Reviewing the results of UFC 287

UFC 287 took place in the Magic City and ended up being a pretty good PPV. There were 3 finishes and 2 decisions on the main card, but the stories behind the fights, the main event in particular, are what really carried the show. We had fighters looking to prove a point, trying to revive their careers, and searching for revenge.

UFC 287 Results

Christian Rodriguez vs Raul Rosas Jr. (Bantamweight)

Winner: Christian Rodriguez via unanimous decision

The hype around the up and coming prospect, Raul Rosas Jr., was very high after an impressive debut at UFC 282. Christian Rodriguez wasn’t buying it though. He showed the 18 year old that he still has lots to learn and used his experience and calm under pressure to outwork the young buck. Rodriguez got the unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), but unfortunately he also missed weight which puts a bit of a damper on his big win. Rosas Jr. is young and getting humbled early on in his career shouldn’t stifle his rise much, especially considering he did well in the first round. As long as he keeps a good attitude, I expect him to improve after this loss.

Kevin Holland vs Santiago Ponzinibbio (Welterweight)

Winner: Kevin Holland by KO

After going 0-2 in his last couple of fights, Kevin Holland needed this win….not that you’d guess it from his blasé during fight week. Santiago Ponzinibbio needed it as well considering he was 1-2 out of his last 3. When it came time to fight, both men fought like they needed it which led to an exciting 12 minutes before the finish. Ponzinibbio came out hot, but still ended up getting dropped in the first round. Holland played a patient and well rounded striking game with kicks and an emphasis of firing his left hand. Ponzi relied heavily on low kicks and had Holland’s leg buckling, but those efforts ended up being for naught. At 3:16 in the third round, Kevin Holland landed a hard left hook that face planted Ponzinibbio. I’d like to see Holland get a ranked opponent after this and with Michel Pereira sitting at 15, I think that sounds like an incredibly fun match up!

Rob Font vs Adrian Yanez (Bantamweight)

Winner: Rob Font by TKO

This mid card match up was one of my most anticipated fights of the night and the results did not disappoint! We had the UFC veteran Rob Font who was on a 2 fight losing streak facing Adrian Yanez, the exciting prospect who was undefeated in the UFC and flying high on a 9 fight winning streak. Both men came out of the gate swinging, with Yanez landing a hard shot that damaged Font’s eye. Font was undeterred and landed a vicious uppercut that dropped Yanez. Font landed some ground and pound before the referee called the fight at 2:57 in the first round. Again, this is a loss that the younger fighter, Yanez, should learn and grow from. For Font this is the invigorating win that his career needed. He is ranked at #6 now and I think Petr Yan (#4) would be a good next match for him.

Co-Main event: Gilbert Burns vs Jorge Masvidal (Welterweight)

Winner: Gilbert Burns by unanimous decision 

This match for the crown of the “King of Miami” went about as expected. While Gilburt Burns is only a couple of years younger than Jorge Masvidal, Burns has been much more relevant as a top threat for years. Masvidal hasn’t won a fight since 2019 and lost in his three fights since (two against Kamaru Usman and one against Colby Covington.) Burns has only lost twice in his past 11 fights, with those losses being to former champion, Kamaru Usman, and the undefeated force that is Khamzat Chimaev. This match definitely didn’t feel or play out like a good co-main event fight, but despite that the Miami crowd was fully invested. Masvidal was the clear favorite and did a good job of not getting finished. He landed a couple decent shots and showed some good defense as Burns tried different tactics on the feet and on the ground. End of the night, Burns hit harder and felt in control of nearly the entire fight which earned him the unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28.) Masvidal appears to be headed toward retirement now which definitely feels like the right choice. I would really like to see Burns and Covington face off, because I believe Colby needs a relevant top 5 win after sitting out for over a year since his last victory over Jorge Masvidal, but it appears the UFC is going to gift him the title shot next. If that is the case then Belal Muhammad would be a good and fresh matchup for Burns.

Main Event: Alex Pereira (C) vs Israel Adesanya for the Middleweight Title

Winner: Israel Adesanya by KO

The rivalry between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya has been a legendary story. Pereira infamously defeated Adesanya in kickboxing twice, one of which ended in a brutal knockout. He then followed Adesanya to MMA and the UFC where he flew through the ranks until he earned the right to face the champion. When they came face to face again, The Last Stylebender lost for the third time against Poatan and was once again knocked out. Adesanya was given the rematch and came into it determined to get his revenge. Many questioned his mental game and wondered how he’d bounce back from such a devastating loss to his formal rival. The answer to those questions was quickly revealed as the two faced off once again last Saturday. Despite some hard leg kicks from the champion, Adesanya kept his cool and made the adjustments he needed. It felt like deja vu, when Pereira landed a kick that sent Adesanya backing up to the cage. Pereira tried to take advantage of the moment and chased him to the fence and despite landing a flurry of shots, that was the beginning of the end for him. Adesanya picked his counters perfectly and wobbled the champ with a left-right combo before dropping him entirely with another right hand. The fight was called in the second round at 4:21 and Adesanya celebrated his long awaited revenge over his fallen foe. It was hard not to be moved as Adesanya was reunited with the middleweight title and dropped the best post-fight speech of his entire career. 

“People, Earth; I need to say something, listen to me…I hope every one of you behind the screens or in this arena can feel this level of happiness just one time in your life. I hope all of you could feel how f***ing happy I am just one time in your lives. But guess what? You will never feel this level of happiness if you don’t go for something in your own lives. When they knock you down. When they try and s*** on you. When they talk s*** about you. And they try and put their foot on your neck. If you stay down, you will never ever get that resolve. Fortify your mind and feel this level of happiness as you rise.”

Israel Adesanya

If there was ever a time for an immediate trilogy fight, then this is the one. Especially since the cut to 185 is probably not one that Pereira will be able to make much longer. Unfortunately, Adesanya seems to want to put this rivalry behind him, but with no clear contender at Middleweight, he might have no choice except to face his greatest villain one more time for final bragging rights.