UFC 287 Results, Live Coverage, and Discussion: Israel Adesanya Knocks Out Alex Pereira!

Welcome to Fightful.com‘s results, live coverage, and discussion for UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2.

We will bring you live play-by-play for UFC 287’s main card and full results for the rest of 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)

• (#1) Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira (C) via KO (punch) (4:21, R2) — UFC Middleweight Championship
• (#5) Gilbert Burns def. (#11) Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• (#6) Rob Font def. (#12) Adrian Yanez via TKO (punches) (2:57, R1)
• Kevin Holland def.  Santiago Ponzinibbio via KO (punch) (3:16, R3)
• Christian Rodriguez def. Raul Rosas Jr. via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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

• (#15) Kelvin Gastelum def. (#14) Chris Curtis via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• (#15) Laura Pinheiro def. (#10) Michelle Waterson-Gomez via split-decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Joe Pyfer def. Gerald Meerschaert via KO (punches) (3:15, R1)
• Loopy Godinez def. (#15) Cynthia Calvillo via split-decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

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

• Ignacio Bahamondes def. Trey Ogden via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Steve Garcia def. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke via KO (punch) (0:36, R2)
• Sam Hughes def. Jaqueline Amorim via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Play-by-Play

Alex Pereira (C) vs. (#1) Israel Adesanya — UFC Middleweight Championship

Round One – Pereira opens the action with a kick to Adesanya’s lead leg. Nobody’s rushing into anything as there’s so much respect between these two men, who are competing against one another for the fourth time, and of course, the second in MMA (and the UFC). Pereira just misses a front kick to the face, Adesanya lands a right hook, and the champion lands a low kick. Pereira lands a straight left to the body, Adesanya whips a lead leg kick onto Pereira and follows it up with another. Pereira pops the jab and lands a low kick as Adesanya just misses a side kick to the body. Pereira lands another low kick at the horn to end the opening frame.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Pereira.

Round Two – Adesanya partially lands a head kick to open the second round. Pereira cracks Adesanya with a right hand and the champion smells blood! Pereira swarms the challenger and lands a right hook, then a 1-2, then a side kick to the body, but Adesanya is punching his way back into it with a 1-2 to send the champion back for a moment. Pereira lands a low kick, Adesanya jabs, then just misses a looping right hand. Pereira lands a pair of low kicks then just misses a head kick. Pereira goes back to the well with another low kick and again, just misses a high kick. Pereira cracks Adesanya with a bevy of shots and Adesanya backs up against the fence, he’s hurt, but Adesanya rocks Pereira with a right hook out of nowhere, Pereira’s knee buckles, and Adesanya shuts Pereira’s lights out with a right hook! Israel Adesanta is once again the UFC Middleweight Champion of the world!

Result: (#1) Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira (C) via KO (punch) (4:21, R2)

(#5) Gilbert Burns vs. (#11) Jorge Masvidal

Round One – Masvidal opens with a low kick. Burns lands a pair of kicks to Masvidal’s lead leg and Masvidal lands another. Burns pops the jab then whiffs on an overhand left. Burns lands a straight left, then a jab, and a 1-2 as Masvidal lands another low kick. Burns lands a side kick to the body and Masvidal lands yet another low kick. A lead leg kick exchange occurs and Burns just misses a massive overhand right. Burns ducks under a Masvidal right hand and clinches but Masvidal slides off and circles to the center of the cage. Masvidal lands a side kick to the body, Burns with a flurry, then a low kick, and Masvidal rushes forward with a bevy of shots but nothing of consequence lands for Masvidal. Burns cracks Masvidal with a right hook, then another and Masvidal sticks his tongue out at Burns, who trips Masvidal to the mat and pours down heavy shots from the top but the horn sounds to end an eventful opening frame.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Burns.

Round Two – Burns lands a right hook and Masvidal stumbles to the mat but it looks like a slip, not a knockdown. Burns rushes toward Masvidal, scoops and slams Masvidal to the mat with well over four minutes to work. Burns settles into top control and lands some short shots to body of Masvidal. Burns slices a pair of elbows across Masvidal’s forehead and Masvidal is holding Burns’ head down looking for the stand up but Burns remains active enough to remain on the ground for the moment. Burns is shoving Masvidal around the mat and steps over for partial side control but Masvidal is worming his way up the fence. Burns shoves Masvidal to the side, Masvidal gets to his feet but Burns slams him right back down to the mat with his third recorded takedown of the bout. Masvidal scrambles back to his feet with about 30 seconds to go in the round. Masvidal goes for a flying knee but Burns evades and the buzzer sounds to send this one to the third and final round.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Burns. 20-18 to Burns after two rounds.

Round Three – Masvidal just misses a front kick to start. Masvidal whiffs on a spinning back kick to the body and eats a left hook from Burns. Masvidal backs up to the fence and eats a massive right from Burns, who smells blood but Masvidal pops the jab to get himself off the fence. Burns lands a right hook, then an uppercut, then another right hook lands for Burns. Masvidal looks tired and hurt and Burns cracks him with an overhand right, then a straight left but a right hook lands for Masvidal. Burns clobbers Masvidal with a 1-2 then ducks out of the way of a right hook from Masvidal. Burns dives in for a takedown but Masvidal backs himself up to the fence as the clock ticks under 90 seconds remaining in this one. Burns trips Masvidal to the mat with just over a minute to go and time may be running out for Jorge Masvidal. Burns now has side control. Masvidal scrambles, Burns stays attached and lands a few short shots to the head and the horn sounds to send this one to the judge’s scorecards.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Burns. 30-27 to Burns overall.

Result: (#5) Gilbert Burns def. (#11) Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

(#6) Rob Font vs. (#12) Adrian Yanez

Round One – Font lands a left hook to start. Font rips a right hook to the body but Yanez drills Font with a counter right hook. Yanez rocks Font with a 1-2, Font is hurt, Yanez continues the barrage and blasts Font with a left hook, but Font drops Yanez with a massive right hook! Font rushes over and lands a few shots of ground and pound and referee Keith Peterson waves this one off! What a performance by Rob Font!

Result: (#6) Rob Font def. (#12) Adrian Yanez via TKO (punches) (2:57, R1)

Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio

Round One – Ponzinibbio opens with a low kick. Ponzinibbio lands a second and a third kick to Holland’s lead leg. Holland responds with a 1-2, then pops the jab. Holland just misses the mark on a front kick but follows it up with a low kick, then a solid calf kick. Ponzinibbio rips a straight left to the body, then a side kick to the body. Ponzinibbio rushes forward with a wild flurry, nothing of consequence lands, but he lands a thunderous kick to Holland’s lead leg. Another wild flurry is thrown by Ponzinibbio but nothing catches Holland and Holland responds with a 1-2. Holland cracks Ponzinibbio with a right hook but Ponzibbio returns the favor with a left hook. Holland lands a low kick, then a kick to the body and goes for another body kick, Ponzinibbio catches the leg, Holland trips him to the mat and blasts Ponzinibbio with a spinning side fist but the horn sounds to end an eventful opening frame!

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Holland.

Round Two – Holland opens the action with a 1-2. A graphic pops up on the UFC broadcast showing that Holland has landed 36 significant strikes while Ponzinibbio has attempted just 38. Holland lands a slick straight left then has a high kick blocked by Ponzinibbio. A thunderous leg kick lands for Ponzinibbio and Holland fires back with a 1-2. Ponzinibbio lands another hard lead leg kick and this time, Holland returns the favor with a pair of big leg kicks. Holland pops the jab, Ponzinibbio goes back to the well with another leg kick and Holland responds with a front kick to the body. Ponzinibbio clinches and goes for the takedown but Holland defends well and shoves Ponzinibbio back before circling back to the center of the octagon. Holland pops the jab then wallops Ponzinibbio with a big elbow, Ponzinibbio launches a pair of big hooks that don’t land at the buzzer and this one is headed to the third and final round.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Holland. 20-18 to Holland after two rounds.

Round Three – Holland opens the finale frame with a jab. Holland just misses the mark on a front kick and does the same with an overhand right. Holland lands a left hook, then a low kick, and pops the jab. Ponzinibbio lands a low kick, Holland cracks him with an elbow, then a straight left. Ponzinibbio lands yet another lead leg kick and drills Holland with a left hook. Holland with a low kick, then a front kick to the body lands in behind. Holland whiffs on a front kick to the face but connects with a side kick to the body before missing the mark on a spinning back kick to the body. Holland catches a body kick from Ponzinibbio, cracks him with a right hook then sends him face first to the mat with an overhand left and referee Dan Miragliotta wastes no time in waving this one off! Statement performance from Kevin Holland!

Result: Kevin Holland def.  Santiago Ponzinibbio via KO (punch) (3:16, R3)

Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez

Round One – Rosas immediately dives in for a double leg and has Rodriguez pressed against the fence. Rosas trips Rodriguez to a knee but Rodriguez quickly pops back up to his feet. Rosas lands a couple stomps to Rodriguez’s feet and the 18-year-old prodigy continues to look for the takedown whilst clinched. Rosas snatches a leg and spins Rodriguez to the mat with over three and a half minutes to work. Rosas looks for the guillotine but Rodriguez spins and gets back to his feet. Rosas clinches right back up and has Rodriguez against the cage well. Rosas has the back and slams Rodriguez on his side but Rodriguez gets right back up and continues to defend pretty well. Rosas leaps onto Rodriguez’s back and looks for the choke. Rosas gets under the chin, Rodriguez is defending well for the moment, Rosas readjusts and looks for the neck crank and falls back to the mat but Rodriguez breaks the hold. Rosas still has the back, but now on the mat with the body lock intact. Rosas looks for an armbar but he runs out of time as the horn sounds to send this one to round number two.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Rosas Jr.

Round Two – Rosas waits about three seconds longer than he did in the opening round but again goes right for a takedown. Rodriguez sprawls and ends up with top control but Rosas scrambles right back to his feet and looks for another takedown but eats a knee to the chin from Rodriguez as Rosas has him clinched. Rodriguez forces the break and circles back to the center of the cage but Rosas dives in yet again. Rosas has the back whilst clinched and drags Rodriguez to a knee but Rodriguez is right back up for the moment. Rosas trips Rodriguez to the mat but Rodriguez shifts to side control with a great transition. Rodriguez is on top in a north south position before moving to side control. Rosas scrambles but Rodriguez ends right back up in side control. Rodriguez lands some elbows to the body as Rosas gets back to north south. Rosas rolls to his back, Rodriguez looks for the choke but Rosas continues to scrambles relentlessly. Rodriguez rolls to his back and has Rosas in a precarious position. Rodriguez looks for the choke, Rosas tucks the chin, Rodriguez lands some side punches to the body and looks for the choke once again. Rosas faced easily the most adversity in his young career but he’s able to escape until the buzzer and this one is headed to round number three.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Rodriguez. 19-19 after two.

Round Three – Rosas opens the final frame with a left hook. Rosas leaps in with a flying knee to the body but Rodriguez meets him with a right hook. Rosas dives in, Rodriguez sprawls and shoves Rosas back. Rosas with a low kick and dives in but Rodriguez avoids the takedown yet again. Rosas changes levels yet again but Rodriguez sprawls and now has top control. Rosas looks exhausted and he rolls to his stomach as Rodriguez starts landing some shots from the top. Rodriguez looks for the choke but gives it up and returns to the ground and pound. Rodriguez rolls to his back and has the body lock intact. Rosas defends well for the moment and tucks the chin, Rodriguez lands some shots, switching to the body and the head and looks for the choke but Rosas continues to defend well. Rosas scrambles but Rodriguez isn’t letting him go anywhere and seems content to seemingly secure the decision victory but Rosas scrambles to his feet with 15 seconds to go. Rodriguez fires off a 1-2, Rosas lands a left hook, Rodriguez just misses a straight right and the horn sounds to send this one to the judge’s scorecards.

Fightful scores this round 10-9 to Rodriguez. 29-28 to Rodriguez overall.

Result: Christian Rodriguez def. Raul Rosas Jr. via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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