UFC 281
| Industry | Mixed martial arts promotion |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
| Products | Mixed martial arts events |
| Website | www |
UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira was a mixed martial arts spectacle organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 12, 2022, hosted at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event drew a crowd of 20,845 spectators and achieved a gate revenue totaling $11,562,807.77.
Background
The headline contest featured a UFC Middleweight Championship showdown between the defending titleholder Israel Adesanya and former Glory (kickboxing) Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira. Their competitive history included two prior kickboxing encounters, both victories secured by Pereira.
A prominent matchup on the card was the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship battle involving two-time champion Carla Esparza facing off against former titleholder Zhang Weili.
Moreover, the lightweight fight between Matt Frevola and the returning veteran Ottman Azaitar was moved to this event following Azaitar’s earlier removal due to breaches of COVID-19 safety protocols.
During the official weigh-ins, competitors Ryan Spann and Michael Trizano failed to make weight, leading to catchweight contests and monetary penalties of 20% of their fight purses. These fines were awarded to their opponents, former title challenger Dominick Reyes and Seung Woo Choi, respectively.
Bonus awards
The following athletes were granted $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler
- Performance of the Night: Alex Pereira and Zhang Weili
Aftermath
With a total of eleven fight finishes, this card ties with UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Bisping, UFC 224, and UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Borralho for the highest number of finishes recorded at a single UFC event. It also equals the record for most first-round stoppages at seven. This event was honored with the 2022 UFC Honors Event of the Year distinction as selected by fan voting.