For the first time in 20 years, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is making its return to Miami!
The rematch between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya for the middleweight championship will officially take place at the Miami-Dade Arena on April 8, UFC President Dana White announced Saturday.
“I’m always talking about big destination fights, and we are going back to Miami,” White said.
The pair of kickboxers famously fought at UFC 281 at the MSG Arena in New York City last year, where Pereira captured the title by a 5th round knockout.
In the co-main event for UFC 287, perhaps the most notable, 305 native Jorge Masvidal will come home to battle Florida-based Gilbert Burns in a welterweight match-up.
This marks the first UFC event to be held in Miami since 2003, when Matt Hughes defended his Welterweight title against Sean Sherk at the American Airlines Arena (now Miami-Dade Arena).
In addition to the main and co-main events, other fights currently announced for the UFC 287 card include:
- Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
- Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez
- Rob Font vs. Adrian Yanez
- Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer
With Miami becoming a hub for some of the biggest sporting events in the world, like the Formula One Grand Prix and the Super Bowl, it’s safe to say this is the perfect location to host the matches. Who are you cheering for?
UFC 287 will air live on pay-per-view. You can click here to learn more.