Significant Stats | UFC 287: Pereira vs Adesanya 2

Key Stats: 12 knockdowns landed (1st), 60% significant strike defense (tied-6th), 18:26 average fight time (3rd longest all-time)

Order UFC 287: Pereira vs Adesanya 2

What It Means: “The Last Stylebender” is methodical, meticulous, and measured when it comes to breaking down his opponents round after round. He loves to start chopping his opponent’s legs early and often while presenting feints and different looks off those strikes. He’ll constantly switch stances and has the rare ability of staying defensively sound from both positions. Adesanya has a knack for mixing up his rhythm and catching opponents in those in-between moments of exchanges, which is set up layer-by-layer each round.  

What to Look For in the Fight: The fascinating aspect of this matchup is multi-layered. First, this is their fourth time facing one another across two disciplines, and just five months passed since their first MMA bout. Few secrets remain between them, particularly the wrinkle Adesanya presented with his grappling. Arguably, one could say Adesanya was well ahead in their second kickboxing and first MMA fights before “Poatan” flipped the script. He did a good job of chopping Adesanya’s legs when “The Last Stylebender” feinted, and shut Adesanya’s movement down significantly. It feels like Adesanya needs to maintain distance, manage danger and fight rather perfectly to win because of Pereira’s power. That said, if there was a fighter to do it, it’s Adesanya. Watch for who controls the real estate in the Octagon. Adesanya doesn’t mind striking while moving backward and against the fence, but Pereira is more of a stalking type who wants to eventually find the avenue for a knockout shot. However, they’re both lethal from any position.

Co-Main Event: Gilbert Burns vs Jorge Masvidal

Gilbert Burns

Key Stats: 8 knockdowns landed (tied-8th), 4.11 strikes landed per minute, 74% takedown defense

GREATEST HITS: Jorge Masvidal

What It Means: “Gamebred” is a savvy, crafty fighter. He throws heavy kicks to the legs and body, but his best strikes come off his boxing. He throws in bunches and often sucks opponents in before countering. He likes to hit a switch-step combination that ends in an overhand that is particularly explosive. Masvidal is adept at saving his explosive moments for when they’re most effective, whether he is landing his own strikes or defending takedowns.

What to Look For in the Fight: Burns’ clearest path to victory is similar to his one against Stephen Thompson: grapple. “Durinho” is physically strong, and his submission threat is significant, so he can force his opponents to be timid in their get-ups while maintaining control. That said, Burns loves a scrap, which plays into Masvidal’s hands. Masvidal doesn’t need much of a window to rock his opponent. When Burns wings his sweeping hooks, he might leave an opening for “Gamebred” to exploit.

Other Fights to Watch (Rob Font vs Adrian Yanez, Chris Curtis vs Kelvin Gastelum)

Rob Font

Key Stats: 1.91 knockdowns per 15 minutes (1st all-time among BW), 6.55 strikes landed per minute (3rd all-time among BW), 7:51 average fight time (5th shortest)

What It Means: Yanez is a real scrapper with a knack for finding the knockout shot. Part of that is because he’s more than willing to eat a few in order to land a few of his own. He’ll often be the one ending the exchanges with one last punch. Yanez’s boxing is very crisp, and he is particularly skillful in finding the knockout shot with his right hand or off a counter.

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What to Look For in the Fight: Not to be reductive, but this should be a banger. Yanez really hasn’t been in any fight that hasn’t been entertaining, and Font feels like the right dance partner to test Yanez on his ascent up the rankings while also chasing his own title aspirations. Font is going to work behind his jab, so look for Yanez to counter off it. He might struggle early, as Font is defensively sound and won’t really slow down, and Yanez likes to hang in the pocket for long stretches to land big punches, but that leaves him open.

Chris Curtis