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By Joe Apu
It will be redemption time for Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya when he steps into octagon for the main event of the UFC 287.
With the hindsight of reclaiming his UFC middleweight title top on his mind, Adesanya will attempt to be decisive in this bout raking his chances as they come to his advantage.
Both fighters have faced off numerous times, and across different sports, but each time it’s a sight to be hold.
However, during the week, MMAJunkie provided the chance for the two UFC middleweights to get a good look at one another once again ahead of their title rematch this today in the main event of UFC 287. This is an immediate rematch, as they’re coming off a meet in November where Pereira (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) dethroned Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC), claiming the UFC middleweight title.
Adesanya is a -135 favorite, meaning his implied win percentage is 55.1 percent. Pereira is a +115 underdog, making his implied win percentage 46.5 percent.
According to yahoo sports, Pereira hardly seemed concerned about the odds against him, despite his three wins in as many tries. Adesanya sounds unusually confident for a guy in his situation, but Pereira doesn’t think he’ll fight much differently than he has before.
“There hasn’t been that much time [since our first UFC fight], so how does he possibly make these great changes?” Pereira asked. “I think that means he’s telling himself to fight the same way as before, just a little better.”
Adesanya oozed with confidence at Wednesday’s media day. He wasn’t revealing much, but said the series has set this up for a storybook finish for him.
“I’m down two fights in kickboxing, one fight in MMA,” Adesanya said. “I’m down three. This is in every movie, that one shot. This is my Eminem moment, my ‘8-Mile’ moment. ‘You get one shot. Do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime.’ This is it for me.
“Imagine if I get it done. Imagine if I butchered him and beat the f*** out of him. I always do. I put him on his back, we’ll find out I do all this s*** and I beat his ass. Do some damage to him. Something amazing. Like I said, I don’t keep score. I settle it.”
Pereira insisted he has great respect for Adesanya’s abilities, even as he’s taunted him during camp with jibes on social media and in his interviews promoting the fight.
He is excited to show that he, too, is a better fighter than he was before.
“Everyone talks about how he [is going to get better], but they forget it’s not just one guy working hard and trying to fix [mistakes],” Pereira said. “I have worked very hard to get to this point and I am not ready to say, ‘OK, this is all good,’ and accept whatever happens. No. I will be a different fighter, a better fighter, too. Don’t forget that.”
Pereira has listened, mostly patiently, as he’s been asked about the way his power saved him in his last two fights against Adesanya. The first came in the third round in a Glory of Heroes 7 kickboxing match, and the second came on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York at UFC 281. Adesanya held a three rounds to one lead on all three judges’ scorecards going into the fifth, but Pereira knocked Adesanya out in the final round to win again and claim the title.
He’s up 3-0 in their series — he won his first fight with Adesanya at Glory of Heroes 1 by decision — and is looking to put an end to their rivalry with a victory today in Miami, Florida, in the main event of UFC 287.
