Tag: Alex Pereira

Alex Pereira recounts Glover Teixeira’s honest corner advice before final round that sparked UFC 281 comeback

A pre-round pep talk pushed Alex Pereira toward victory, as he detailed following his UFC 281 comeback.

NEW YORK – [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] is middleweight champion, thanks to honesty from his corner heading into the fifth round of his title fight Saturday at UFC 281.

As he strolled into the press room at Madison Square Garden fresh, Pereira (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) smiled, an unusual sight for a usually serious character. A title-earning TKO was the difference.

“A lot of emotions went through my head,” Pereira told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at the post-fight news conference. “So many years of hard work in that cage and here I am, champion of the world.”

Was it not for a serious last-round uptick in urgency, Pereira may have lost a decision, which is the direction the fight was trending. According to the scorecards, all three judges had him down 39-37.

Thanks to former light heavyweight champion [autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag] and his corner’s honesty, a spark was ignited and an inspired Pereira got the job done.

“Coming into this fight, I knew it was going to be a very hard fight,” Pereira said. “I tried to pace myself. But going into the last round, my corners and Glover kept it real with me. They looked in my eyes, and I said, ‘Do I have to knock him out?’ And Glover said, ‘You do have to knock him out.’ Then I said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’

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A kickboxing world champion of yesteryear, Pereira now hoists a major title in MMA, since he defeated Israel Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) by fifth-round knockout.

“This is the main one, for sure, because every other ones are important, but due to the history and everything, this is my main win,” Pereira said, to indicate this is the most meaningful championship of his career.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.

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UFC 281 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Second-highest total in Venum era

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 281 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $332,500.

NEW YORK – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 281 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $332,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 281 took place at Madison Square Garden. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The full UFC 281 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Claudio Puelles[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Brad Riddell[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Andre Petroski[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Wellington Turman[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Matt Frevola[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ottman Azaitar[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Karolina Kowalkiewicz[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Silvana Gomez Juarez[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Michael Trizano[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Seungwoo Choi[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Nicolae Negumereanu[/autotag]: $6,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2022 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $7,554,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $13,732,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC 281 with James Brown, AC/DC and Mötley Crüe

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC 281 event at Madison Square Garden in New York.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

See what the fighters from UFC 281 went with as their backing tracks in New York.

Dana White won’t rule out Israel Adesanya will get immediate rematch vs. Alex Pereira after UFC 281 loss

Following UFC 281, Dana White weighed in on the possibility Israel Adesanya gets an immediate rematch against Alex Pereira.

NEW YORK – Just because [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] is up to 3-0 in the lifetime series doesn’t mean a fourth [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] fight is out of the question.

According to UFC president Dana White, it’s possible the promotion runs the fight back with an immediate MMA rematch after UFC 281. He praised Adesanya’s willingness to compete and indirectly pointed to it as a reason for potential reward.

“(Adesanya) wanted this fight,” White told reporters and MMA Junkie at a post-fight news conference at Madison Square Garden. “A lot of people talk publicly and it’s a whole different story behind the scenes. That guy is an absolute stud. He always wants to stay active.

“In a fight that most guys would stall, ‘Give me more time. Give me this, that,’ he dove right into this fight. His only loss was when he tried to move up in weight to 205. You’ve got to respect him as champ and what he’s done. … I wouldn’t rule (an immediate rematch) out.”

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Pereira (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) defeated Adesanya for the third time in their combat sports careers when he stopped the then-champion by fifth-round TKO. The loss was Adesanya’s first at middleweight and his first stoppage defeat.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.

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UFC 281 results: Alex Pereira comes from behind, finishes Israel Adesanya again for middleweight title

Alex Pereira continues to have Israel Adesanya’s number as he moves to 3-0 vs. “The Last Stylebender.”

NEW YORK – Another chapter is etched in the book of [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] after Saturday – with similar twists and turns.

In the UFC 281 headliner Saturday, Pereira (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) rallied to score a standing TKO stoppage of Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) at 2:01 of Round 5. The bout took place at Madison Square Garden.

Pereira held two wins over Adesanya from kickboxing, one a controversial and one a rally knockout. At UFC 281, he added an MMA win to the head-to-head series with a standing, come-from-behind TKO.

Highlights of bouts yesteryear concluded with two unique and memorable walkouts, furthermore elevating the big fight feels founded on natural rivalry.

Pereira walked to the cage first to the sound of a traditional indigenous peoples’ song. Madison Square Garden was illuminated in Brazilian green. Then it was Adesanya’s turn. There were no “Undertaker” or samurai outfits, but “Jigsaw” from the SAW movies made an appearance on-screen.

In the final seconds of a competitive Round 1, Adesanya landed a pair of punches that had Pereira hurt on the feet. In Round 2, Pereira bounced back, however, as he continued to pressure Adesanya relentlessly throughout. Pereira scored a late takedown on Adesanya to the audible surprise of the crowd.

In Round 3, the tides switched back to Adesanya, as the fight took an unexpected left turn and became a grappling match. He carried the momentum into Round 4, as he picked apart the oncoming Pereira.

The tides turned in Round 5, however, as Pereira came out with a real sense of urgency. Potentially aware he was likely down three rounds to one, Pereira upped the ante. A checked leg kick knocked Adesanya off balance. Back up, Adesanya regained himself. Moments later, the barrage was back on. Pereira tagged Adesanya with a series of power punches.

Adesanya, with his back against the cage, tried to bob and weave his way out of danger, but referee Marc Goddard saw enough. He waved off the fight as Adesanya ducked and dodged. Initially, in protest, Adesanya didn’t complain further, during the official decision or otherwise.

With the victory, Pereira wins the title in just his eighth professional MMA fight. Since his arrival in MMA, Pereira has been linked to Adesanya for those previous wins. While some critics pointed out his short run to the title in the UFC – and in MMA as a whole – Pereira passed every test thrown in front of him since 2015.

Prior to UFC 281, Pereira defeated Andreas Michailidis, Bruno Silva, and Sean Strickland. The victory extends his MMA winning streak to seven.

With the defeat, Adesanya loses for the first time at middleweight. His consecutive title defense streak ends at five.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 281 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.

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Twitter reacts to Alex Pereira’s stunning title-winning TKO of Israel Adesanya at UFC 281

See the top Twitter reactions to Alex Pereira’s title-winning TKO over Israel Adesanya in the UFC 281 main event.

[autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] continued to be the thorn in [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]’s combat sports side on Saturday when he claimed the middleweight title from his rival in the UFC 281 headliner.

Pereira (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) completed his quick rise to the top of the weight class when he handed Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC), who he beat twice in kickboxing, a fifth-round TKO loss to claim gold in the main event at Madison Square Garden in Brazil.

With the victory, Pereira resets the title picture and gives Adesanya his first career defeat at 185 pounds.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Pereira’s title win over Adesanya at UFC 281.

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UFC 281: Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC 281 odds and lines between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.

In a middleweight championship bout in the co-main event, Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira meet Saturday at UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The early prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with the prelims on ESPNews/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, and the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.

Adesanya defended his middleweight title with a unanimous-decision (UD) win over Jared Cannonier last time out at UFC 276 in July. It’s his third straight UD victory, with wins over Robert Whittaker and Marvin Vettori, too.

Since arriving at the UFC level, “The Last Stylebender” has managed an 11-1 record, with a lone defeat coming via UD to Jan Blachowicz when he scooted up a weight class trying to become a 2-class champ.

The 33-year-old switch-stance fighter looks to drop Pereira, who has been on the fast track for a title shot.

Pereira is 3-0 since arriving at the UFC level, recording two KO/TKO wins and a UD over fellow Brazilian Bruno Silva. Last time out, Pereira destroyed Sean Strickland via 1st-round KO/TKO at UFC 276.

Adesanya has a 1-inch reach advantage, while Pereira has a 6.29-to-3.93 significant strikes landed per minute advantage in his brief time at the UFC level.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:50 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Adesanya -230 (bet $230 to win $100) | Pereira +175 (bet $100 to win $175)
  • Over/Under: 4.5 rounds (Over -127 | Under -107)
  • Fight to go distance: Yes (-125) | No (-110)

Claim your risk-free bet up to $350. Catch the excitement and start betting with Tipico Sportsbook! New customer offer in CO and NJ. 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!

UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira picks and predictions

Records: Adesanya (23-1-0) | Pereira (6-1-0)

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

Adesanya (-230) puts his strap on the line here, and Pereira (+175) has a chance to make history in the main event. But it isn’t happening. Not this time.

Adesanya knows what it takes to wow the judges with the technical aspects. His fights can be somewhat boring — he is like the Floyd Mayweather of the middleweight class. Adesanya doesn’t get a lot of finishes, but he outpoints fighters. He doesn’t take a lot of risks, doesn’t take a lot of unnecessary punches, and knows how to play it safe.

Look for this to be a distance-striking fight with few takedown attempts, as neither of these fighters will be eager to get to the canvas or walk into punches while upright. Pereira will play it just as safe as Adesanya here.

The best play on the board is not Adesanya on the 2-way line, but ADESANYA BY POINTS (+110) at plus money.

Over/Under (O/U)

YES: FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE (-125) is the play in all Adesanya fights, regardless of opponents. Neither of these fighters will be super aggressive for the knockout, or even less likely, the submission attempt.

The good news with Adesanya fights when buying a Pay-Per-View card is that you will get your money’s worth in terms of time spent watching.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira live-streaming watch-along with MMA Junkie Radio

Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live-streamed watch-along of the stacked UFC 281 event in New York.

UFC 281 takes place Saturday with two title fights atop the card, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live streaming watch-along right here, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET. The guys will be joined by Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick.

In the main event, middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] puts his title on the line against kickboxing foe [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]. The co-headliner pits strawweight champion [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] against former champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag]. The card also features a pivotal lightweight showdown between [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag].

UFC 281 takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

Below is the lineup of fights included in the watch-along:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira – for middleweight title
  • Champ Carla Esparza vs. Zhang Weili – for women’s strawweight title
  • Michael Chandler vs. Dustin Poirier
  • Frankie Edgar vs. Chris Gutierrez
  • Dan Hooker vs. Claudio Puelles

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Renato Moicano vs. Brad Riddell
  • Dominick Reyes vs. Ryan Spann
  • Erin Blanchfield vs. Molly McCann
  • Andre Petroski vs. Wellington Turman

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.

UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira live-streaming preview show with Farah Hannoun

Before the fights get underway, join MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun for a live-streamed preview of UFC 281.

UFC 281 takes place Saturday with two title fights atop the card, but before the fights get underway, join MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun for a preview show right here at 5 p.m. ET.

In the main event, middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] puts his title on the line against kickboxing foe [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]. The co-headliner pits strawweight champion [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] against former champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag]. The card also features a pivotal lightweight showdown between [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag].

UFC 281 takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

Below is the complete UFC 281 lineup:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira – for middleweight title
  • Champ Carla Esparza vs. Zhang Weili – for women’s strawweight title
  • Michael Chandler vs. Dustin Poirier
  • Frankie Edgar vs. Chris Gutierrez
  • Dan Hooker vs. Claudio Puelles

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Renato Moicano vs. Brad Riddell
  • Dominick Reyes vs. Ryan Spann
  • Erin Blanchfield vs. Molly McCann
  • Andre Petroski vs. Wellington Turman

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Ottman Azaitar vs. Matt Frevola
  • Silvana Gomez Juarez vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
  • Seungwoo Choi vs. Michael Trizano
  • Julio Arce vs. Montel Jackson
  • Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Carlos Ulberg

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.

Video: UFC 281 ‘On the Ground’ fight week vlog ahead of huge event

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn and Nolan King take you behind the scenes ahead of UFC 281 in New York.

NEW YORK – The UFC makes its annual stop in New York on Saturday for UFC 281, perhaps the biggest event of the year on paper.

There’s buzz behind the card, which will see a pair of championship fights unfold, as well as other key matchups at Madison Square Garden. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

In the main event, old rivals are renewed as [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) defends his middleweight title and looks to avenge a pair of kickboxing losses to [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC). The co-main event features women’s strawweight champion [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) looking to prove the doubters wrong against former champion [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

Also on the card, a bout between popular lightweights [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (28-7 MMA, 21-7 UFC) and [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is on top.

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn and Nolan King have been “On the Ground” all week for the event, and they caught up with some key players while exploring the city ahead of fight night. Check out the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.

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