IT’S OFFICIALLY FIGHT DAY!! UFC 281 will be live tonight from Madison Square Garden in New York. The promotion has returned to the ‘Mecca’ for their annual event, just like they have done every year since 2016. When they were granted permission from the New York State Athletic Commission to do so.
And boy, do they have an eventful night awaiting us!
The main card kicks off with City Kickboxing’s leader, Dan Hooker, being welcomed back to the shark tank that is the 155lbs division, by beguiling talent, Claudio Puelles.
Next up, Frankie Edgar! In what will be his retirement bout, the former 155lbs champion will attempt to walk out with a victory, against Chris Guttierez to close out a magnificent career. A modern-day great in every sense of the word!
Following this, we have a banger on our doorsteps in store for us. Former UFC interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier makes his long-awaited return to the octagon, after an unsuccessful attempt at capturing the coveted lightweight championship from Charles Oliveria in December 2021.
The ‘Diamond’ will be stepping foot into the octagon with arguably the most entertaining lightweight on the roster right now, in ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler.
Chandler will be making his return to Madison Square Garden, a year after he put on an exhilarating performance against yet another former UFC interim Lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje. The pair brought the roof down with their brawl.
On to bigger things! The co-main event sees two-time Strawweight world champion, Carla Esparza defends her throne against former UFC Women’s Strawweight champion, Weili Zhang.
Zhang is coming off an astonishing yet brutal knockout of Women’s MMA pioneer, Joanna Jedrecyck*. Esparza on the other hand captured* the title in a lackluster title fight against Rose Namajunas through no fault of her own. However, if the eye test tells us anything*, there is a massive gulf in the skillset between the two!
With the trailers coming to a close, let’s have a glance at the Film in store for us!
THE MAIN EVENT!
Israel ‘The Last Stylebender’ Adesanya vs Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira!
Israel Adesanya is set to welcome his long-time adversary, Alex Pereira into the big leagues when the Brazilian competes for the Kiwi’s Middleweight crown! The pair have a history dating back six years when ‘Poatan’ knocked Adesanya out stiff in their kickboxing contest.
However, keep in mind, this encounter is divergent as for one, the sport is vastly different from what they previously competed in.
Not to mention, the individual Pereira knocked out is no longer the one standing before us. ‘Izzy’ since that vicious KO, has gone on to accomplish everything there is, in the UFC. And he has done so in sublime fashion.
It’s unfathomable to compare the two fighters as the 33-year-old is currently a significantly improved version of his former self. The battle has ‘Fight of the Year’ written all over it.
Now that you have the itinerary in hand, let’s delve into the meticulous dissection of what to expect from the fights put forth to you.
Also read: Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira- Where Is UFC 281 Taking Place?
The main card opener: Dan Hooker vs Claudio Puelles!
‘Hangman’ is a household name within the company. Having joined the UFC in 2013, Hooker has not once backed down from a fight, taking on every single name thrown in front of him.
The UFC veteran, however, might be in for a long night, given the fact that he relies on his striking for his offense. More specifically, his boxing. Hooker’s orthodox stance enables him to throw powerful combinations, to nullify his opponents.
The step-in knee and 1-2 combo, where he finishes off with a left hook to the face is a dangerous weapon in his arsenal.
Yet, the reason he might be out of his depth is Claudio Puelles. The younger, faster, and petrifying Peruvian is a Muay-Thai specialist in his own right.
However, with the evolvement of the sport, he has learned to master the craft of submissions. Utilizing that as a base, the Peruvian will be looking to take Hooker down to the mat, to secure the kneebar, a submission that has assisted him in capturing four victories.
With the aging and slow Kiwi in front of him, we might be in store for a striking clinic from Gutierrez. The Sportsrush predicts the first-round submission from Puelles, to spoil Hangman’s return to the 155lbs division.
Frankie Edgar vs Chris Gutierrez!
Well, where do we begin? If you had told an avid supporter of the sports couple of years ago, that Frankie Edgar is certainly in the twilight years of his career, they would agree.
However, if you informed them that he would be knocked out stiff in back-to-back highlight reel KO’s, they would be appalled at the suggestion.
Yet that is the reality of the scenario. Edgar is on the decline, but that shouldn’t come off as a surprise given he is 41 years of age. Although if you were to use his past few fights to validate his career, it would be a disservice to the tenured veteran and the impeccable portfolio he possesses.
A former UFC lightweight champion, ‘The Answer’ has gladly taken on the who’s who in the UFC. From his famed trilogy contests with Gray Maynard to his championship bouts against Jose Aldo and Max Holloway, Edgar always brought the heat.
So it’s only fitting he be provided the opportunity to close out his extraordinary career at the grandest stage of them all, Madison Square Garden.
In the contest, watch out for Edgar, who will attempt to use his mobility to set up takedowns. The 41-year-olds wrestling has been the superlative skill he holds close to his heart. That has been the foundation of his success.
This is not to say that Edgar’s striking is subpar. An orthodox martial artist, ‘Frankie’ and the high fight IQ he possesses* enables him to sense danger and appropriately catch his opponents coming in, before shutting their lights out.
The step-in right and the overhand right setup, to eventually catch them with the left hook is an incredible asset at his disposal. Regardless of how the fight goes, be sure to tune in to the contest, as like it or not, this will be the last time we see the UFC veteran compete!
Chris Guttierez on the other hand is a proficient kicker who has been known to utilize his leg, and high kicks to his advantage. The 31-year-old also has a strong clinch game, so it will be intriguing to watch how he deals with Edgar’s wrestling and clinch game as well.
Gutierrez has a massive hurdle ahead of him, but if he is able to pull off a victory, it’ll propel him to contention status, in no time! The Sportsrush believe Gutierrez will send Frankie Edgar home disappointed, with a decision victory over ‘The Answer’.
Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler.
The people’s fight so to speak. When we talk about the 155lbs greats of the division, the Diamond is one who often goes under the radar. The truth is that since his arrival in the division, the weight class has enhanced in terms of skill and personality.
Michael Chandler on the other hand is a prime example of what a hard-working man can achieve. ‘Iron Mike’ was a founding father of the Bellator Lightweight division, who kept the UFC 155lbs roster on their toes, during their early wars.
Chandler had been a household name within the promotion, before making the eventual jump to the UFC in 2020 while testing free agency. The clash is a firework waiting to be set off.
Poirier, a southpaw, has always found success against orthodox fighters. His battles with Justin Gaethje, Anthony Pettis, Max Holloway, Eddie Alvarez, and so on and so forth are the stuff of legend.
The pressure he is able to put right from the moment the bell is struck is vital to his success. Align that with his rapid, powerful, and precise boxing and you have the ideal MMA striker in your palm.
Expect Poirier to come out vary of the explosiveness Michael Chandler holds, and as such the ‘Diamond’ will pick his moments before he unleashes a flurry of punches. Boxing has been his best friend in the game for more than a decade.
His ability to evade and visualize movements before picking his opponents apart with his immaculate combinations will be key to his victory. In rhythm, Poirier has a tendency to switch stances fluidly, while absorbing less damage and producing a colossal amount himself with his hooks, straight lefts and rights, and uppercuts.
Mike Chandler on the other hand will be wise to utilize his wrestling. The D1 American wrestler has some of the best scramble exchanges in the business. The thought of being engaged in a wrestling contest with Chandler is tiring, to begin with.
Not to mention, with the threat he possesses with his wrestling, he could keep the accurate Poirier at arm’s length, before unleashing his own overhand rights.
Chandler also owns a tendency to switch stances based on whichever side his opponent chooses to move to. Provided he gets Poirier to circle right while faking the overhand right, he can catch him with his terrifying left hook, as he did Dan Hooker in his UFC debut.
For someone of his stature, the power Michael Chandler possesses is immense. The Sportsrush expects a three-round war which could go to either man, but are edging towards Dustin Poirier whose defense and composure, they believe will make the difference.
The Co-Main event: Carla Esparza vs Weili Zhang!
The two women competing in this fight are experienced in their own right.
Zhang Weili has been a frightening woman to deal with since her UFC debut. The former UFC Strawweight women’s champion, was on top of the world when she dismantled former UFC Strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade in under a minute in her home country of China.
While many believed her title shot was premature, Weili displayed the skills, technique, and mettle to prove all the doubters wrong in a mind-blowing method.
Her striking is explosive for someone her size. With pin-point and effective kicks and punches at the forefront of her skillset, expect her to take the fight to Esparza.
Not to mention, the 33-year-old has been training with former two-weight world champion Henry Cejudo, to polish, rather the only flaw in her game. So at no point, will she be flustered by the thought of being taken down, when she possesses a wealth of knowledge to get right back up.
Carla Esparza on the other hand is a wrestling machine in the 115lbs weight class. The American clinched her second world title, emerging victorious against Rose Namajunas, earlier this year, in an uninspiring fight to put it mildly.
It’s well worth noting though that the ‘Cookie monster’ is not to be blamed for this. While she did initiate exchanges, the fear of being dominated on the ground led to ‘Thug Rose’ being extremely cautious, which prevented the duo from having a competitive contest.
Esparza, going into the fight will no doubt be looking to secure a takedown on Zhang. Her striking is subpar with all due respect to the champ. Nonetheless, her ground game is clean. The transitions, scrambles, and intelligence she holds will allow her to impose her will provided she obtains the takedown.
With the cards stacked against her, a submission or triumph via ground and pound would ideally be the best-case scenario for the 35-year-old. That is still a long shot at best.
The SportsRush are expecting a dominant victory from Zhang, unable to see the martial arts virtuoso absorbing any significant damage.
Also read: Why Has Israel Adesanya Lost a Lot of Supporters Despite Dominating UFC Middleweight Division?
Main Event: Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira!
Seldom do we come across two fighters who share a remarkable history between them. While simultaneously still remaining on top of the game half a decade later. Well, that is the backstory between Izzy and ‘Poatan’.
Adesanya at the time of his debut was a fighter who held on to an 11-0 record. Fast forward five years, and the Nigerian-Kiwi is one of the most active fighters on the roster since 2018. He has competed in thirteen fights since then, winning 13 and losing just one. A generational talent.
Going into the fight, Adesanya has always been a proficient switch stance kickboxer. The 33-year-old’s ability to fluidly switch been orthodox and southpaw has aided him in providing a very complex puzzle to solve for his opponents.
In the fight, Adesanya will be looking to avoid overcommitting the overhand right, which was the root cause of his demise in their previous meeting where he was knocked out.
‘The Last Stylebender’ will be looking to ensure his leg kicks find a home, immobilizing Pereira. Since ‘Poatan’ has not had any championship rounds experience yet, Adesanya will look to capitalize on that. Dragging him into deep waters.
Adesanya might leave his guard open inviting Pereira to strike, and hoping to clip him on the counter when he steps in, just as he did Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa.
Israel Adesanya’s best weapon in his truly extensive arsenal will be his left hook. Fighting orthodox Adesanyawill look for oblique kicks and, jabs to keep Periera at a distance.
When he makes the switch to Southpaw he will look to attack the body with his kicks. His best path to victory is to utilize his martial arts experience and catch Pereira on the counter.
Alex Pereira on the other hand has had a short martial arts tenure so far. He was propelled to the title picture for marketing reasons primarily. The Brazilian has just one win over a top contender in Sean Strickland. Nonetheless, his history with ‘Izzy’ is sufficient enough for him to be awarded the title shot.
Periera, similar to his foe, Adesanya has a ton of kickboxing experience and will look to put that on display. The Brazilian is known for the power that he possesses in his hands. Especially the patented left hook.
The left hook has been his best friend in MMA since he arrived in the sport. His knockout of Sean Strickland is accredited to the hook being timed to perfection to land flush on the jaw.
Pereira himself holds a high fight IQ. Speaking to teammate Glover Texiera of his knockout over Strickland, Periera mentioned he anticipated the jabs from the American and decided to alter his strategy.
Once he read his range, he realized that Strickland left his defense down and in order to gauge a reaction, he repeatedly attacked his chest, luring him into a false sense of belief that there was no imminent threat.
In the blink of an eye, he deceived Sean Strickland, when he showed the jab but executed a left hook to send him to the floor. So keep an eye out for the left hook of Periera.
The Sportsrush is calling an Israel Adesanya third-round finish.
This one is different!
Also read: Israel Adesanya Girlfriend – Who Has the UFC Star Dated in the Past?
