Tag: UFC 287

Kamaru Usman continues slide further down pound for pound rankings following UFC 286 decision loss

Kamaru Usman drops down UFC pound for pound rankings listKamaru Usman, who was once the UFC pound-for-pound number one fighter, has once again dropped down the ladder with the conclusion of his trilogy against Leon Edwards. With all the marbles on the line at UFC 286, Usman had made it clear that Edwards capitalizing on a mistake he made in their rematch would not […]

Kamaru Usman drops down UFC pound for pound rankings list

Kamaru Usman, who was once the UFC pound-for-pound number one fighter, has once again dropped down the ladder with the conclusion of his trilogy against Leon Edwards.

With all the marbles on the line at UFC 286, Usman had made it clear that Edwards capitalizing on a mistake he made in their rematch would not be repeated, but ‘Rocky’ once again found a way to win.

Although there may have been several referee interventions against Edwards, including a point deduction after a fence grab, the Jamaican-born welterweight remained composed and clearly out-pointed Kamaru Usman over five rounds, winning by majority decision.

Kamaru Usman slips down the UFC pound-for-pound pile

This, just the second loss of Usman’s UFC career, steered him down three spots in the P4P rankings, taking him from #5 to #8. 

Undisputed bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (#7), newly crowned middleweight champion Alex Pereira (#6), and former champion Israel Adesanya (#5) all moved up ahead of the Kamaru Usman.

Pereira will defend his title for the first time at UFC 287 in Miami, Florida. This will be his fourth time exchanging blows with ‘The last stylebender’ in combat sports, and it will surely have a major influence on the next P4P update.

Sterling will go head-to-head with former two-division champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 288, as Cejudo returns following a three-year layoff.

While Jon Jones is set to face Stipe Miocic this summer, it is unlikely any result removes him from his P4P #1 status, a ranking he has been familiar with throughout his UFC career.

It is up to Alexander Volkanovski (#2), who will be returning to featherweight to fight interim champion Yair Rodriguez later this year, to put any kind of pressure on Jones’ position.

P4P #3 Islam Makhachev may have struggled immensely in his first championship defence, but he will have to remain consistent as Edwards crawls his way up the rankings.

Edwards is expected to hold his second title defence against Colby Covington as per Dana White.

Alex Pereira details ‘dangerous sparring’ session with heavyweight boxing standout Zhilei Zhang

Alex PereiraAlex Pereira is bringing in some big guns to help him prepare for his rematch with Israel Adesanya next month. In November, Alex Pereira shocked the world when he defeated ‘The Last Stylebender’ via fifth-round knockout to capture the UFC middleweight championship. On April 8, the pair will run it back, headlining UFC 287 live […]

Alex Pereira

Alex Pereira is bringing in some big guns to help him prepare for his rematch with Israel Adesanya next month.

In November, Alex Pereira shocked the world when he defeated ‘The Last Stylebender’ via fifth-round knockout to capture the UFC middleweight championship. On April 8, the pair will run it back, headlining UFC 287 live from Miami-Dade Arena. Already a world-class striker boasting three wins and two knockouts against Adesanya across two different sports, ‘Poatan’ is taking no chances in their highly anticipated UFC rematch.

On Twitter, Pereira revealed that he had procured the services of 24-win heavyweight boxing veteran Zhilei Zhang.

“What a sparring! After 4 rounds with zhilei zhang Im very confident for my next fight! It was a hard and dangerous sparring – exactly what I needed. Now I know even more- I’m ready for 8th of April!”

Alex Pereira Gunning for Fifth Straight Win Inside the Octagon

Competing as an amateur, Zhang won bronze medals at the 2007 and 2009 World Championships and scored a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. As a professional, Zhang has 24 career wins with an incredible 19 coming by way of knocking, leaving no question as to why Alex Pereira chose him as a sparring partner ahead of his return on April 8.

Alex Pereira is 4-0 inside the Octagon, holding victories over Andreas Michailidis, Bruno Silva, Sean Strickland, and the aforementioned Israel Adesanya. Before transitioning to mixed martial arts, ‘Poatan’ went 33-7 in kickboxing, competing primarily under the GLORY banner. He captured the promotion’s middleweight and light heavyweight titles during his run and earned Combat Press’ Knockout of the Year honors in 2017 for his brutal KO of Israel Adesanya at GLORY Heroes 7.

As for Zhilei Zhang, the Chinese heavyweight is scheduled to return to the squared circle one week after Pereira steps back into the Octagon. He will face Joe Joyce for the WBO interim heavyweight championship.

Alex Pereira warns Israel Adesanya ahead of UFC 287: ‘The fourth arrow will land in your chest. The game will be over’

Israel Adesanya Alex Pereira UFC 287 ArrowUndisputed UFC middleweight champion, Alex Pereira has plans to remove any doubt in his upcoming championship rematch with arch-rival, Israel Adesanya next month at UFC 287, explaining how he will defeat the latter for the fourth time across combat sports.  Slated to make his Octagon return next month in Miami, Florida – Pereira headlines UFC […]

Israel Adesanya Alex Pereira UFC 287 Arrow

Undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Alex Pereira has plans to remove any doubt in his upcoming championship rematch with arch-rival, Israel Adesanya next month at UFC 287, explaining how he will defeat the latter for the fourth time across combat sports. 

Slated to make his Octagon return next month in Miami, Florida – Pereira headlines UFC 287 against Adesanya, attempting to retain a middleweight title he won back in November of last year.

Striking Octagon gold within just four fights under the banner of the Dana White-led promotion, Pereira, a former two-division GLORY Kickboxing champion, earned his title assault against Adesanya following a trio of wins over Andreas Michailidis, Bruno Silva, and Sean Strickland. 

And in devastating fashion at Madison Square Garden, Pereira managed to score a fifth round TKO win over Adesanya – rallying to clinch the undisputed middleweight crown.

Alex Pereira taunts Israel Adesanya in another chilling message

In a promotional video posted on social media, Adesanya insists that “the game is not over” between himself and Sao Paulo striker, however, Pereira begs to differ.

“The fourth arrow with land in your chest,” Alex Pereira commented. “So the game will be over. 

Twice defeating Adesanya during their tenures under the above-mentioned, GLORY Kickboxing banner, Pereira first managed to land a dubious decision win over the City Kickboxing favorite – before stopping Adesanya with a thunderous KO in his native Brazili in a rematch. 

Pereira and Adesanya sit atop next month’s UFC 287 card in the ‘Sunshine State’ – with welterweight contenders, Gilbert Burns, and Jorge Masvidal taking billing in a co-main event slot. 

Burns returned to the winner’s enclosure back in January on homesoil with a submission win over Neil Magny, while Masvidal looks to snap a three-fight losing skid in his first Octagon appearance in 13 months. 

Alex Pereira alludes to Israel Adesanya’s impending death at UFC 287 in chilling sparring footage

Alex Pereira UFC 287 Israel Adesanya DeathUndisputed UFC middleweight champion, Alex Pereira has hinted at an impending passing for former division kingpin, Israel Adesanya during their UFC 287 grudge title rematch next month – posting the Nigerian-Kiwi’s date of birth, and apparant date of death at the pay-per-view event as part of a caption on recent sparring footage. Pereira, the undisputed […]

Alex Pereira UFC 287 Israel Adesanya Death

Undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Alex Pereira has hinted at an impending passing for former division kingpin, Israel Adesanya during their UFC 287 grudge title rematch next month – posting the Nigerian-Kiwi’s date of birth, and apparant date of death at the pay-per-view event as part of a caption on recent sparring footage.

Pereira, the undisputed UFC middleweight champion, is set to headline UFC 287 on April 7. at the Miami-Dade Center in Miami, Florida – clashing with former undisputed titleholder, Adesanya in the pair’s fourth clash across combat sports.

In November of last year, the Sao Paulo striking phenom headlined a Madison Square Garden matchup against Adesanya, rallying from losing scorecards to stop the defending champion with a fifth round barrage of strikes at the fence en route to a TKO victory.

Handing Adesanya his first professional mixed martial arts loss at the middleweight limit, Alex Pereira, a former two-weight GLORY Kickboxing champion to boot, landed gold inside four fights in the UFC following wins over Andreas Michailidis, Bruno Silva, and Sean Strickland. 

Alex Pereira alludes to Israel Adesanya’s passing in morbid message

Sharing some frightening sparring footage ahead of his return next month, Alex Pereira shared video of him brutalizing a training partner, with the caption of Adesanya’s birthday – July 22. 1989, as well as a coffin emoji – accompanied with the date of UFC 287 – April 8. 2023

Himself predicting a resounding win over Brazilian striker, Pereira next month in the ‘Sunshine State’ – Adesanya claimed recently that he needed to defeat the former, and that scores between the two need to be settled rather than kept. 

“Just keep the same energy because I’m always beating him until I’m not,” Israel Adesanya explained. “So, I’m just going to make sure I keep beating him the whole way through.”

“I go in there and I don’t overthink,” Israel Adesanya continued. “I’m not gun shy. I go in there and trade with people, especially with him as well, so expect me to do what I do. Like I said, I have to talk because you guys want me to talk, but say less and I’ll do more. I promise you, I’ll do more in this fight.” 

Dricus Du Plessis Hoping To Fight Winner Of Alex Pereira Vs. Israel Adesanya

Dricus Du Plessis thinks that an undefeated start to his UFC career is enough to warrant a shot at the winner of the upcoming Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya rematch. “Stillknocks” joined the UFC in 2020 after earning back-to-back stoppage wins, and s…

Dricus Du Plessis thinks that an undefeated start to his UFC career is enough to warrant a shot at the winner of the upcoming Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya rematch. “Stillknocks” joined the UFC in 2020 after earning back-to-back stoppage wins, and so far the South African has yet to taste defeat in the Octagon….

Continue Reading Dricus Du Plessis Hoping To Fight Winner Of Alex Pereira Vs. Israel Adesanya at MMA News.

Ian Machado Garry Reasserts His Preferred Date For Next Fight

Ian Machado Garry just picked up the fourth win of his UFC career at UFC 285, but the 25-year-old is already planning on getting back into the cage sooner rather than later. “The Future” experienced his most significant moment of adversity …

Ian Machado Garry just picked up the fourth win of his UFC career at UFC 285, but the 25-year-old is already planning on getting back into the cage sooner rather than later. “The Future” experienced his most significant moment of adversity since joining the UFC when Kenan Song dropped him late in the first round…

Continue Reading Ian Machado Garry Reasserts His Preferred Date For Next Fight at MMA News.