Having defeated just about each contender the Middleweight division has to supply, division champion, Israel Adesanya, appears to settle a score from his kickboxing days when he faces Alex Pereira for a 3rd time (in fight sports activities) atop UFC 281, which can happen inside Madison Sq. Backyard in New York, N.Y., this weekend (Sat., Nov. 12, 2022). In different title motion, Carla Esparza kicks off her second Strawweight reign in opposition to former champ Zhang Weili, whereas Dustin Poirier battles Michael Chandler in an explosive Light-weight conflict in further major card pay-per-view (PPV) motion, and Frankie Edgar makes his remaining Octagon look reverse rising contender Chris Gutierrez.
With Halloween behind us, UFC 281 is the time to save lots of up for a large Thanksgiving feast. Let’s get you heading in the right direction …
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24174964/UFC_282.png)
LIVE! Watch UFC 281 PPV On ESPN+ Here!
CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLE-DIP! Final Combating Championship (UFC) returns to “The Struggle Mecca,” Madison Sq. Backyard in New York, N.Y., on Sat., Nov. 12, 2022, that includes two highly-anticipated championship showdowns. In UFC 281’s pay-per-view (PPV) major occasion, Middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, will look to settle the rating with former kickboxing foe and No. 5-seeded contender, Alex Pereira. Within the ESPN+-streamed PPV co-main occasion, girls’s Strawweight champion, Carla Esparza, intends to defend her newly-won title for the primary time in opposition to former champion and No. 2-ranked contender, Zhang Weili.
What Went Wrong at UFC Vegas 64?
Miranda Maverick, Jake Hadley, Johnny Munoz Jr. and Tagir Ulanbekov
Properly performed, no complaints.
Jinh Yu Frey
I really feel prefer it’s some type of cosmic joke that I reward Frey for lastly exhibiting some aggression of late and her getting wrecked for it. She hadn’t been stopped with strikes since 2017, however Polyana Viana lastly bought her act collectively on the worst potential time for me.
Ramona Pascual
I don’t revise my evaluation that Tamires Vidal is without doubt one of the weaker members of UFC’s Bantamweight roster, however it seems Pascual was worse. I anticipated her to point out a minimum of just a little aggression, just for her to take a seat again and let Vidal do no matter she wished on the ft.
Marina Rodriguez
This one is on me, one hundred pc. I initially wished to keep away from the match up due to how exhausting Lemos hits and the way poor Rodriguez’s protection is, however I talked myself into risking it. It was completely only a unhealthy transfer on my half.
Darrick Minner
I’m sure you’ve seen the news. Whereas I don’t assume Minner essentially threw the combat, he unquestionably entered the cage injured and a few member of his workforce probably leaked that insider data — crappy scenario throughout.
UFC 281 Odds For The Beneath Card:
Brad Riddell (+100) vs. Renato Moicano (-120)
I’d suggest not betting on this one — Moicano’s bought some collection defensive points recently and Riddell has a behavior of beginning gradual. There are higher betting alternatives.
Dominick Reyes (-205) vs. Ryan Spann (+175)
It’s uncommon that I’ll lean towards a person on a three-fight shedding streak, however I actually just like the strains on Reyes. Although impressively highly effective and opportunistic together with his submissions, Spann tends to collapse each time issues go mistaken and has a shaky chin as well. Reyes’ accuracy and skill to maintain his wits about him ought to permit him to search out the mark with a game-changing shot earlier than lengthy, and all that’ll be left afterward is cleanup.
Erin Blanchfield (-390) vs. Molly McCann (+320)
Blanchfield is by far the hardest opponent McCann has confronted since her final defeat and she or he has the identical type of grappling prowess that gave “Meatball” matches in her three UFC losses. She’s ranges above McCann on the bottom and might maintain her personal on the ft, so don’t be afraid to fit her into some parlays.
Andre Petroski (-195) vs. Wellington Turman (+165)
Petroski strikes me as undervalued. Although his UFC competitors has been restricted, he’s proven regular enhancements in each space, and I completely like his probabilities in opposition to somebody who barely eked out a win over Sam Alvey final 12 months. His energy and wrestling chops are an enormous stylistic difficulty for Turman, making him a top quality funding.
Ottman Azaitar (-115) vs. Matt Frevola (-105)
Be very cautious about placing down some huge cash right here. I’ve been vocal about not liking to wager on fights the place one fighter’s coming off an enormous layoff, however it’s exhausting to go up Frevola. He’s shared the Octagon with far, far stiffer competitors than Azaitar, whose historical past of gassing is a nasty signal in opposition to Frevola’s punishing tempo.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz (-120) vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez (EVEN)
Look, if I preserve recommending underdog girls, certainly one of them’s bought to hit ultimately, proper?
In all seriousness, Gomez Juarez has a severe edge in energy and hand pace that ought to carry her previous the equally aged, however way more weathered, Kowalkiewicz. “La Malvada’s” greatest points lie on the bottom and Kowalkiewicz has by no means been a constant takedown artist, so Gomez Juarez ought to get the hanging battle she must win.
Seung Woo Choi (-165) vs. Michael Trizano (+140)
I’d keep away from this as a result of Choi leaves big openings when he assaults, however Trizano may be too hesitant to really exploit them. I really feel like watching this with cash on the road is simply begging for a headache.
Montel Jackson (-200) vs. Julio Arce (+170)
Wager on Jackson, although not an entire lot. As marvelous a technician as Arce is, he’s dealing with a large dimension drawback and has been buckled by heavy hitters prior to now. Grinding wrestlers are what have a tendency to hassle Jackson and Arce doesn’t match that invoice.
Plus, Arce alternates wins and losses and he’s coming off a choice over Daniel Santos.
Carlos Ulberg (-120) vs. Nicolae Negumereanu (EVEN)
Positively give me Ulberg right here. Negumereanu’s easy, plodding method works in opposition to opponents who get caught up attempting to match his tempo or punish his exposed-but-indestructible chin. Ulberg, nonetheless, confirmed in opposition to Fabio Cherant that he can play a boring keep-away sport for quarter-hour, and his counters had been on level in his final match with Tafon Nchukwi. In brief, place a reasonable wager on “Black Jag.”
UFC 281 Odds For the Major Card:
Israel Adesanya (-200) vs. Alex Pereira (+170)
I’m leaning Adesanya, although I’m unsure it’s by sufficient to warrant a wager. The cage being far bigger than a kickboxing ring and providing fewer sharp corners ought to work in his favor, and Pereira doesn’t have a floor sport to threaten “The Final Stylebender” the way in which Robert Whittaker and others have earlier than. Pereira does hit silly exhausting, although, and smaller gloves give him extra alternatives to land that left hook. Ah, hell, let’s simply go for it.
Zhang Weili (-360) vs. Carla Esparza (+295)
Zhang is probably going to smash Esparza into paste, however she additionally hasn’t handled a wrestler of Esparza’s caliber throughout her UFC tenure. I’d steer clear.
Dustin Poirier (-215) vs. Michael Chandler (+185)
Poirier all day. He’s actually the extra sturdy of the 2, having not been dropped in additional than six years, and he has the superior boxing method. The largest menace is Chandler’s wrestling expertise combining with Poirier’s behavior of chasing fruitless guillotines, however seeing as Chandler isn’t an enormous ending menace from the highest, “The Diamond” ought to have loads of alternatives to search out “Iron’s” not-so-iron chin.
Chris Gutierrez (-215) vs. Frankie Edgar (+185)
As good as it might be to see Edgar finish his profession on a win, he’s 10 years older than Gutierrez and has managed only one non-controversial victory within the final 5 years. If he nonetheless had his previous, “get dropped within the first spherical and by no means once more” chin, I’d choose him to use Gutierrez’s kick-heavy offense for normal takedowns. Seeing as he’s been violently completed in three of his final 4 bouts, although, it appears inevitably that Gutierrez will ultimately catch him with one thing nasty. Wager on Gutierrez so there’s one thing to be ok with even when Edgar loses.
Dan Hooker (-175) vs. Claudio Puelles (+140)
Hooker is free-falling and I can’t choose Puelles’ fights to save lots of my life. Cross …
UFC 281 Greatest Bets:
- Parlay — Erin Blanchfield and Matt Frevola: Wager $50 to make $72.50
- Parlay — Chris Gutierrez and Silvana Gomez Juarez: Wager $50 to make $96.50
- Parlay — Andre Petroski and Dustin Poirier: Wager $80 to make $97.60
- Parlay — Israel Adesanya and Carlos Ulberg: Wager $60 to make $105
- Parlay — Dominick Reyes and Montel Jackson: Wager $60 to make $73.80
UFC 281 has bought a ton of enjoyable that you just completely don’t need to miss. See you Saturday, Maniacs.
Preliminary Funding For 2022: $600
Extra Funding (Aug. 2022): $400
Present Complete: $738.92
Do not forget that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of your entire UFC 281 combat card proper here, beginning with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard (on ESPNEWS/ESPN+) at 8 p.m. ET, earlier than the PPV major card begin time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To take a look at the most recent and best UFC 281: “Adesanya vs. Pereira” information and notes you should definitely hit up our complete occasion archive proper here.
