After a rare week off to begin the month of April, the octagon returns to South Beach for the first time in 20 years. UFC 287 emanates from Miami, Florida with a stacked card that features an epic middleweight championship rematch and a high stakes welterweight co-main event.
Also, on tap includes a bantamweight slugfest between two high level strikers, a welterweight showdown between two veterans and an 18-year phenom taking another test in the octagon.
Here is a closer look at the loaded card.
Middleweight championship: Champ Alex Pereira vs. No. 1 Israel Adesanya
It’s a middleweight championship rematch for the ages as Alex Pereira (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) defends the title against former middleweight king Israel Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC).
Pereira defeated Adesanya to capture the title at UFC 281 in November, this victory marked the third time in their combat careers that Pereira beat Adesanya (including two wins in kickboxing). Pereira’s win stopped an incredible middleweight title run from Adesanya, who successfully defended the title five times.
Adesanya was up on all three judges’ scorecards going into the fifth round of the fight at Madison Square Garden, showing off improved wrestling and his usual arsenal of strikes. He rocked Pereira at the end of the first and left him on wobbly legs going to the corner.
Adesanya controlled the following three rounds and was winning the last round. Pereira ultimately caught him with a beautifully timed left hook that stumbled Adesanya and then landed a barrage of punches before the referee stopped the fight.
Pereira remains confident after three wins over “The Last Stylebender.” Adesanya says he has a “say-less, do more” approach to this fight, but the question must be asked if he can get the job done against Pereira.
There are not many fights that can be made this year better than this one, and it will be a thrilling way to close the show in South Beach.
Welterweight: No. 5 Gilbert Burns vs. No. 11 Jorge Masvidal
The welterweight division has been rattled at the top with Leon Edwards dethroning Kamaru Usman, and that has opened the door for the rest of the division to make their case for a shot at “Rocky.” At UFC 287, Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (35-16 MMA, 12-9 UFC) returns home to Miami for a clash with perennial contender Gilbert Burns (21-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC).
Burns looked impressive in his last fight defeating Neil Magny by first round submission, a win over the fan favorite Masvidal would greatly help his case at another title shot.
Masvidal is such a big star that his name will always be in the conversation with the title, especially with his history with Edwards. If he can get a big win over Burns in front of his hometown crowd, it would be hard to deny “Gamebred” his claim to a title shot.
The matchup is intriguing with Burns being very good with grappling, but Masvidal’s striking and speed could pose some issues for “Duriniho.” It has all the ingredients to blow the roof off the Miami-Dade arena.
Bantamweight: No. 6 Rob Font vs. No. 12 Adrian Yanez
However, the arena’s roof may already be off due to this stylistically pleasing battle. The bantamweight division has never been better, and two guys fighting for position at the top are Rob Font (19-6 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and Adrian Yanez (16-3 MMA, 5-0 UFC).
Yanez looks to improve on his eight-fight winning streak which includes victories over Davey Grant, Tony Kelley and Randy Costa. He has shown high-level striking with blazing speed and good composure. UFC 287 will mark Yanez’s first main card pay-per-view bout.
Font has remained at the top of the bantamweight division, on the cusp of title contention with a big win. He has dropped his last two main event bouts against Jose Aldo and Marlon Vera. Font has the experience advantage and the skillset to match Yanez.
This fight being only three rounds can only ensure fireworks for the fans in Miami.
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
Kevin Holland (23-9 MMA, 10-6 UFC) and Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-6 MMA, 11-5 UFC) meet in a fight between night ending strikers who have complied a combined 28 knockout victories. A “Fight of the Night” or “Performance of the Night” award could land on this featured bout.
Holland will look to get back on track after dropping his last two bouts to Khamzat Chimaev and Stephen Thompson. He dropped to welterweight in 2022 and picked up victories over Tim Means and Alex Oliveira. Holland enjoys a significant size and reach advantage over most opponents at welterweight along with a wide arsenal of strikes to his disposal.
Ponzinibbio has been on a roller coaster in his recent win since returning from an illness. He dropped two very close split decisions to Michel Pereira and Geoff Neal before rebounding with a “Performance of the Night” victory over Alex Morono in his last bout.
A win for both guys means that they are right in the thick of the top-15 rankings at welterweight.
Bantamweight: Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez
The hype around Raul Rosas Jr. (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is real. The 18-year-old Dana White’s Contender Series alum passed his UFC debut with flying colors last December, defeating Jay Perrin by submission in the first round. Now, Rosas is tasked with another upcoming talent Christian Rodriguez (8-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC).
Rosas looks to continue making history and attempts to remain on a road that could potentially see him break Jon Jones‘ record for youngest UFC champion in history.
Rodriguez has two UFC fights under his belt and logged a win in his last fight over Joshua Weems.
Can Rosas pass the test with this step up in competition?
Middleweight: No. 15 Kelvin Gastelum vs. No. 14 Chris Curtis
Ranked middleweights Kelvin Gastelum (17-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) and Chris Curtis (30-9 MMA, 4-1 UFC) meet in the preliminary main event, both guys looking to potentially break into the top 10 with a victory.
Gastelum has fought the best of the best in the middleweight division and has fallen on some tough results as of late. He has dropped four of his last five bouts since fighting for the interim title in 2019. However, the former title challenger remains dangerous and looks to get back in the win column.
Curtis has shined in his UFC run with a 4-1 record in the octagon, his lone loss came on short notice against Jack Hermansson. He has finished the likes of Phil Hawes, Brendan Allen and has a “Performance of the Night” finish over Joaquin Buckley.
Gastelum has been known to brawl but with a “W” being much needed, will we see him resort to his high-level wrestling against Curtis?
Women’s strawweight: No. 10 Michelle Waterson-Gomez vs. No. 15 Luana Pinheiro
Longtime strawweight contender Michelle Waterson-Gomez (18-10 MMA, 6-6 UFC) looks to snap a three-fight skid as she returns to action against the surging Luana Pinheiro (10-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC).
Waterson-Gomez has fought the who’s who at strawweight and remains a ranked contender in the division. She has dropped her last two bouts against top contenders Amanda Lemos and Mariana Rodriguez. Waterson-Gomez is a well-rounded veteran with diverse striking, she can present problems for anyone in the division.
Pinheiro is a rising strawweight that shined in her DWCS fight and then followed it up with wins in the UFC octagon over Randa Markos and Sam Hughes. Her fight against Waterson-Gomez will be the biggest name she has fought to date.
Can Waterson-Gomez’s experience stop the finishing capabilities of Pinheiro?
Heavyweight: Chase Sherman vs. Karl Williams
Hard-hitting heavyweights Chase Sherman (16-11 MMA, 4-10 UFC) and Karl Williams (8-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) square off on the ESPN prelims, with each guy looking to build on recent wins.
Sherman is a solid heavyweight at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds with a 78-inch reach. He has not had the most positive UFC run so far though, dropping four of his last five fights. Sherman was originally slated with the always entertaining Chris Barnett. The late replacement Williams has the size that Barnett lacks, and makes this short notice fight interesting.
Williams comes in off a successful UFC debut in March defeating Lukasz Brzeski via unanimous decision. He has the look and potential to be a successful heavyweight in the UFC. Williams has a tough task in front of him taking on the veteran Sherman.
The pairing of Sherman and Williams will be a scrap for as long as it lasts, who can land the bigger shots?
Middleweight: Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer
Joe Pyfer (10-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) had a flawless DWCS victory, and it had UFC president Dana White telling contestants to “Be Joe Pyfer.” After winning his UFC debut in dominant fashion, Pyfer draws the crafty veteran Gerald Meerschart (35-15 MMA, 10-7 UFC).
Pyfer looked impressive in his debut win over Alen Amedovski, securing his third straight win. He will look to keep the train rolling as he faces a big step up in competition.
Meerschart is no stranger to facing rising prospects, and he comes in winning four of his last five bouts. He won three in a row all by submission before dropping a unanimous decision to Krzystof Jotko. In his last bout, Meerschart showed off improved striking before wrapping up a submission win over Bruno Silva.
This seems to be a classic striker vs. grappler matchup, with Meerschart as the grappler and Pyfer as the striker. However, Meerschart has shown a willingness to stand and trade before eventually getting the fight to ground. It remains to be seen how Pyfer deals with the experience and style of “GM3.”
Women’s Strawweight: Cynthia Calvillo vs. Loopy Godinez
Cynthia Calvillo (9-5-1 MMA, 6-5-1 UFC) returns to strawweight after an up-and-down run in the flyweight to division to take on the upstart Loopy Godinez (8-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC).
Calvillo had a promising start to her flyweight run after defeating Jessica Eye in her debut, then she dropped four in a row. The size disadvantage proved to be substantial for Calvillo. She returns to strawweight, where she racked up five out of six wins in the UFC. Calvillo had a few weight misses at strawweight, but the potential is there to make a run.
Godinez comes in with a 3-3 record in the UFC and is looking for that signature win to push her into the rankings. She lost her last bout against Angela Hill but has been very competitive in every bout.
Catchweight (160 pounds): Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Trey Ogden
Ignacio Bahamondes (13-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) remains on the card after his original opponent Nikolas Motta pulled due to injury, Trey Ogden (16-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) stepped up as a short notice replacement. The bout will take place at a catchweight of 160 pounds.
Featherweight: Shayilan Nuerdanbieke vs. Steve Garcia
Business moves to the veteran Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (39-10 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and finisher Steve Garcia (13-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) facing off in an exciting featherweight matchup.
Nuerdanbieke has won three in a row and looked impressive in a TKO win over Darrick Minner in his last fight. He looks to extend his streak to four against the well-rounded Garcia.
Garcia gained “Performance of the Night” honors in a one round throttling of Chase Hooper in his recent bout. He has been up and down as of late, but he comes into this fight with a huge wave of momentum.
Women’s Strawweight: Jacqueline Amorim vs. Sam Hughes
Strawweights open the show at UFC 287, as Jacqueline Amorim (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Sam Hughes (7-5 MMA, 2-4 UFC) meet in the opening bout.
There is much buzz around the debut of Amorim, and rightfully so. She is undefeated in her MMA career and has finished all six of her opponents. Amorim has very slick submissions and has wins via rear-naked choke, armbar, kneebar and arm-triangle choke. She has not seen a second round and will be looking to add to her finishing streak.
Hughes is no slouch and will be a test for Amorim. Hughes has UFC experience and is always a tough out. She has victories over Elise Reed and Istela Nunes in her UFC run.
Amorim has the potential to be a special talent, but the experienced Hughes will give her a good debut test.
