Tag: Alex Pereira

UFC 281 ‘Embedded,’ No. 4: Carla Esparza, Michael Chandler get Times Square moments

In the fourth episode of “Embedded” ahead of UFC 281 in New York, Carla Esparza and Michael Chandler have surreal moments in Times Square.

The UFC is back with its latest pay-per-view and a return to New York, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

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

The main event is a middleweight title fight between champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC). They have met twice before – but in kickboxing. Pereira has a pair of wins over Adesanya in those bouts.

The co-main event is a women’s strawweight title fight between champ [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and former titleholder [autotag]Zhang Weil[/autotag]i (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC). In addition, [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (28-7 MMA, 20-6 UFC) in a key lightweight bout, and former lightweight champion [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] (24-10-1 MMA, 18-10-1 UFC) fights in what likely will be his final bout when he meets [autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag] (18-3-2 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) at bantamweight.

The fourth episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Champ Carla Esparza and Michael Chandler take in their billboard. Dustin Poirier loosens up in the ring. Molly McCann meets a legend. Zhang Weili crosses paths with Esparza. At media day, champion Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira talk up their main event.

Also see:

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

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Robert Whittaker: ‘Defensive fighter’ Israel Adesanya the safe bet over Alex Pereira

Robert Whittaker thinks middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is the safe pick against Alex Pereira in the UFC 281 main event.

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] thinks middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] is the safe pick against [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] at UFC 281.

Adesanya (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) will look to notch his sixth title defense when he meets Pereira in Saturday’s main event at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

Based off their kickboxing history, Pereira (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has the edge on paper with two wins over Adesanya. However, having lost to Adesanya twice in title fights, Whittaker thinks “The Stylebender” is the more defensively sound fighter.

“(It’s) really hard to say because I think this is a 50-50 fight,” Whittaker told Fox Sports Australia. “But if I was betting my house, I would have to say Israel because in a fight like this, the defensive fighter is definitely the safer play. And what Adesanya does well – defensive striking, using his range, reach and height to it’s best advantage – he does it so well. Not only that, it’s super effective against everyone. So he hasn’t needed to change things up. It works on everyone.

“As I said, Adesanya is the safer bet. He’s a defensive striker and also the champ. If it’s a closer decision, it usually leans toward the champ.”

Ex-champ Whittaker (24-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) will look to get another crack at gold when he takes on Paulo Costa at UFC 284 in Perth, Australia, in February. Adesanya told Fox Sports Australia he’d be open to a trilogy with Whittaker, but he has to “generate f*cking interest” and get their bout to generate “millions and millions of dollars.”

If Whittaker gets past Costa, he will have beaten another former title challenger, which he thinks is enough.

“Well, what more does he want me to do?” Whittaker said. “Hit him with my car? Any fight between us, people are going to watch. It’s going to be so high level that everyone tunes in.

“He’s already earning millions – gets paid more than everyone else. So I don’t know. … When it comes to us fighting, I can’t do much more than I’ve already done.”

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

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UFC 281 faceoff: Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira lock eyes for ‘personal’ title fight

Champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Alex Pereira sized each other up for the first time at UFC 281 fight week.

NEW YORK – Champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] and challenger [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] had their first UFC 281 pre-fight faceoff at Wednesday’s news conference.

Ahead of their highly anticipated middleweight title headliner, which takes place at Madison Square Garden and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+, Adesanya (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) and Pereira (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) got fight week rolling with a staredown in front of fans and media.

With Pereira already holding two wins over Adesanya from their kickboxing careers, the champion has called this fight “personal.” He’ll try to get revenge on his Brazilian foe and defend UFC gold for a sixth consecutive time.

Both men were intense but showed restraint during the faceoff, which you can watch in the video above.

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

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UFC 281 ‘Embedded,’ No. 3: ‘Meatball’ Molly McCann arrives and does some autograph work

In the third episode of “Embedded” ahead of UFC 281 in New York, Molly McCann and others arrive to get their fight weeks started.

The UFC is back with its latest pay-per-view and a return to New York, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

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

The main event is a middleweight title fight between champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC). They have met twice before – but in kickboxing. Pereira has a pair of wins over Adesanya in those bouts.

The co-main event is a women’s strawweight title fight between champ [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and former titleholder [autotag]Zhang Weil[/autotag]i (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC). In addition, [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (28-7 MMA, 20-6 UFC) in a key lightweight bout, and former lightweight champion [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] (24-10-1 MMA, 18-10-1 UFC) fights in what likely will be his final bout when he meets [autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag] (18-3-2 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) at bantamweight.

The third episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Michael Chandler gets a ride from a friend. Alex Pereira packs for a life-changing week. Champ Carla Esparza enjoys the perks of her job. Champ Israel Adesanya and team push hard. Dustin Poirier, Molly McCann and Zhang Weili check in.

Also see:

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

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Video: Does Israel Adesanya have the right mindset entering Alex Pereira trilogy at UFC 281?

The UFC 281 title-fight main event between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira is a unique one. Yes, Adesanya is the middleweight champion, but how could he possibly feel like the man to beat given his history with Pereira? Pereira owns two wins over …

The UFC 281 title-fight main event between [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] is a unique one.

Yes, Adesanya is the middleweight champion, but how could he possibly feel like the man to beat given his history with Pereira? Pereira owns two wins over Adesanya in two previous kickboxing bouts, one of them being a knockout, and it’s clear those two losses still weigh heavy on the champ.

Heading into UFC 281, Adesanya has flat-out said “f*ck the belt” and that simply beating Pereira on this biggest stage is “what matters.”

“If there’s ever a fight I have to win, it’s this one,” Adesanya said.

It’s not often that we’ve heard Adesanya humble himself like this before a fight, so what do we think? Is he in the right head space for this matchup, or could he be putting too much pressure on himself?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Danny Segura, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Simon Samano give their thoughts with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia. You can watch their discussion in the video above and check out this week’s full episode below.

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Monday LIVE on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel.

Alex Pereira: Israel Adesanya would deserve title rematch after UFC 281 but ‘isn’t going to want it’

Alex Pereira is confident his business with Israel Adesanya will reach a conclusion after UFC 281 one way or the other.

NEW YORK – [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] is confident his business with [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] will reach a conclusion at UFC 281 one way or the other.

If Pereira (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) follows through on his promise to claim the UFC middleweight title from Adesanya (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) on Saturday, he would be up 3-0 in their head-to-head matchups between kickboxing and MMA competition. “The Last Stylebender” has six consecutive title defenses and would be warranted to get a rematch if he drops the strap, and Pereira agrees. Whether Adesanya would actually want the fight, however, is a different story.

“It makes no difference who they want to put after (to challenge for the belt),” Pereira told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at UFC 281 media day. “He deserves it, but after this fight he isn’t going to want it.”

Pereira’s pair of kickboxing wins over Adesanya included a decision in the first fight and a knockout in the second contest. He’s the only person to stop Adesanya in combat sports, and that result has been a massive selling point in bringing the pair together for the UFC 281 headliner.

Adesanya has said the matchup, which takes place at Madison Square Garden and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+, is “personal” to him because of the history. Pereira denies that notion on his end and said Adesanya’s comments prove that he’s rattled by the prospect of doing this fight.

“No (it’s not personal), not for me,” Pereira said. “I will do my work and job like I would if I was fighting anyone else. I just focus on fighting for the title. …. I don’t know how he would possibly be over that (knockout). It’s still in his mind.”

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The expectations from many observers is that Pereira and Adesanya will pick up where they lift off in the kickboxing ring and engage in a striking-only affair in the octagon. Pereira said he’s ready for everything, but he has no expectations of grappling. And if Adesanya tries to take the fight to the mat, Pereira said it will already be over for him.

“Anything can happen – many possibilities,” Pereira said. “Maybe Israel can go and try to take me down. If that happens, it’s going to be more of desperation instead of strategy.”

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

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Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya full fights, knockout videos: Watch what laid groundwork for UFC 281 main event

Watch the kickboxing knockout that led to the Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira rivalry. They meet Saturday in the UFC 281 main event.

The stars aligned at UFC 276 for a highly anticipated third combat sports meeting between rivals [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag].

Since Pereira fully committed to the mixed martial arts path, the buzz around a potential meeting with UFC middleweight champion Adesanya in MMA steadily grew.

Ahead of UFC 276, promotion president Dana White said that would be the next title fight if both men won, which they did. Adesanya cruised to a unanimous decision over Jared Cannonier shortly after Pereira quickly knocked out Sean Strickland in Round 1.

Saturday, they’ll meet for Adesanya’s 185-pound title in the UFC 281 main event at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

While fans likely are familiar with their MMA careers, Adesanya encouraged fans and reporters to watch his fights against Pereira. The first meeting took place in April 2016, during which Adesanya lost a unanimous decision to Pereira – a decision Adesanya disputes.

The rematch took place in March 2017 and the full highlights of the fight can be seen in the video above. As Adesanya outlined during his UFC 276 pre-fight news conference, he had Pereira hurt prior to a table-turning left hook knockout by his Brazilian opponent.

Check out the Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira 2 fight highlights in the video above from the Glory of Heroes kickboxing promotion. Or you can check out both fights in full below.

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

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Glover Teixeira says Alex Pereira will make Israel Adesanya fight: ‘You’re getting touched by those hands’

Coach and training partner Glover Teixeira thinks Alex Pereira will force Israel Adesanya into a brawl in the UFC 281 main event.

[autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag] expects [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] to keep [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] on his back foot.

Pereira (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who trains with former light heavyweight champion Teixeira, challenges champ Adesanya for the middleweight title in Saturday’s UFC 281 main event at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

Although he holds knockout wins over the likes of Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa, Adesanya (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) has received criticism for his lack of activity in his past few title defenses. But Teixeira thinks Pereira will give “The Stylebender” no choice but to engage.

“I don’t see this fight going the distance,” Teixeira said in an interview with All Access MMA. “I see Alex closing the distance, getting the timing, getting his distance right, and Alex is a difficult fighter to go to a decision with him. I mean, it can go (the distance) because Adesanya moves away and tries not to engage all the time and be really quick getting out of punches, but he’s still going to lose that fight because Alex is going to keep pressuring him. Alex will make him fight, and that’s the problem. When you fight him, you’re getting touched by those hands. You’re going down.”

Pereira already has beaten Adesanya twice in kickboxing, including once by knockout. If Adesanya tries to mix things up by taking down a far less experienced MMA fighter inn Pereira, Teixeira says it won’t work.

“(Adesanya) might go for a shot. He might go for a takedown. But good luck with that,” Teixeira said. “I think it’s going to be a standup brawl, and I see Alex beating him because he looks amazing.”

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

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UFC 281 pre-event facts: History at stake for multiple fighters on huge card

Go inside the numbers of Saturday’s stacked UFC 281 event, where multiple fighters have a chance to make history.

The UFC returns to New York on Saturday for its annual event at Madison Square Garden with UFC 281, which has a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

A doubleheader of championship bouts is featured at the top of the card, with middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) set to take on former two-time kickboxing rival [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the headlining act.

The co-main event will see strawweight champion [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) attempt to kick off her second reign in positive fashion when she meets former titleholder [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

For more on the numbers behind both title bouts, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC 281.

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UFC 281 ‘Embedded,’ No. 2: Alex Pereira’s son recalls mocking Israel Adesanya after KO loss

In the second episode of “Embedded” ahead of UFC 281 in New York, Alex Pereira’s sons recall mocking Israel Adesanya after KO loss.

The UFC is back with its latest pay-per-view and a return to New York, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

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

The main event is a middleweight title fight between champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC). They have met twice before – but in kickboxing. Pereira has a pair of wins over Adesanya in those bouts.

The co-main event is a women’s strawweight title fight between champ [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and former titleholder [autotag]Zhang Weil[/autotag]i (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC). In addition, [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (28-7 MMA, 20-6 UFC) in a key lightweight bout, and former lightweight champion [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] (24-10-1 MMA, 18-10-1 UFC) fights in what likely will be his final bout when he meets [autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag] (18-3-2 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) at bantamweight.

The second episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Champ Israel Adesanya takes in some fine art. Alex Pereira sweats in the fresh air. Michael Chandler eyes redemption at MSG and trains with Kamaru Usman. Champ Carla Esparza embraces the process. Zhang Weili lands in NYC.

Also see:

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

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