UFC 287 results, highlights: Israel Adesanya scores stunning knockout of Alex Pereira to reclaim title

Adesanya is back on top of the middleweight mountain after a thrilling second-round finish on Saturday

After Alex Pereira had scored three wins over Israel Adesanya across kickboxing and mixed martial arts, it was fair to think he simply had Adesanya's number. In the main event of UFC 287 on Saturday night in Miami, Adesanya changed that story, scoring a brutal second-round knockout to once again become middleweight champion.

Pereira had brutalized Adesanya's legs with kicks from the start of the fight, returning to one of the primary techniques that had wore down Adesanya in their previous meeting at UFC 281. In that fight, Adesanya had controlled the action for most of the fight before the leg kicks took a toll and helped set up a Pereira flurry to score the come-from-behind knockout and end Adesanya's time as champion.

Those same kicks landed early and often for Pereira on Saturday. Adesanya continued to fire back with his own kicks and heavy punches but Pereira stalked forward consistently.

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In the second round, the constant abuse to his calf muscles seemed to have Adesanya on the verge of being finished yet again. After Adesanya's leg buckled, Pereira followed him to the cage and unloaded with a brutal flurry of punches and knees.

Pereira did not remain defensively responsible during the attempt at a fight-ending flurry and Adesanya quickly shifted from covering up to unloading a massive right-hand counter. That shot sent Pereira stumbling and another right hand put him down. A follow-up shot on the ground landed for Adesanya, bringing the fight to a close at the 4:21 mark of Round 2.

Prior to their UFC 281 meeting, Pereira and Adesanya had fought twice in the kickboxing ring. In the first meeting, Pereira took a close and somewhat controversial decision. The kickboxing rematch ended much more decisively, with Pereira putting Adesanya to sleep in the third round.

Just over seven years after they first battled, Adesanya finally got the better of Pereira and he was overjoyed with the result.

"I hope all of you can feel how f---ing happy I am just once in your life," Adesanya said after the fight. "But guess what? You will never feel this level of happiness if you don't go for something in your own life. When they knock you down, when they try and shit on you, when they talk shit about you and they try and put their foot on your neck, if you stay down, you will never get that resolve. Fortify your mind and feel this level of happiness one time in your life. I'm blessed to be able to feel this shit again and again and again and again and again. ... They say revenge is sweet. If you know me, you know I got a sweet tooth. This is f---ing sweet."

In the co-main event, Gilbert Burns made his presence known to the rest of the welterweight division with an emphatic decision win over veteran Jorge Masvidal. Burns, who previously fought Kamaru Usman for the title, said he's only fighting for the championship next, whether it's current titleholder Leon Edwards or Colby Covington.

Plus, a pair of rising prospects learned hard lessons on the main card on Saturday night. Teenager Raul Rosas Jr. suffered his first pro defeat when he was beaten by Christian Rodriguez to open the PPV. Rosas Jr. dominated the first round with his grappling and wrestling as he threatened with submission attempts, but Rodriguez took over from there as Rosas Jr. quickly ran out of gas. And Rob Font put an end to the Adrian Yanez hype train with a vicious first-round knockout. Yanez entered on a five-fight win streak with four of those coming by finish.

CBS Sports was be with you the entire way on Saturday bringing you all the results and highlights from the UFC 287 below.

UFC 287 card and results

• Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira (c) via second-round TKO (punches)
• Gilbert Burns def. Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Rob Font def. Adrian Yanez via first-round TKO (punches)
• Kevin Holland def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via third-round TKO (punches)
• Christian Rodriguez def. Raul Rosas Jr. via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Kelvin Gastelum def. Chris Curtis via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Luana Pinheiro def. Michelle Waterson via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  
• Joe Pyfer def. Gerald Meerschaert via first-round TKO (punches)
  
• Loopy Godinez def. Cynthia Calvillo via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
• Ignacio Bahamondes def. Trey Ogden via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Steve Garcia def. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke via second-round TKO (strikes)
• Sam Hughes def. Jaqueline Amorim via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

[Apr 9, 2023 at 12:53 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Alex Pereira (c) vs. Israel Adesanya -- Round 2: Adesanya threw in a hard leg kick and then just missed a question mark kick to the head. Pereira charged in and started throwing bombs, connecting on a big left hook in the process. Adesanya connected with a hard right hand moments later. Adesanya continued to try to land head kicks but Pereira returned to the leg kicks in response. Pereira landed a very hard jab that snapped Adesanya's head back. Adesanya landed another good right hand. Adesanya landed a good left hand again. Adesanya changed things up with a two-punch combination to the body. Another Pereira leg kick buckled Adesanya's leg and as Pereira tried to unload, Adesanya covered up against the cage. Then, out of nowhere, Adesanya unloaded with his own shots and Pereira went down! Follow up strikes on the ground and Pereira is out cold! Official result: Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira via KO, Round 2 to win the UFC middleweight championship

[Apr 9, 2023 at 12:46 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Alex Pereira (c) vs. Israel Adesanya -- Round 1: Pereira landed a heavy leg kick just seconds into the fight. Adesanya fired a few kicks toward the midsection and then a good leg kick of his own. Both men continued throwing and landing kicks to the calf. Adesanya flashed a head kick that did not land. Adesanya landed a glancing right hand to the head of Pereira and continued to try to pick spots and use feints to throw off Pereira's timing and Pereira continued throwing kicks to the legs.Adesanya also began landing some good kicks to the body. Pereira missed a head kick before Adesanya missed with a left hand. Interesting round but Pereira's calf kicks are landing too frequently for Adesanya to continue to allow. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Pereira

[Apr 9, 2023 at 12:32 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

We now move along to the night's main event. Israel Adesanya, in the unfamiliar position as challenger, tries to regain the middleweight championship from the man who has beat him twice in kickboxing and once in the UFC, Alex Pereira. 

[Apr 9, 2023 at 12:16 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Official result: Gilbert Burns def. Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

[Apr 9, 2023 at 12:14 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal -- Round 3: Burns just missed with a head kick to start the round but did connect with a right hand shortly after. Burns snapped out a few jabs that connected well. Masvidal began mixing in leg kicks again. Burns finally landed a few right hands and a left hook before a big right stumped Masvidal. Another right hand landed for Burns and a left hook that followed. Masvidal started to push forward after recovering and landed a right hand but Burns tagged him hard again. Burns cracked with more big punches with both hands but Masvidal kept firing back. Burns drove forward for a takedown, ending up in a clinch against the cage. Burns used a sweep to put Masvidal on the ground and wear out the remainder of the right for what should be a safe decision.

[Apr 9, 2023 at 12:08 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal -- Round 2: Burns flurried and Masvidal was briefly dropped, though likely as much of a slip as from a punch. Burns used the opportunity to get ahold of Masvidal and pick him up for a big slam. Burns picked spots to land short punches and otherwise was comfortable holding position. The punches kept landing in brief flurries from Burns as Masvidal held full guard. Burns walked Masvidal to the cage but it was Masvidal who benefited, using the cage to stand up. Burns took the fight right back down and Masvidal got back up again before they finally separated. Masvidal did manage a late right hand but likely nowhere near enough to overcome Burns' positional domination in the round.