In the co-main event, it’s the long-awaited return of Jorge Masvidal, as he faces number five ranked welterweight contender Gilbert Burns, who is fresh from a big win over Neil Magny in Rio de Janeiro.
Familiar foes who met each other twice on the pro kickboxing circuit, Pereira and Adesanya have long been on a collision course in the sport of mixed martial arts, and after Brazil’s Pereira raced out to three impressive wins in the Octagon, he was matched up with Adesanya, one of the UFC’s most dominant titleholders, in the main event of UFC 281 last November in Madison Square Garden.
For four rounds, the pair battled it out in a war of nerves that thrilled the capacity crowd, but in the fifth, it was Pereira scoring the come from behind stoppage at 2:01 of the round to win the middleweight title.
On April 8, they’ll meet again.
How do I stream UFC 287 on ESPN+?
The UFC 287: Pereira vs Adesanya 2 Early Prelims kickoff Saturday, April at 6pm ET / 3pm PT in the United States on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass. The Prelims air at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on ESPN and ESPN+ and the Main Card will air exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10pm ET / 7pm PT.
