UFC 281 may not be the most stacked card of the year from the MMA powerhouse — that’s a term that is overused these days — but it offers a solid line-up this weekend, with two title fights and a candidate for “most violent fight of the year” among its top three bouts alone.
Depending on where you stand on the issue, Alex Pereira’s title shot against Israel Adesanya may or may not be deserved. There’s no question he took the quick road to a championship fight with rival Israel Adesanya, and lesser question that his two wins in kickboxing over “The Last Stylebender” played a huge role in that.
Come Saturday, both men would have to prove they were more than just kickboxers, and who turns out to be the most well-rounded may be key to which man walks away with the title.
In the co-main event, meanwhile, Carla Esparza had a second chance to make a first title defense. After being one-and-done as the UFC’s inaugural strawweight champion years ago, “The Cookie Monster” was up against another former champ in Weili Zhang.
As for Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler — well that fight just sells itself.
Full results from Friday’s UFC 281 weigh-ins can be found below.
UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira Weigh-In Results
Main card
Middleweight: (C) Israel Adesanya (185) vs. Alex Pereira – for the UFC middleweight championship
Women’s Strawweight: (C) Carla Esparza (114.8) vs. Zhang Weili (114.8) – for the UFC women’s strawweight championship
Lightweight: Dustin Poirier (156) vs. Michael Chandler (155.8)
Bantamweight: Frankie Edgar (135.6) vs. Chris Gutiérrez (136)
Lightweight: Dan Hooker (155.8) vs. Claudio Puelles (155.2)
Preliminary card
Lightweight: Brad Riddell (155.6) vs. Renato Moicano (155.8)
Light Heavyweight: Dominick Reyes (205.4) vs. Ryan Spann (206.6)*
Women’s Flyweight: Molly McCann (125.4) vs. Erin Blanchfield (125)
Middleweight: Andre Petroski (185.8) vs. Wellington Turman (185.2)
Early preliminary card
Lightweight: Matt Frevola (154.8) vs. Ottman Azaitar (155.6)
Women’s Strawweight: Karolina Kowalkiewicz (115.6) vs. Silvana Gómez Juárez (115.6)
Featherweight: Michael Trizano (147.6)* vs. Choi Seung-woo (145.6)
Bantamweight: Julio Arce (135.8) vs. Montel Jackson (135.8)
Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg (205.2) vs. Nicolae Negumereanu (206)
* Missed weight
