Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira headlines UFC 281 at MSG

Middleweight strikers Alex Pereira (left) and Israel Adesanya (right) will headline the UFC 281 card on November 12. Photo: Ed Mulholland – USA TODAY Sports and Jeff Bottari / Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports

The middleweight title bout between champion Israel ”The Last Stylebender” Adesanya and long-time rival Alex Pereira is official for UFC 281. The massive event takes place on November 12 at New York’s classic Madison Square Garden.

“This ends here. Kill or be killed,” Adesanya wrote on Twiter after the fight was announced.

📖😈 #UFC281
“Vengeance is mine says the lord.”
Brooooo I said the same thing too!!
This ends here. Kill or be killed ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/apLQsg2ifJ

— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) August 5, 2022

Read more: Light heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir will face Nikita Krylov at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi

Israel Adesanya lost twice in kickboxing

As kickboxers, Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira clashed twice in the ring, with the Brazilian winning both fights. Pereira first took a decision win in April 2016, then knocked out Adesanya with his patented left hook in their rematch in March 2017.

After just three fights in the UFC, Pereira will fight for the middleweight title. He made his debut against Andreas Michailidis with a second-round knockout win. In his next fight the Brazilian striker defeated Bruno Silva via unanimous decision, before knocking out Sean Strickland with a beautiful left hook at UFC 276 last month.

Read more: WBC champion Patricia Berghult has a new opponent – Unification fight in September!

UFC 281 is also the targeted card for a lightweight fight between top ranked Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler. The two rivals have been calling each other out for some time, and recently got into an verbal altercation visiting UFC 276.

Read more: Lightweight clash between Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler targeted for UFC 281

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