UFC 287 results, highlights: Israel Adesanya finally slays 'boogeyman' Alex Pereira, Jorge Masvidal retires

Daniel Yanofsky

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UFC 287 results, highlights: Israel Adesanya finally slays 'boogeyman' Alex Pereira, Jorge Masvidal retires image

MIAMI — During the build-up to UFC 287, many wondered whether Israel Adesanya could finally slay Alex Pereira, his personal Michael Myers. Pereira had had Adesanya’s number since 2016, and the reign of terror continued as Pereira followed his foe to the Octagon.

During fight week, Adesanya quoted Eminem to say he had one more shot, one opportunity, to avenge his loss at UFC 281. Like Eminem at the end of "8 Mile," Adesanya shined when it mattered the most. 

Saturday night at a sold-out Miami-Dade Arena, Adesanya knocked out Pereira in the second round to reclaim the UFC middleweight title. He beat "Poatan" at his own game, striking down the giant. 

"I hope some of you can feel this happiness at some point in your life... I hope all of you can feel how f------ happy I am right now... But you never feel this level of happiness if you don't go for something... The hunter became the hunted," Adesanya said afterward. "Beating me, he made me a better fighter, a better person. I didn’t f— around."

MORE: Masvidal is proof that rankings don't matter

The energy inside the arena was intense. The fighters did not touch gloves at the start. They exchanged leg kicks in the first and, like their last fight inside the Octagon, Adesanya landed combinations to be in control. Both attempted to land devastating head kicks and knockout blows. 

A high kick by Adesanya dictated the pace again in Round 2. Also like the last fight, Pereira took control by the cage. Unlike the last time, Adedanya recovered and landed his own big blows. They exchanged on the inside, and Pereira looked ready to hit the definitive strike to take Adesanya down yet again. 

Not this time. 

Adesayna had him spotted. He landed counters and a hook that dropped Pereira to the floor. He landed a few more clobbering blows on the canvas before the referee had seen enough. 

"The Last Stylebender" is now a two-time UFC champion. Not only did he end Pereira's winning streak against him, he also ended his rival's winning streak in the UFC at seven. 

In the co-main event, Jorge Masvidal lost to Gilbert Burns and then immediately retired from MMA. A pro since 2003, Masvidal became a cult hero in the UFC following his dramatic record KO of Ben Askren. The BMF champion ended his career on a four-fight losing streak.

"Sometimes your favorite basketball player don’t have that 3-pointer no more," Masvidal said. "Your favorite quarterback loses that rifle. I don’t feel the same when I get in here no more."  

Burns has now won his last two fights. He is looking to fight for the UFC welterweight title next or be the backup fighter for the proposed Leon Edwards-Colby Covington bout. If he's unable to do any of that, he wants the UFC to "let me go."

MORE: WWE's merger with Endeavor Group, explained

The Sporting News provided live results and highlights from UFC 287. Check it out.

Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2 results, highlights

Israel Adesanya KOs 'boogeyman' Alex Pereira to regain UFC middleweight title 

Round 2: High kick by Adesanya to start, attempting to dictate the pace like in the last fight. He hit a high kick to the face, but so did Pereira. They exchanged shots by the cage. Adesanya landed combinations to the face. Kicks were traded. Adesanya got rocked in the face by a punch. He then landed a hook. They exchanged on the inside. Pereira landed a pair of shots. A shot by Pereira. Then another. A counter by Adesanya and he landed a hook to take down Pereira for good. The crowd went crazy as Adesanya became champion again. 

Round 1: Leg kick by Pereira to start. Adesanya landed one of his own. Adesanya pressed forward, looking for an edge. Head kick attempt by Adesanya, and then he landed combinations. They are both circling the Octagon. Another high kick attempt by Adesanya. He landed combinations to Pereira's face. Gut kick by Adesanya, and another. Pereira tried for a devastating-looking high kick. Pereira kicked Adesanya down a peg by the cage. 

SN's Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9, Adesanya

12:40 a.m. ET: The scene is tense as Bruce Buffer makes the introductions. 

12:30 a.m. ET: The main event, Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya, is up next. Pereira is 3-0 against Adesanya across two combat sports. Can Adesanya finally stop Pereira, or will the Brazilian continue to haunt the former champion? It's a different vibe for Adesnya, who comes out to "Headstrong" by Trapt. 

Gilbert Burns def. Jorge Masvidal in Miami homecoming fight, Masvidal retires

Jorge Masvidal stays true to his word and retires following a loss. 

12:15 a.m. ET: The crowd cheered on Masvidal as Burns landed another shot to the head. Burns continued his assault as Masvidal pushed him back with kicks. Spinning front kick by Masvidal. Jabs by Burns took over and then a big right. And another. Masvidal was getting tagged. An uppercut and a straight right hurt Masvidal. He tried to land reaching blows. Burns dropped Masvidal by the cage. Burns won via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). 

12:10 a.m. ET: Burns just dropped Masvidal from mid-air in the second round. He continued to attack on the floor, to boos from the crowd. Burns smothered Masvidal and wouldn't let him move. Masvidal got back up but Burns did not let go and dropped him again. Back up, Masvidal kneed Burns in the stomach. They traded kick attempts. Burns landed a head kick in the third. 

Midnight ET: Kicks by Masvidal to start. He is the aggressor moving forward. Another calf kick. Huge kick by Burns to the stomach, and he almost landed a big punch to the face. Burns went for the jab early and landed a big cross. Masvidal came in strong with volume blows and a kick, while Burns countered with more kicks. Burns was swinging wildly, thinking he could drop Masvidal with just the snap of his fingers. Big shot by Burns, and Masvidal continued to counter. Burns landed a counter shot that pushed Masvidal's head back. He then landed a takedown before the end of the round. 

11:55 p.m. ET: The crowd is on its feet as Jorge Masvidal comes out to the Octagon. A win could bring him back to a title shot. A loss could result in retirement. 

Rob Font knocks Adrian Yanez straight to the moon

Font went for a hook right away. Yanez responded. Font landed an uppercut, and then they both traded shots. Font kept on jabbing away at Yanez and landed a swift kick to the face. Calf kicks and uppercuts came from Font, and Yanez wasn't blocking any shots. Long  overhands from Font landed, and then he landed a right hook from hell straight to the chin of Yanez. A few shots later and the fight was over. Ouch! 

11:30 p.m. ET: Up next is Rob Font vs. Adrian Yanez in what could be a good boxing bout. 

Holland called his shot after his fight: Jorge Masvidal.

Kevin Holland drops Santiago Ponzinibbio, wins via KO

11:20 p.m. ET: Holland landed additional blows that took the sweat off Ponzinibbio in Round 2. Holland was calculated with his offense pressing forward. Ponzinibbio landed a big shot that briefly pushed Holland back. Holland with a few jabs and shot when Ponzinibbio was ducking. Holland hit shots downward to the face of Ponzinibbio, who looked tired. The third round started quietly. Ponzinibbio landed calf kicks and Holland followed suit. They traded jabs, then Ponzinibbio hit hard blows to the face of Holland, followed by another big shot. Holland landed a big sweeping shot that dropped Ponzinibbio. The referee called the fight. Ponzinibbio protested. 

11:05 p.m. ET: Ponzinibbio stalked Holland to start the bout, but Holland landed a front kick to the gut. Holland connected with a right while Ponzinibbio attempted to push forward. Holland landed a counter punch to a kick and avoided several big shots as Ponzinibbio was chasing him down. Calf kicks by Holland, who looked looser. Counter shots continued to tag Ponzinibbio. As Ponzinibbio grabbed Holland's leg, Holland backslapped and dropped him. 

10:55 p.m. ET: Up next is Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio. 

Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald 2 from UFC 189 will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this year. One of the best, bloodiest fights you will ever see. 

Christian Rodriguez takes Raul Rosas Jr. to school, wins via UD

10:40 p.m. ET:  Rosas continued his dominant ways in Round 2. He is explosive and innovative. Rodriguez landed on top of Rosas and stayed there. Rodriguez was on Rosas' back and attempted a rear-naked choke. Both men traded shots in Round 3, with Rodriguez tagging Rosas. Rosas failed at a takedown attempt. Rodriguez was on top of Rosas, schooling the young fighter. He continued to attack the body, and Rosas could not fight back. Once back on the feet, Rosas was just flailing his arms. Rodriguez won via unanimous decision in a shocker (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Back to the drawing board for Rosas.

10:25 p.m. ET: "No-Nonsense" Keith Peterson is the referee. Rosas tried to swarm Rodriguez right away. Rosas finally took him down by the cage and attempted a guillotine. Rodriguez got back up, but Rosas continued to provide pressure. He landed a jumping punch from behind and took Rodriguez back down. Once on his back, he had the rear-naked choke in. Rosas worked past Rodriguez's counters. 

10:15 p.m. ET: The first fight of the main card is Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez. Rosas is 18 and considered the future of the sport. 

10 p.m. ET: The main card has started. Former President Donald Trump has arrived. 

9:55 p.m. ET: Curtis and Gastelum both landed combinations in Round 3. The pace has been incredible. They both started punching away. Counter right by Gastelum, and then he landed combinations. Big shot by Curtis. Gastelum tried to stay up. Gastelum smothered him by the cage. Curtis with body shots. Elbow by Gastelum. Combinations by both men had the crowd going wild. Gastelum won via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27). He looked like a killer after a year-plus away. 

9:35 p.m. ET: The last prelim fight is Kelvin Gastelum vs. Chris Curtis. Kicks by Gastelum to start, followed by volume strikes. Gastelum wound up his arm and Curtis responded with combinations. Curtis landed leg kicks and more combinations to the face. Gastelum landed kicks and tagged Curtis all over, causing him to bleed from his eye. They traded hard blows in the second. Curtis tried to drop him but Gastelum brought him down to the floor. Curtis recovered and forced the fight back to the feet. Body shot by Curtis and face shots by Gastelum. Overhand right by Gastelum. Curtis responded with hard combinations. They had a round for the ages.   

9:25 p.m. ET: Waterson landed a big jab, and Pinheiro was moving back to avoid more shots. In the third, Waterson avoided a takedown and grabbed Pinheiro, keeping her by the cage. Body shot by Pinheiro and Waterson fired back. On the floor, Waterson held onto her opponent until the final bell. Pinheiro won via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28). Not a robbery, but a close fight. 

9:05 p.m. ET: Up next is Michelle Waterson vs. Luana Pinheiro in strawweight action. Waterson landed a kick. Pinheiro hit back with a punch to the face. Head kick by Waterson missed, and "The Karate Hottie" was pushed back for her efforts. Pinheiro landed combinations that landed hard. Front kick to the upper body and Pinheiro went down. Back up, she landed a few kicks of her own. Waterson landed two head kicks in Round 2. She continued her attack by going toward Pinheiro's lower body. Pinheiro landed counter blows that forced Waterson by the cage. 

8:50 p.m. ET: High kick by Meerschaert to start things off. Pyfer missed a head kick of his own. Big right by Pyfer brushed Meerschaert back. Pyfer brought him down the floor with a head shot and continued to pound on Meerschaert until the referee had seen enough to award Pyfer the TKO win. 

8:45 p.m. ET: Up next is Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer. Pyfer came out to "No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper, putting him in the lead for Song of the Night.

8:30 p.m. ET: Godinez landed crisp counter shots in the third, including a kick and combos. She would not stop fighting forward. Calvilo opened up, landing shots later in the fight. Godinez landed a big takedown toward the end, however. Gonidez won via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27). 

8:15 p.m. ET: The first fight of the prelims was Cynthia Calvillo vs. Lupita Godinez. "Loopy" was aggressive to start, forcing Calvillo to back up toward the cage. While Calvillo pressed forward, Godinez didn't back down. Calvillo finally forced Godinez down to the floor. Calvillo was rocked by shots to the face in Round 2. 

8 p.m. ET: The prelims have started. It appears that Sam Hughes unknowingly discussed a betting matter that may cause some problems. 

The third bout of the early prelims featured Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Trey Ogden. Bahamondes won via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). 

In the first fight of the night, Sam Hughes defeated Jaqueline Amorim via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Amorim looked great in Round 1 but faltered as the fight went on. In the second fight, Steve Garcia landed a huge kick to the gut of Shayilan Nuerdanbieke in Round 2 for a comeback win. 

Welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of UFC 287. Right before fight night began, Karl Williams vs. Chase Sherman was nixed because of a medical issue for Sherman. 

UFC 287 results

Main card

  • Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira via 2nd-round KO for the UFC middleweight title (4:21). 
  • Gilbert Burns def. Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). 
  • Rob Font def. Adrian Yanez; via 1st-round TKO (2:57).
  • Kevin Holland def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via 3rd-round KO (3:16).
  • Christian Rodriguez def. Raul Rosas Jr. via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Prelims

  • Kelvin Gastelum def. Chris Curtis via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
  • Luana Pinheiro def. Michelle Waterson via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28).
  • Joe Pyfer def. Gerald Meerschaert via 1st-round TKO (3:15).
  • Lupita Godine def. Cynthia Calvillo via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27). 

Fight Pass prelims

  • Ignacio Bahamondes def. Trey Ogden via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
  • Steve Garcia def. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke via 2nd-round KO (0:36).
  • Sam Hughes def. Jaqueline Amorim via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Daniel Yanofsky

Daniel Yanofsky Photo

Daniel Yanofsky is the Combat Sports Editor for The Sporting News since late 2021. Prior to working for TSN, Daniel provided insight on combat sports for Fightful, FIGHT SPORTS, and Wrestling Inc. A proud Ithaca College alum, when he isn’t working on his golf game, Daniel is advocating for three-minute rounds in women's boxing.

You can follow him on Twitter via @DanYanofsky.