UFC 281 Results, Live Coverage, and Discussion: Alex Pereira and Zhang Weili Become New Champions With Finishes!

Welcome to Fightful.com‘s results, live coverage, and discussion for UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira.

We will bring you full results for tonight’s card. Scroll down to the Disqus boards below and chat with fellow MMA fans during the event.

Results

Main Card (PPV, 10:00 p.m. EDT/7:00 p.m. PDT)

• (#4) Alex Pereira def. Israel Adesanya via TKO (punches) (2:01, R5) — UFC Middleweight Championship
• (#2) Zhang Weili def. Carla Esparza (C) via submission (rear-naked choke) (1:05, R2) — UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship
• (#2) Dustin Poirier def. (#5) Michael Chandler via submission (rear-naked choke) (2:00, R3)
• Chris Gutierrez def. (#12) Frankie Edgar via KO (flying knee) (2:01, R1)
• (#12) Dan Hooker def. Claudio Puelles via TKO (kick) (4:06, R2)

Prelims (ESPN News/ESPN+, 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT)

• Renato Moicano def. Brad Riddell via submission (rear-naked choke) (3:20, R1)
• (#12) Ryan Spann def. (#7) Dominick Reyes via KO (punch) (1:20, R1)
• (#12) Erin Blanchfield def. (#15) Molly McCann via submission (kimura) (3:37, R1)
• Andre Petroski def. Wellington Turman via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Early Prelims (ESPN+, 6:00 p.m. EDT/3:00 p.m. PDT)

• Matt Frevola def. Ottman Azaitar via KO (punch) (2:30, R1)
• Karolina Kowalkiewicz def. Silvana Gomez Juarez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Michael Trizano def. Seung Woo Choi via KO (punch) (4:51, R1)
• Montel Jackson def. Julio Arce via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Carlos Ulberg def. Nicolae Negumereanu via KO (punch) (3:44, R1)

Play-by-Play

Israel Adesanya (C) vs. (#4) Alex Pereira — UFC Middleweight Championship

Round One – Pereira with a low kick to start. Adesanya lands a leg kick if his own. Both competitors exchange a few more low kicks and Adesanya narrowly misses a 1-2. Pereira starts piling up the leg kicks and goes to the body with a side kick that lands. A lot of feinting and hand fighting going on between the two rivals and Adesanya lands a low kick followed by a side kick to the body of Pereira. A body kick lands for Pereira, then another and a left hook partially lands for the challenger. Both competitors clinch, Pereira starts lighting up the champion’s body with right hooks, then a knee and Adesanya takes control against the fence. Both men circle back to the center of the cage and Adesanya cracks Pereira with a right hook that wobbles Pereira and a left hook lands flush for Adesanya and the challenger is hurt bad but he’s saved by the bell as the horn sounds to end a wild opening frame.

Round Two – Both men fire up the crowd ahead of the start of round number two. Pereira opens with a body kick. A wild spinning back kick just misses for the challenger and the champion backs up to the fence. A straight left lands for Adesanya, so does a kick to Pereira’s lead leg. A hard left jab lands for Pereira, as does a second one then a right hook to the body also lands for the challenger. The two are now clinched against the fence and a short left hook lands for Pereira and Adesanya takes control in the clinch with the challenger pressed against the cage. Adesanya backs off and cracks Pereira with a right hook on the break. The champion pops the jab, then a left hook but eats a counter left hook from Pereira. A jab lands for both competitors, then a step-up knee also finds a home for the challenger as the two now end up clinched against the fence. Both now circle back to the center of the octagon and Pereira lands a head kick and a left hook then Pereira ends up taking Adesanya down right before the buzzer and this one is headed to round number three.

Round Three – A right hook lands for Adesanya to open the third round. Pereira lands a right hook of his own, as does a knee to the body. Pereira lands a body kick but Adesanya uses it to shove Pereira to the mat and the champion gets back control. Pereira scrambles, Adesanya lands a few shots from the top and Pereira drags himself to the fence and up to one knee. Adesanya latches himself onto the challenger’s back, Pereira fights the hands and starts back elbowing Adesanya’s left thigh. Adesanya continues to ride the back and lands a few left hands from the top but Pereira gets back to his feet. Adesanya stays locked onto Pereira and drags him back to the mat, Pereira rolls and goes for a leg lock but Adesanya scrambled and ends up in top control. Pereira lands a nasty elbow from the bottom but Adesanya eats it and lands some ground-and-pound from top control. Adesanya stands up, Pereira with an up-kick to the body and Adesanya lands a wild ax-kick to the body of Pereira right before the buzzer and this one is headed to championship rounds.

Round Four – A low kick for Pereira lands to start. Pereira lands a straight left to the body followed by another leg kick. A hard leg kick lands for Adesanya, as does a straight left. Adesanya lands an overhand right, then a right hook, and a body kick. Adesanya lands another body kick, then a left hook and a kick to Pereira’s lead leg. Adesanya level changes, Pereira holds firm and backs up to the fence, where Adesanya clinches. Adesanya lands a right hook, Pereira responds with a left hook and an uppercut that partially lands. Adesanya clinches but Pereira lands a knee to the body and then another. Pereira cracks Adesanya with a right hook at the horn and this one is headed to the fifth and final round.

Round Five – Adesanya opens the final frame with a leg kick. Pereira rips a left book to the body then a low kick. A right hook lands for Pereira, Adesanya clinches and Pereira throws his hands up trying to get Adesanya to back off, which he does. Pereira checks a leg kick by Adesanya and the champion falls to the mat but pops right back up and looks fine. Pereira cracks Adesanya with a right hook and the champion is hurt! Pereira smells blood and starts unloading and referee, Marc Goddard is close to stopping this one, Pereira lands a left hook, then an uppercut and a 1-2, then a right hook and Goddard has seen enough! Wow! New champion! Alex Pereira has Israel Adesanya’s number and now holds three wins, including two knockouts over the now-former champion!

Result: (#4) Alex Pereira def. Israel Adesanya via TKO (punches) (2:01, R5)

Carla Esparza (C) vs. (#2) Zhang Weili — UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship

Round One – Zhang with a low kick to start. Esparza lands a jab and Zhang comes back with another leg kick. Zhang with a straight left followed by yet another kick to Esparza’s lead leg and just misses a side kick to the body. Zhang cracks Esparza with a head kick, then another but Esparza grabs her leg and trips Zhang to the mat but Zhang spins to the back and locks in a choke. Esparza goes for side control, Zhang scrambles and takes the back again but Esparza escapes and ends up with top control. Zhang scrambles then kicks her way to her feet and both competitors circle back to the center of the octagon. Zhang with a side kick to the body but Esparza catches it and tosses Zhang to the mat. Esparza unloads on Esparza with some elbows and ends up on top. Zhang lands a heavy elbow across the bridge of Esparza’s nose, Esparza teases a last-second armbar but the horn sounds to end a pretty entertaining opening frame. 

Round Two – Zhang with another kick to Esparza’s lead leg. Zhang cracks Esparza with a left hook and Esparza dives in for a takedown but Zhang ends up with back control and looks for the choke, Esparza fights the hands but Zhang frees her left hand and tucks in the choke under the chin and Esparza has no choice but to tap! Weili Zhang is now a two-time UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion!

Result: (#2) Zhang Weili def. Carla Esparza (C) via submission (rear-naked choke) (1:05, R2)

(#2) Dustin Poirier vs. (#5) Michael Chandler

Round One – Poirier with a low kick to start. Chandler lands a kick to the body and dives for a takedown but Poirier shoves the former Bellator Champion aside. Chandler throws a low kick but Poirier checks it before Chandler lands a bevy of shots and a right hook lands. Poirier backs up to the fence, Chandler lights him up with a 1-2, a left hook to the body and Poirier fires back with a straight left. Chandler stuns Poirier with an overhand left then a kick to the body and Chandler cracks Poirier with a right hook, then a wild combination and scoops and slams Poirier to the mat. Chandler gets side control and Poirier scoots to the fence as Chandler stays latched on. Poirier turns to his stomach, Chandler looks for the back as Poirier stands back up but Chandler has the clinch against the fence locked up. Chandler trips Poirier back to the mat for a moment, Poirier pops back up, Chandler slams Poirier with a back suplex but Poirier jumps back to his feet. Poirier cracks Chandler with a 1-2, Chandler comes back with a right hook, Poirier drops Chandler with a right hook and Poirier unloads with a bunch of shots but Chandler keeps throwing back until the buzzer sounds and this one somehow is headed to the second round.

Round Two – Chandler presses forward despite a very possible broken nose. Chandler lands a 1-2 and trips Poirier to the mat for an early takedown. Poirier lands some elbows from the bottom but Chandler starts landing some ground-and-pound. Poirier tries to sneak in a triangle but Chandler escapes and takes Poirier’s back. Poirier scoots to the fence as Chandler looks for a choke but Poirier defends well for the time being. Chandler tried for a neck crank, Poirier is flattened out but quickly turns to his side and Chandler once again looks for the neck crank. Poirier gets his back against the cage but Chandler drags him off the fence and lands some shots to the back of the head and referee, Dan Miragliotta warns Chandler to watch out for the shots behind the head. Chandler now starts unloading to the side of the head and Poirier has been getting pounded for the balance of this round, which ends by the horn and this one is somehow headed to the third and final round. 

Round Three – Chandler whiffs on a 1-2 but lands a kick to the body. Chandler scoops and slams Poirier but Poirier flips back and ends up with top control. Chandler rolls, Poirier gets the back but Chandler defends well…for now, anyway. Poirier sneaks in under the chin out of nowhere and falls to his back and Chandler’s face is turning purple with a potential broken nose and he has no choice but to tap! What a fight! What a win for Dustin Poirier! 

Result: (#2) Dustin Poirier def. (#5) Michael Chandler via submission (rear-naked choke) (2:00, R3)

(#12) Frankie Edgar vs. Chris Gutierrez

Round One – Gutierrez with a low kick to start. A spinning back-fist lands for Gutierrez, so does another kick to Edgar’s lead leg. Gutierrez fires off a flying knee out of nowhere and Edgar is out cold! Wow, what a performance by Chris Gutierrez! A bitter ending to a sure-fire Hall of Fame career for ‘The Answer’.

Result: Chris Gutierrez def. (#12) Frankie Edgar via KO (flying knee) (2:01, R1)

(#12) Dan Hooker vs. Claudio Puelles

Round One – Hooker with a low kick to start. Hooker stays busy with kicks but nothing of consequence lands, thus far. Puelles checks a pair of inside leg kicks from Hooker but misses a high kick of his own in response. Puelles dives in with an imanari roll and gets Hooker to the mat. Puelles stays latched onto Hooker’s ankle and uses it to get to top control. Hooker lands a few shots to the side of the head as Puelles looks to transition and he immediately gets a heel hook locked in on Hooker’s left ankle. Hooker remains calm and tries to loosen the hold of his leg and does a great job to get out and end up on top. Hooker wants no part of it and gets up, as does Puelles, who goes for another imanari roll but Hooker’s able to escape out of danger for the time being. Hooker lands a nice straight right hand and Puelles drops down to try and pull guard but Hooker avoids and the horn sounds to end the opening frame.

Round Two – Puelles immediately dives in for a takedown but Hooker shoves him back. Hooker lands a straight right and just misses a high kick in behind. Puelles dives for a takedown but eats a right hand, then a left and another straight left. Hooker drills Puelles with a left hook but Puelles grabs the ankle and shoves Hooker to the fence. Hooker goes for a guillotine and Puelles is forced to let go of the ankle and circle back to the center of the octagon. Puelles again latches onto the foot but Hooker shoves him back and then the exact same exchange happens once more and Hooker is visibly annoyed with Puelles, who gets a single leg as Hooker sprawls but Puelles remains latched onto the left leg of Hooker, who’s able to slide out and get back to his feet. Hooker lands a thunderous kick right up the middle on Puelles’ mid-section and Puelles is hurt bad. Puelles with a wild diving side kick but Hooker again lands a hard kick to the ribs and Puelles folds to the mat once again which is enough for ‘No Nonsense’ Keith Peterson to wave this one off! What a win for Dan Hooker!

Result: (#12) Dan Hooker def. Claudio Puelles via TKO (kick) (4:06, R2)

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