UFC 287
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | April 8, 2023 |
| Headquarters | Miami , United States |
Area served | Global (via broadcast) |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, taking place on April 8, 2023, at the Kaseya Center located in Miami, Florida, United States.
Background
This event represented the UFC's second visit to Miami, the first since UFC 42 back in April 2003.
The headline bout was a rematch for the UFC Middleweight Championship featuring reigning champion Alex Pereira, who previously held titles in Glory’s Middleweight and Light Heavyweight divisions, against former UFC titleholder Israel Adesanya. Pereira had captured the championship with a knockout in the fifth round at UFC 281. Prior to their UFC encounters, the pair faced off twice in kickboxing matches, both won by Pereira.
A lightweight contest between Ignacio Bahamondes and Nikolas Motta was initially scheduled; however, Motta withdrew due to a head injury and Trey Ogden stepped in to compete at a catchweight of 160 pounds.
A welterweight matchup between Michael Chiesa and Li Jingliang was set but ultimately canceled after Li pulled out because of a back injury.
In heavyweight competition, Chris Barnett was slated to fight Chase Sherman, but Barnett withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Karl Williams. On the day of the event, Sherman also withdrew due to medical reasons, resulting in the bout’s cancellation.
At the official weigh-ins, Christian Rodriguez exceeded the bantamweight limit by one pound; his fight continued at catchweight with Rodriguez forfeiting 20% of his purse to his opponent, Raul Rosas Jr..
During the event broadcast, UFC revealed that the July 2015 Welterweight Championship clash between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald from UFC 189 would be inducted as the next "fight wing" entry into the UFC Hall of Fame. Lawler had successfully defended his title by TKO in the fifth round during their rematch following their original split decision encounter in 2013.
Bonus awards
The following competitors were awarded $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Chris Curtis
- Performance of the Night: Israel Adesanya and Rob Font