UFC 287: Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya Predictions
On April 08, 2023, the much-anticipated rematch between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya will take place in the octagon at UFC 287. Both fighters are skilled strikers and have a history, with Pereira being the only fighter to have defeated Adesanya in kickboxing. Discover more about the Pereira vs Adesanya Predictions
The MMA matchup between these two elite fighters has been a long time coming and is expected to be one of the biggest fights of the year. Fight fans around the world are eagerly anticipating this exciting middleweight bout, where both fighters will look to prove themselves and come out on top.
Fighter Profiles
Alex Pereira
Alex Pereirais a Brazilian kickboxer who has transitioned into MMA. He has an impressive record of 3-1 in MMA, with all three of his victories coming via knockout.
Pereira is known for his striking ability, having won multiple kickboxing titles, including the Glory middleweight championship twice. He has a high striking accuracy of 58% and lands an average of 4.58 significant strikes per minute. Pereira has shown that he has knockout power in both his hands and legs, making him a dangerous opponent for anyone in the middleweight division.
Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya, on the other hand, is a Nigerian-born New Zealander who is the current UFC middleweight champion. He has an unbeaten record in MMA, with 21 wins and no losses.
Adesanya is known for his striking ability and has a kickboxing record of 75-5. He has a high striking accuracy of 49% and lands an average of 3.96 significant strikes per minute. Adesanya is also a skilled wrestler, having defended 85% of takedown attempts against him.
Previous Encounters
Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya have faced each other twice before in kickboxing. Pereira won both encounters, with the first coming in 2016 and the second in 2017.
In their first encounter, Pereira knocked Adesanya out with a left hook in the second round. In the second encounter, Pereira won via unanimous decision after five rounds. Adesanya has stated that he has learned from his previous encounters with Pereira and that he is confident of victory in their MMA matchup.
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Strengths and Weaknesses
Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira’s greatest strength is his striking ability, with his kickboxing background giving him a clear edge in this area. He is a dangerous striker, with knockout power in both his hands and legs.
However, his ground game is a weakness, having been submitted in his only loss in MMA. Pereira’s takedown defense is also not as strong as Adesanya’s, having only defended 50% of takedown attempts against him.
Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya’s greatest strength is his versatility. He is a skilled striker, with a high striking accuracy, but he is also a skilled wrestler.
Adesanya’s takedown defense is excellent, having defended 85% of takedown attempts against him. His ground game is also strong, with three submission victories in his MMA career. Adesanya’s weakness is his chin, having been knocked down in his last fight against Marvin Vettori.
Predictions
The matchup between Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya is difficult when it comes to predictions. On one hand, Pereira has a clear edge in striking ability, but on the other hand, Adesanya is a more versatile fighter who is skilled in both striking and wrestling. Pereira’s weakness in the ground game and takedown defense could be exploited by Adesanya, but Pereira’s knockout power could end the fight at any moment.
In the end, we predict that Israel Adesanya will come out on top. Adesanya’s versatility and excellent takedown defense will give him the edge in the fight. Adesanya will likely look to take the fight to the ground and use his grappling skills to wear Pereira down. However, if the fight stays on the feet, Pereira’s striking ability could cause problems for Adesanya. Nonetheless, we believe that Adesanya’s overall skill set and experience in MMA will be too much for Pereira to overcome.
Suggested Read: Israel Adesanya Seeks Revenge In Rematch Against Alex Pereira
Wrapping It Up
The matchup between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya is one that fight fans have been waiting for, and it promises to be an explosive encounter. While Pereira has the edge in striking ability, Adesanya’s versatility and strong ground game make him a difficult opponent to beat. Ultimately, we predict that Adesanya will come out on top, using his grappling skills to wear Pereira down and secure the victory. However, anything can happen in the octagon, and we can expect a thrilling fight regardless of the outcome.
