snapping the head back and stopping the advance.
Font is landing his combinations now and puts Yanez down with a huge right! He jumps on the fallen man and throws punch after punch unanswered until the referee has no choice but to stop it. What a finish!
Yanez was a great fighter but that right hand was enormous.
Bantamweight Font vs Yanez
Rob Font will take on Adrian Yanez in a Bantamweight bout that is tipped to be perhaps the fight of the night.
Texan Yanez will tkae on Massachussetts native Font. These are two tough cookies, neither has ever been knocked out. Font has the most first-round stops in the UFC with eight.
Kevin Holland wins by KO
That was as clean a left hook as you can see anywhere. Ponzinibbio won't be happy about it, but the wave-off was correct. He was out, helpless, face-first on the mat. Good call.
This is a kickboxer's fight as both men come back out with more.
Santiago is the more aggressive in this round, pursuing Holland more actively. Perhaps he senses that he needs this round to have any hope of winning.
Holland lands a huge haymaker of a left hook and Ponzinibbio goes down! The fight is waved off!
Santiago immediately pops up and protests that he was still in the fight, but to no avail. Holland jumps over the fence and says something to Dana White and Donlad Trump. He is smiling and looks in good spirits.
Ponzinibbio is still protesting, but it will do no good.
Starting where we left off, both men are cagey, looking to box with some kicks thrown in. Both are doing a good job of avoinding any damage.
Ponzinibbio lands another good combo of punches to the face of his opponent, but Kevin is unfazed. Holland comes back and goes on the attack. Another kick is held by Santiago, but he won't make the same mistake twice, letting it go before Holland can turn him on it.
Holland lands his own combo of punches now and Santiago is briefly in a bit of bother before he works out of it. Both fighters resume the center of the octagon and get back to boxing.
As the round ends you have to give that one to Holland again. Like the first round, there was not much in it, but Holland did just enough.
A nice combo by Ponzinibbio but Holland absorbs it. Kevin throws a kick and Santiago grabs the leg, trying to flip him. But Holland throws a back-fist, catching his opponent off guard and taking him to the mat. Just as Kevin goes in for more, the horn goes ending the round.
That round was a 50/50, but with that last bit of action, you have to tip it to Holland.
The fight gets underway with Holland throws punches and kicks, Santiago is targetting that left leg of Holland, but both fighters are doing a good job of absorbing it.
Both men are cagey, giving their opponent maximum respect. Santiago chases Kevin around the cage, but can't land anything useful.
Welterweight Holland vs Ponzinibbio
Texas' Kevin Holland and Argentina's Santiago Ponzinibbio come into this bout as two supremely experienced fighters. They both posses every skill in the book and this fight marks the return of Ponzinibbio to big time fighting after barely surviving a years-long battle with an infection that laid him low.
Decision: Christian Rodriguez wins
All three judges score it 29-28 to Christian Rodriguez and it was a clear cut thing. Rosas Jr came at Rodriguez hard in round one, but once he had survived it, it seemed that Rosas had no backup plan. He just lacked the experience to deal with anyone as slippery as Christian Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has that body locked up now and is throwing punches to the ribs while maintaining pressure on the waist and neck.
Rosas is trying to roll over to his right, but he just doesn't have the experience to deal with what Rodriguez is showing him.
Somehow Rosas works out and the fighters get to their feet to square off just as the horn goes. That is another Rodriguez round, and quite clearly.
Both fighters are now more circumspect, choosing to stay on their feet and box for round three. Rosas tried to grapple his way to an early win, but Christian Rodriguez stayed calm, took it, and turned the tables. Now Rosas has to try a different tack.
Both fighters are happy to box, looking for any chink in the others' defense.
Rodriguez sees it and gets Rosas to the mat, jumping on his back, throwing punches to the sides of the head and ears. Rosas is in trouble!
This looks like more of the same, with Rosas bum rushing Rodriguez to get things going. Christian gets on top and throws a punch. Rosas rushes him again and Rodriguez throws a knee to the face! It didn't seem to bother Rosas at all.
Now Rosas gets around the back again, working where he is most comfortable. He is a grappler and will always go for the clench. But Rodriguez is going a great job of working his way on top.
Both fighters are using a lot of energy and Rosas is being taken to places that he has never been in before. Christian gets on his back and locks his legs around Rosas. Rodriguez is happy to control this round, throwing punches to the head as he maintains that clench on the body triangle.
The round ends a clear cut Rodriguez round.
The fight gets underway with Rosas Jr rushing Rodriguez. He is going to have to do better than that though as Rodriguez slips out of the rush and calmly grapples him to the floor.
Rosas Jr gets on top of him but Rodriguez manages to flip him and regain the upper hand.
Rosas Jr manages to get around the back and hop on Rodriguez's back. Christian is in trouble!
He is in that body triangle, locked up in Rosas' grip. Rodriguez slithers to the floor and gets out of it, only just surviving the round.
Bantamweight: Rosas Jr. vs Rodriguez
Christian Rodriguez takes the octagon now and at 8-1-0 he will have his hands full with a 7-0-0 Paul Rosas Jr.
Main Card
UFC 287 now moves on to the main card as undefeated Bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. takes on Christian Rodriguez.
Then Welterweights Kevin Holland and Santiago Ponzinibbio will go at it before Bantamweights Rob Font and Adrian Yanez square off to end the lead up to the main event.
In the co-main event, Welterweights Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal will go to work to lead us up to the two best Middleweights in the world as Israel Adesanya tries to avenge his loss to Alex Pereira.
Decision: Gastelum wins decision
The judges score the fight unanimously for Kelvin Gastelum. All of the cards were tight, 29-28, and that sums up the action that we saw. Not much between them, but a true scrap.
The round ends with both fighters throwing haymakers, Curtis following up with a knee before taking a big left to the head. It really is back and forth.
Curtis vs Gastelum
Middleweights Chris Curtis and Kelvin Gastelum are in the octagon now and slugging it out in their bout as we catch up to the action in progress.
We join the action in round three as the first two rounds have been a slug-fest, going back and forth, first Curtis and then Kelvin jumping on the front foot.
Preliminary card
The preliminary bouts saw several cancellations with Heavyweights Chris Barnett vs Chase Sherman and Karl Williams vs Chase Sherman not going ahead as well as the Welterweight bout between Michael Chiesa and Li Jingliang being called off.
In the Women's Strawweight, Cynthia Calvillo got the decision over Lupita Godinez as did Michelle Waterson over Luana Pinheiro.
In the Middleweight bout betweenGerald Meerschaert and Joe Pyfer, Meerschaert scored the early KO in round one
Early results
The early prelims have seen Ignacio Bahamondes win the decision in the the catchweight bout against Trey Ogden after Bahamondes' Lightweight bout against Nikolas Motta was cancelled.
Featherweight Sha Yilan scored a round 2 KO against Steve Garcia and in the Women's Strawweight, Jaqueline Amorim took the decision against Sam Hughes.
It will be the fourth time that Adesanya and Pereira share the octagon and the second one they meet inside the cage in the UFC.
The Kiwi Adesanya will be facing his nemesis in Pereira, as the Brazilian champ has defeated him in all of their three bouts, with Adesanya’s first two losses being registered while he competed in the Glory Kickboxing promotion.
Welcome!
Welcome to the Diario AS live commentary coverage of UFC 287 as we build toward the rematch between the current champion Alex Pereira and the former champion Israel Adesanya.