The UFC returned to Miami tonight for an incredibly exciting night of fights that saw an epic rematch of two old rivals and a championship contender emerge. The crowd in attendance was electric and they were treated to some unforgettable moments.
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of the night and break down the three fights we looked at in our UFC 287 preview.
Prelim Highlights
It was a very impressive showing from Joe Pyfer in just his second UFC fight as he made short work of Gerald Meerschaert. Pyfer pressed the action in the early going against a very talented grappler. It was a big left hook that he landed on Meerschaert’s chin that staggered him before Pyfer followed it up with a straight right. Meerschaert simply turtled up after that and, after a few more shots on the ground, the ref stepped in to stop the fight and give Pyfer the first round knockout victory.
In the final fight before the main card, ranked middleweights put on quite a show. Chris Curtis and Kelvin Gastelum absolutely went to war, throwing hands from all angles and eating each other’s best shots again and again. Gastelum seemingly got the upper hand and looked to secure the victory in the second round but Curtis recovered and got back to his feet. After the fact, the replay showed it was actually a clash of heads that rocked Curtis and not a legal strike landed by Gastelum. Curtis recovered and the two continued to fire back and forth at each other in a wildly entertaining fight. The third round saw more of the same as both guys completely emptied the tank going the distance. In the end, it was Gastelum to was given the decision victory.
Main Card Highlights
There has maybe never been a phenom in the UFC quite like Raul Rosas Jr. At just 18 years old, the young fighter has already built a reputation as one of the most talented guys in the sport. Christian Rodriguez didn’t care one bit about that reputation. Rosas rushed Rodriguez with a wild takedown attempt right from the start of the fight and stayed on his opponent for the duration of the first round. It was a wild, relentless round for Rosas who dominated but wasn’t able to put Rodriguez away. Rodriguez weathered the early storm and got to the second round where Rosas was visibly fatigued. The lack of experience really showed for Rosas who just was not the same fighter after the first round and Rodriguez took advantage. It was essentially a complete 180 form the first to the second, with Rodriguez dominating the grappling game. The third gave us more of the same, with Rosas desperately shooting for takedowns and Rodriguez easily defending. Rodriguez was clearly the more experienced and disciplined fighter in this one and he dominated en route to a decision victory. It’s a big win for Rodriguez, who should be in for a big fight his next time out. Rosas will have to take this fight as a learning experience.
A matchup of two incredibly talented welterweights gave us another exciting show as Kevin Holland and Santiago Ponzinibbio stood toe to toe. Holland did a great job of using his length and staying at range while Ponzinibbio repeatedly found a home for a stinging calf kick. However, it was clear Holland had the power advantage, as was seen when Ponzinibbio caught a kick and held Holland’s leg off the floor and still got dropped by a backfist from Holland at the end of the first round. This is a guy who already has a knockout victory after landing a punch from his back so it shouldn’t have surprised us, but it was still amazing to see Holland’s power on display like that. Holland continued to use his length to win the second round but in the third, Ponzinibbio’s leg kicks really started to pay off as Holland was visibly hurt. He continued to chop at the legs but all it took was one perfectly placed left hook from Holland and the fight was over in a blink. Ponzinibbio’s face hit the floor and, despite his eventual protests, the fight was stopped quickly. After scoring the huge knockout, Holland called out Jorge Masvidal for what would be a very entertaining fight with what would certainly be a lot of fun buildup.
Rob Font def. Adrian Yanez
This was a popular pick to be the fight of the night and it was evident right from the beginning why that was the case. Both guys came out throwing their hands but in the most technical, calculated way possible. Both of these guys are incredibly talented fighters with some of the best boxing in the class and it was on display. Yanez landed some big shots but it was Font who connected on a nasty combination that rocked his opponent. Yanez stayed on his feet but Font wouldn’t give him any space and continued to pour it on. A big right hook found its home and dropped Yanez to score a first round knockout for Font. Coming off of back-to-back losses, this was a huge win for Font who is sure to be in another big fight his next time out.
My pick: Font via decision
Result: Font via 1st round knockout
Gilbert Burns def. Jorge Masvidal
The energy in the arena hit a different level when the hometown favorite Jorge Masvidal stepped into the octagon. This was an interesting stylistic matchup with Masvidal being a powerful striker and Burns being a world class grappler. Neither guy really wanted to commit to an attack in the early going, each one respecting the power of the other. When they did exchange though, it was frequently Burns getting the better of the exchanges and landing the more powerful shots. In the second, Burns scored a takedown and controlled most of the round on the ground, putting Masvidal’s back up against the wall in the third. The final round though saw more of the same, with Burns landing a few good shots before scoring another takedown en route to a decision victory. It was a huge, definitive win for Burns, who demanded a title shot his next time out and probably should get it. Masvidal left his gloves in the octagon and called it a career.
My pick: Burns via 3rd round submission
Result: Burns via decision
Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira
This main event had a very special feeling given the history between these two fighters. Middleweight champ Alex Pereira had knocked out Israel Adesanya twice in the past, including in their most recent meeting to take his title. A loss here for the former champ would have essentially guaranteed he would not have received another shot at the title as long as Pereira had it. And a win for Pereira would mean he could finally close the chapter on his old rival.
The fight got off to a slow start, with both guys knowing each other so well and respecting the other’s power. They traded low kicks for five minutes, though Periera’s seemed to be making a much bigger impact. In the second, they started to open up and let their hands go. It was Adesanya landing more frequently but Pereira still had the power advantage and we all knew he could end the fight at any time. He also continued to mix in the low kicks and hit Adesanya with one that buckled him and backed him up. Pereira pursued his opponent as he backed up to the cage and he looked for the finish. Adesanya though may have been playing possum as he landed a huge overhand right that rocked Pereira. He followed with another as Pereira was falling and the lights went out. By the time Pereira hit the ground, the fight was already over. It was a shocking moment and an unbelievable win for Adesanya. In all his dominant fights and his long title reign, Izzy was never known as that one-punch knockout guy, but he proved he can be tonight. The two might just have to run it back on more time in the future, but this was without a doubt one of the most memorable knockouts in the history of the UFC.
My pick: Adesanya via decision
Result: Adesanya via 2nd round knockout
The UFC will return to ESPN+ on Saturday, April 15th for UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Allen. Be sure to check back for a preview of the event.