Israel Adesanya reclaimed his UFC middleweight title with a second-round knockout at UFC 287, headlining a night that also saw Gilbert Burns send Jorge Masvidal into retirement.
Israel Adesanya finally reclaimed his UFC middleweight title with a second-round knockout at UFC 287, held at the Kaseya Center in Miami. The event also saw Gilbert Burns send Jorge Masvidal into retirement. With so much to discuss, let’s dive into the five biggest takeaways from UFC 287.
Firstly, the rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira is truly captivating, with the scoreboard either 3-1 for Pereira or tied at one apiece, depending on how you view their kickboxing matches. This story feels unfinished, and a trilogy fight seems like the obvious next move. Adesanya vs. Pereira is easily the best thing going at 185 pounds right now and should be continued.
At UFC 287, we witnessed the end of Jorge Masvidal’s journey in MMA. Headlining Bellator 1, Masvidal has had a wild career, reinventing himself late in his journey and propelling himself into mainstream superstardom. Masvidal is one of the few true OGs who got the reimbursement he deserved from the sport. Admittedly, he may not have captured a major title like Michael Bisping or Glover Teixeira, but he’s retired with significant wealth, setting him up for life.
The emotion Kelvin Gastelum displayed after his UFC 287 win over Chris Curtis showcases MMA at its finest. Previous years have seen Gastelum struggle, appearing broken during a 1-5 downturn. The fight at UFC 287 may have been Gastelum’s last chance to prove himself, but he performed exceptionally, hinting at Gastelum 2.0 making a title run.
Joe Pyfer, a rising prospect, dodged the UFC 287 curse, grabbing and holding onto our attention. Pyfer’s win over Gerald Meerschaert was impressive for a 26-year-old prospect in his second UFC fight. Meerschaert is a tough test for any fighter, so Pyfer’s decisive win suggests he may belong in the top 15 division. As middleweight continues to see an influx of new names like Bo Nickal and Khamzat Chimaev, Pyfer is worth watching. Overall, UFC 287 provided plenty of excitement and takeaways for the MMA world.