Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya 2 Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for UFC 287 (Expect Another Lengthy Classic in Miami)

Pereira vs Adesanya 2 Fight Info, Date & Time

UFC 287 — Main Event Middleweight Bout
Alex Pereira (7-1, 6 KOs) vs. Israel Adesanya (23-2, 15 KOs)
Date: Saturday, April 8, 2023
Fight Time: This will be on the main card, which begins at 7 p.m. ET.
Venue: Miami-Dade Arena — Miami, Florida
Coverage: ESPN+, PPV

Pereira vs Adesanya 2 Odds & Prop Bets

All UFC 287 odds, lines and prop bets are available on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline:
- Alex Pereira: (+114)
- Israel Adesanya: (-146)

Method of Victory:
- Pereira by KO/TKO: (+230)
- Pereira by Points: (+500)
- Pereira by Submission: (+2200)
- Adesanya by KO/TKO: (+440)
- Adesanya by Points: (+160)
- Adesanya by Submission: (+2200)

Pereira vs Adesanya 2 Prediction

UFC enthusiasts have been waiting for this rematch for nearly six months. Israel Adesanya put the UFC Middleweight Championship on the line against Alex Pereira at UFC 281, only to lose it when Pereira picked up a fifth-round knockout victory. Neither fighter has fought since then, further adding to the anticipation.

I anticipate another evenly matched fight here. The significant strike totals were very close (91-86 Pereira) in the first one, and each man landed one takedown, with Adesanya having more control time but Pereira landing more strikes in the clinch. The fight was only three minutes away from going the distance too, before Pereira struck the then-champion with the fight-winning punch.

All three judges even had Adesanya up 3 rounds to 1 on the official scorecards before the finish, meaning another three minutes would have made Adesanya the champ.

In a fight that could go either way, I'm siding with Pereira. Adesanya is terrific and has a lot left in the tank, but it's hard not to imagine Pereira being in his head after his first-ever knockout loss. Just look at what happened in an eerily similar situation between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman.

"The Last Stylebender" could easily bounce back and win this one, but I'm opting to go with the hot hand instead.

Look for Pereira to retain in a close-fought main event.

Winner: Alex Pereira

Pereira vs Adesanya 2 Best Bet

As mentioned before, this fight could go either way and that's why I'm taking a neutral approach to the best bet. With how evenly matched these fighters were last time, I see this fight going the distance.

Since April 2018, nine of Adesanya's last 13 fights have gone the distance — including four of the last five. While only one of Pereira's previous fights has been decided by points, the fact that his first fight with Adesanya didn't end until the fifth round increases the probability of another lengthy contest.

Bet: Fight to Go the Distance: Yes (-104)

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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