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UFC 287 Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2: Odds & Picks (2023)

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On Saturday at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, the UFC will break out of its off-week hibernation with a banger of a pay-per-view event. At UFC 287, one of the most intriguing rivalries in combat sports will take center stage as Israel Adesanya attempts to defeat Alex Pereira for the first time in many encounters across two different sports in order to reclaim his middleweight title.

In the co-main event, Jorge Masvidal fights Gilbert Burns in a crucial welterweight matchup in his hometown. The preceding two fights on the card feature high stakes and brutal combat, with Adrian Yanez vs. Rob Font looking to establish himself as a bantamweight contender and Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio at 170 pounds. This has all the makings of a night to remember, especially when you take into account the most recent bout of possible phenom Raul Rosas Jr.

Let’s take a closer look at the bout that will round things out, the main event of the evening in one of my top UFC predictions.

UFC 287: Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2

All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Betting Profile: Alex Pereira (7-1-0)

Last Five Fights (W-W-W-W-W)

The UFC made the decision to expedite Pereira (7-1), who received a title opportunity after just four appearances with the promotion and is a hot-button rival of Izzy. Then, the promotion’s top brass decided the Brazilian power puncher was prepared for a title opportunity after his crushing knockout of then-rising contender Sean Strickland in July of last year.

Despite seeming outmatched for the first four rounds of their first matchup, the 35-year-old changed that opinion, as the challenger found a late push and stopped Adesanya with a barrage of blows rather than allowing Adesanya to glide to another unimpressive decision victory.

Betting Profile: Israel Adesanya (23-2-0)

Last Five Fights (L-W-W-W-L)

Adesanya (23-2) saw a quick ascent to fame in the UFC and competed for the championship in only his fourth outing with the organization. He was renowned for his grand entrances and brash but witty trash-talking, quickly becoming a fan favorite as he ascended to the throne.  In their fight in October 2019, he defeated former champion Robert Whittaker in the second round to win the championship and solidify his place as one of the game’s greatest names.

The 33-year-old New Zealander maintained his word by routinely defending the title against top-ranked competitors. He had promised to face all eligible championship challengers, evident by his November fight (and loss) to Pereira. Admittedly, the idea that he was fighting cautiously and that the division was running out of strong opponents caused his popularity to decline.

Bottom Line

Make no mistake, Adesanya could very well get caught again late here. If it should get there, which I don’t think it does, I do expect a world-class fighter in Izzy to have learned from his mistakes and draw this one into a constant clinch.

Best Bet: Israel Adesanya (-135)

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Johnny is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Johnny, check out his free UFC picks newsletter and follow him @JohnnyCovers.