UFC 281 - Adesanya vs Pereira LIVE: Stream, latest updates and results tonight
Re-live round-by-round updates from the UFC 281 main event plus Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler and Weili Zhang vs Carla Esparza
Israel Adesanya’s three-year reign as UFC middleweight champion came to an end on Saturday night, as he was stopped by old kickboxing rival Alex Pereira in the final round.
Pereira entered New York City, Madison Square Garden, and the main event of UFC 281 with two wins over Adesanya from the pair’s kickboxing days, including a knockout victory five years ago. Adesanya, however, carried much greater mixed martial arts experience into the bout, with 23 wins and just one defeat as a professional, compared to the 6-1 record that his challenger had compiled. And Adesanya’s experience looked set to pay off, the Nigerian-born New Zealander outstriking “Poatan” in Round 1 and outgrappling the fatiguing Brazilian in the third and fourth frames.
However, a re-energised Pereira, 35, went in pursuit of a finish in the final round, eventually rocking Adesanya, 33, with a flurry of punches against the fence. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in as Adesanya failed to mount sufficient defence against the onslaught, and Pereira was declared the new champion as his old rival’s three-year reign came to an end. In the co-main event, Zhang Weili regained the women’s strawweight belt by submitting Carla Esparza, after Dustin Poirier submitted Michael Chandler, and former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar retired with a brutal KO loss.
Re-live round-by-round updates from the UFC 281 main card and prelims, below.
UFC 281 LIVE
Poirier vs Chandler – Round 2
Chandler presses forward, backs up Poirier, then takes him down. Chandler is straight into full guard. This should give him an extra few moments to recover.
Chandler is leaking blood onto Poirier’s face... but Poirier is unperturbed, trying for a triangle choke!
Chandler escapes and takes the back! He’s looking for a rear naked choke...
Poirier is face-down. Chandler is too high on the back, though. Good defence from Poirier, who is able to twist free.
His back is against the cage, with Chandler back in his guard.
UFC 281 LIVE
Poirier vs Chandler – Round 1
Poirier tries to stand, but Chandler slams him back down with a German suplex! Poirier does well to stand again, though.
Now he backs up Chandler! Both men land huge punches!
A hook drops Chandler to a knee! Poirier is picking his shots well! Chandler makes it to the buzzer, somehow!
A wild end to a wild round. Somewhere in there, there was a clash of heads.
UFC 281 LIVE
Poirier vs Chandler – Round 1
Chandler is bouncing around, coming forward. Now Poirier backs him up in measured fashion. Chandler sees a right cross blocked as he steps in. Harsh body kick from Chandler.
Poirier jabs to the body. Chandler smashes a low kick into Poirier’s shin but sees it checked! Ouch.
Chandler comes forward with a flurry of punches, but Poirier stays calm... He eats four big right hands, though!
Now here comes Poirier with a cross from southpaw. Now Chandler loads up with wild hooks, missing with each...
This is fun but also rather tense. A clean right hook connects for Poirier, then an outside low kick. Chandler’s face is sporting burising already.
Again Chandler comes forward with big punches! He’s landing over and over! Now he takes down Poirier against the fence!
UFC 281 LIVE
Meanwhile, Chandler’s compatriot Poirier is a former interim UFC lightweight champion.
The 33-year-old failed to unify the belts against then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019 but went on to record back-to-back wins against Conor McGregor last year.
In his last bout, in December, Poirier was submitted by Oliveira while challenging for the lightweight gold again.
UFC 281 LIVE
Former three-time Bellator lightweight champion Chandler has shown no hesitation to fight the best since joining the UFC two years ago.
The American, 36, knocked out Dan Hooker in his UFC debut, before almost beating Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight belt, narrowly losing an all-time great clash with Justin Gaethje, then producing one of the best KOs in UFC history against Tony Ferguson.
UFC 281 LIVE
Next up, one of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year: Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler in a clash of lightweight contenders.
UFC 281 LIVE
Edgar: “I love this sport, man. I didn’t wanna go out like that. This sport’s a b***h, you know?
“My family’s here, that’s all that matters.
“Congrats to Chris. This sport’s not always so forgiving.
“I love everybody, you guys make this awesome.”
UFC 281 LIVE
Gutierrez reveals that his mum is dealing with cancer, and so is his coach.
UFC 281 LIVE
That was a terrific performance from Gutierrez for as long as the fight lasted, with an emphatic finish to boot.
Edgar dipped his head while coming forward, and Gutierrez caught him with a jumping knee. Edgar was stiff as a board on the canvas.
The crowd chants, “Frankie Edgar”.
Chris Gutierrez def. Frankie Edgar via first-round knockout (jumping knee, 2:01).
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