Mixed Martial Arts: UFC boss Dana White confirms Israel Adesanya v Alex Pereira rematch for April

28/01/2023
Grant Chapman

Kiwi Israel Adesanya will get first crack at regaining his UFC middleweight crown from Brazilian Alex Pereira, when the rivals square off in the main event at UFC 287 in April.

After five successful defences, Adesanya was stopped in the fifth round by Pereira last November, extending a career losing streak that began with two defeats in the kickboxing arena.

UFC boss Dana White has confirmed the Adesanya-Pereira will headline UFC287 on April 9 (NZ time), along with Gilbert Burns v Jorge Masvidal in a welterweight contest.

Adesanya, 33, dominated their previous encounter and probably led into the final round, but Pereira wore him down with his kick attack to the legs that affected his mobility as the fight wore on.

"Give me three seconds, four more seconds and it would have been over," he said. "That hook didn't land the way I wanted it to, but that's hoopla.

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda... it doesn't matter. He is the new champion, congrats to him and he did it again.

"It's not over yet. I can already take a lot from this fight."

But Adesanya also warned he had medical issues that needed to be addressed in the short term, putting a question mark over when the rematch might occur.