UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will face a familiar opponent when he takes on Alex Pereira at UFC 281 on Nov. 12 inside Madison Square Garden. Adesanya is looking to finally take down an opponent who is 2-0 against him in kickboxing.
In the kickboxing world, Pereira defeated Adesanya via decision in April 2016, and then won via knockout at Glory of Heroes 7 in March 2017. Since then, Adesanya has gone 12-1 in the UFC and has defended the UFC middleweight title five times. “The Last Stylebender” last fought in July, beating Jared Cannonier via unanimous decision.
Adesanya believes history will not repeat itself in New York.
"Threat meter, to be honest, as an MMA fighter... I'll give him a six, if I'm being honest...Completely honest: threat meter six. There's one thing he's really good at. It's that left hook and that's what he catches many people with. He's not going to catch me with a flying knee,” Adesanya told Combat TV, via Sportskeeda.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 281 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
Pereira joined the UFC in 2021 and is 3-0 with the promotion. Pereira last fought in July, beating Sean Strickland via knockout.
The Sporting News has you covered with all the information needed to watch UFC 281, including start time, live stream information, and PPV cost.
What time does UFC 281 start today?
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 12
- FIGHT PASS Prelims: 6:15 p.m. ET | 11:15 p.m. GMT | 10:15 a.m. AEDT
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET | 1 a.m. GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET | 3 a.m. GMT | 2 p.m. AEDT
- Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET | 5:15 a.m. GMT | 4 p.m. AEDT (approximately)
UFC 281 takes place on Nov. 12. The FIGHT PASS prelims begin at 6:15 p.m. ET, while the regular prelims start at 8 p.m. ET. The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET.
Adesanya and Pereira should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
In Australia, the prelims get underway at 10:15 a.m. AEDT Sunday. The main card begins at 2 p.m. AEDT, and the Adesanya vs. Pereira main event should take place about 4 p.m. AEDT.
MORE: How does scoring work in MMA?
How to watch UFC 281: Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. Nov. 12 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Sat. Nov. 12 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sat. Nov. 12 | BT Sport |
| Australia | Sun. Nov. 13 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
The main card for UFC 281 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost. Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+.
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass
In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport, with the prelims available on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira PPV price: How much does UFC 281 cost?
- $74.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
In the U.S., the UFC 281 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 281 is $74.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 281 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of $50 compared to purchasing the two separately.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 281 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $13.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $74.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $124.98, then $99.99/year |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
UFC 281 fight card
Main card
- Israel Adesanya (c) vs. Alex Pereira for the UFC middleweight title
- Carla Esparza (c) vs. Zhang Weili for the UFC strawweight title
- Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler; Lightweights
- Frankie Edgar vs. Chris Gutierrez; Bantamweights
- Dan Hooker vs. Claudio Puelles; Lightweights
Prelims
- Brad Riddell vs. Renato Moicano; Lightweights
- Dominick Reyes vs. Ryan Spann; Light Heavyweights
- Molly McCann vs. Erin Blanchfield; Flyweights
- Andre Petroski vs. Wellington Turman; Middleweights
FIGHT PASS Prelims
- Matt Frevola vs. Ottman Azaitar; Lightweights
- Michael Trizano vs. Choi Seung-woo; Featherweights
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez; Strawweights
- Julio Arce vs. Montel Jackson; Bantamweights
- Carlos Ulberg vs. Nicolae Negumereanu; Light Heavyweights
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