UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira - November 12, 2022

[Chris]

Main Card (ESPN+ PPV 10 p.m. EST)
UFC Middleweight Championship: Israel Adesanya (c) vs Alex Pereira (#4)
UFC Women's Strawweight Championship: Carla Esparza (c) vs Zhang Weili (#2)
Lightweight bout: Dustin Poirier (#2) vs Michael Chandler (#5)
Bantamweight bout: Frankie Edgar (#12) vs Chris Gutierrez
Lightweight bout: Dan Hooker (#12) vs Claudio Puelles

Preliminary Card (ESPNews/ESPN+ 8 p.m. EST)
Lightweight bout: Brad Riddell vs Renato Moicano
Light Heavyweight bout: Dominick Reyes (#7) vs Ryan Spann (#12)
Women's Flyweight bout: Erin Blanchfield (#12) vs Molly McCann (#15)
Middleweight bout: Andre Petroski vs Wellington Turman

Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+ or UFC Fight Pass 6 p.m. EST)
Lightweight bout: Matt Frevola vs Ottman Azaitar
Women's Strawweight Bout: Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs Silvana Gomez Juarez
Featherweight bout: Michael Trizana vs Seungwoo Choi
Bantamweight bout: Julio Arce vs Montel Jackson
Light Heavyweight bout: Carlos Ulberg vs Nicolae Negumereanu​

 

[Darkavius]

Picks

Chandler vs. Poirier- This is Poirier's fight to lose. Chandler's chin is shot and even Tony was having success until he got caught. Poirier can still take a shot and come back to win as he has against other like McGregor and Gaethje. There is a way for Chandler to win and that is through constant wrestling and submission attempts but I don't think Chandler is smart enough to use that strategy.
Winner: Poirier

Esparza vs. Weili- Carla has to be the underdog here, right? Understandably so if true. Weili is extremely active throughout the fight and has a nasty clinch. If this were 3 rounds I would lean towards Carla but I can't with 5 rounds. Weili is the superior and faster striker and Carla is the better wrestler. The one thing Carla is going to be looking for is the kicks of Weili so she can grab them and get a single leg. I think at the end though we get a new champion.
Winner: Zhang

Adesanya vs. Pereira- I have a feeling this is going to be a boring fight. Adesanya is going to want to fight on the outside and Pereira is going to want to fight in the pocket. This bout is about as 50/50 as it can be but I think Adesanya will pull it out. If Adesanya wins the UFC has a problem in that the Middleweight Division will be dry as dirt. If Adesanya wins he will have beaten 8 of the top 15 guys in that division, and if Adesanya loses I'm not sure the UFC doesn't run it back again.
Winner: Adesanya

 

[Chris]

Can you link this to a chat for tonight pls @Switchblade

 

[Chris]

Oh shit starting with a fight off rip

 

[Chris]

Easy win by Ulberg damn, crowd hot af already too lmao they had to turn the TV down at the bar

 

[Chris]

How is this dude's hands so big

 

[Chris]

Crowd letting em have it already lol

 

[Chris]

Well that takedown probably wins Arce the round

 

[Chris]

I like this guy with the Sting nickname

 

[Chris]

This crowd is LOUD

 

[Hoss]

Legendary start to the fight

 

[Chris]

Choi's left hand is crazy

 

[Chris]

Holy fuck

 

[Chris]

What a fight man

 

[Hoss]

Bro just secured a future for his family