UFC
UFC stars and experts predicts Adesanya vs. Pereira: ”Bad night for Izzy again”
Israel ”The Stylebender” Adesanya wull defend his title at UFC 281. Photo: USA Today Sports
On November 12, we will se one of the most anticipated title fights of the year, when dominant middleweight champion Israel Adesanya put his title on the line against his rival Alex Pereira in the main event at UFC 281.
Click “Next” to check out how MMA pros and experts predict the exciting fight!
Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski – USA TODAY Sports
Pick: Adesanya
Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, who lost to Israel Adesanya twice, believes that the champion gets it done.
”If I was a betting man, then I had to go with Adesanya,” Whittaker says to James Lynch.
Michael Chandler
Michael Chandler.
Pick: Adesanya
Lightweight Michael Chandler thinks Adesanya will win the anticipated fight.
”I do think Izzy gets the job done,” Chandler says.
Derek Brunson
Derek Brunson. Photo: USA Today Sports
Pick: Pereira
Middleweight veteran Derek Brunson, who’s fighting Jack ”The Joker” Hermansson on December 3 believes a new UFC champ will be crowned in New York.
”Alex, he stays in there, he looks to trade, he’s not move back a lot. So you got five rounds to find you one punch. If I had to bet I go Alex, but I can easily see Izzy winning too,” Brunson says in an interview with Helen Yee.
Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland lost to Alex Pereira. Photo via YouTube and Viaplay
Pick: Adesanya
Middleweight Sean Strickland thinks Adesanya will win the MSG main event.
”He won’t make the same mistake I did. I wanted to fuck Alex up,” Strickland says to Helen Yee. ”He’s not going to fight Alex, he’s going to outpoint him and he’s going to win. Do you guys want to pay to watch Izzy outpoint Alex? I don’t know. I don’t.”
Marvin Vettori
Marvin Vettori. Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Pick: Pereira
Marvin Vettori, who lost to Adesanya twice, hopes that the champ will get knocked out at UFC 281.
”I really hope he goes out on another oxygen mask,” Vettori says. ”And I think that could happen because that’s going to be a kickboxing fight.”
Michael Bisping.
Pick: Adesanya
Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping thinks Izze gets his hand raised at MSG.
”I think that Adesanya probably wins the rematch once and for all,” Bisping predicts.
Johnny Walker
Johnny Walker. Photo: Jason da Silva – USA TODAY Sports
Pick: Adesanya
The Brazilian light heavyweight has a hard time choosing between ”Stylebender” and ”Poatan”.
”I think Adesanya is going to win, but Alex Pereira is really good as well. Both have knockout power,” Walker says. ”Both are strikers so it’s going to be a real fun fight to watch.”
Kevin Holland
Kevin Holland and Izzy. Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sport and Instagram (@stylebender)
Pick: Pereira
Former middleweight, now welterweight, Kevin Holland thinks history will repeat itself.
”Somebody’s got you twice, it’s hard for me to believe that the third time they’re not going to catch you, especially when they finish you each time. Timing beats speed, precision beats power. This guy seems to have good timing and good precision. Timing and precision put together, it’s a bad night for Izzy again,” Holland reasons.
Mike Perry
Mike Perry. Photo via Instagram: (@platinummikeperry)
Pick: Adesanya
Former UFC welterweight Mike Perry roots for Izzy, but sees ”Poatan” as a very big threat to the middleweight throne.
”Pereira is tough, but I like Adesanya and I want Adesanya to win. I want him to come back after what happened to him years ago,” Perry says.
Cory Sandhagen
Cory Sandhagen. Photo via Instagram (@corysandhagenmma)
Pick: Adesanya
Top ranked bantamweight Cory Sandhagen got the champion as the winner at UFC 281, even though he lost twice in kickboxing to Pereira.
”I think Izzy has the skills to win, but I think definitely it’s going to be a lot closer than a lot of Israel’s other fights,” Sandhagen says.
Rafael Fiziev
Rafael Fiziev. Photo via Instagram: (@rafael_ataman_fiziev)
Pick: Adesanya
Top ranked lightweight Rafael Fiziev thinks it will be a very interesting bout.
”I think Adesanya understands this game more than Pereira,” Fiziev says.
Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodriguez. Photo via Instagram (@d_rod_ufc)
Pick: Pereira
Welterweight Daniel Rodriguez thinks the Brazilian kick boxer gets it done at MSG.
”Alex Pereira on that one dude. That guy is a fucking beast,” Rodriguez says.” He is doing just what Adesanya was doing. Just knocking out names.”
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo. Photo via Instagram (@henry_cejudo)
Pick: Pereira
Former two-division champion Henry Cejudo thinks we will have a new champion on November 12.
”Pereira by knockout,” Cejudo predicts.
Dominick Reyes
Dominick Reyes. Photo: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Pick: Pereira
Light heavyweight Dominick Reyes, who also fights on the card, thinks we will see a new middleweight champion at UFC 281.
”Poatan, ’Hands of Stone’, he hits very hard,” Reyes says.
Jamahal Hill
Jamahal Hill. Photo via Instagram (@sweet_dreams_jhill)
Pick: Adesanya
UFC light heavyweight believes in Adesanya.
”I’m going to go with Izzy. It’s a different sport,” Hill says.
Dustin Jacoby
Dustin Jacoby. Photo via Instagram (@thehanyakdj)
Pick: Adesanya
Light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby thinks it will be an even fight between the two rivals, but gives the edge to Izzy.
”Two very high level strikers, and I’m going to give the edge to Adesanya. He’s got that champion mindset,” Jacoby reasons.
Chase Hooper
Chase Hooper. Photo via Instagram: (@choop556)
Pick: Adesanya
Featherweight Chase Hooper thinks ”Izzy” will defend his middleweight strap at UFC 281.
”As Adesanya being 0-2 technically against this guy already, he’s got something to prove, he might come out a bit harder” Hooper says.
Erin Blanchfield
Erin Blanchfield. Photo via Instagram: (@blanchfield_mma)
Pick: Adesanya
Flyweight Erin Blanchfield, who also competes at UFC 281, thinks ”Izzy” will get it done, even though he lost twice to Pereira.
”This is MMA, it’s a totally different sport,” Blanchfield reasons.
Tim Means
Tim Means. Photo via Instagra (@timdirtybird)
Pick: Pereira
”The Dirty Bird” believes that Pereira size and power will be a big factor at UFC 281.
”I think we have a new champion that night,” Means says.
Vanessa Demopoulos
Vanessa Demopoulos. Photo via Instagram (@lilmonsterdemo)
Pick: Pereira
Strawweight Vanessa Demopoulos thinks we will have a new champion named Alex Pereira after UFC 281.
”I think he’s ready this opportunity, especially against the current champion,” Demopoulos says.
Misha Cirkunov
Misha Cirkunov. Foto via Instagram (@mishac911)
Pick: Adesanya
Former UFC fighter Misha Cirkunov sticks with the champ at UFC 281.
”I’ll be rooting for him, He’s the champ and he defended his title many times,” Cirkunov says.
This is Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya. Photo: Jasmin Frank – USA TODAY Sports
- Age: 33
- Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
- Reach: 80 in (203 cm)
- Record: 23-1
- UFC record: 12-1
- Post-fight bonuses: 6
This is Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira will fight his fourth fight in the promotion at UFC 281. Photo: Ed Mulholland – USA TODAY Sports
- Age: 35
- Height: 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
- Reach: 79 in (200 cm)
- Record: 7-1
- UFC record: 3-0
- Post-fight bonuses: 2
Read more: The 10 most stacked UFC cards of all time
Read more: Full UFC 281 fight card revealed: Two title bouts and a massive lightweight grudge match
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