Best Of Kaseya Center

When Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira first met in the Octagon at UFC 281, things did not go as planned for the long-reigning champion Adesanya. In the championship rounds, Pereira found the finish with just over two minutes left in the fight. Adesanya was leading on all cards prior to the knockout, but in the flip of a switch – and new.

This meant that the rematch was not only highly anticipated, but for Adesanya it was necessary. For a champion as active as Adesanya, it made all the sense to run it back.

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Their history was also part of how this became one of the premier rematches that has been seen in the Octagon. And it was finally time for the rematch at UFC 287.

Adesanya seemed like a changed man, more reserved than usual as he walked and stood before the new champion Pereira. Pereira started off with his patented leg kicks and Adesanya seemed to find issues with entering the pocket in the first round. Nothing was working for Adesanya, just his right hand over the top.

The fireworks started in the second round, as Pereira led the dance and was starting to pour it on the challenger. Pereira started to feel Adesanya fading after possibly hurting him and went for the finish. This was the first mistake Pereira made against Adesanya and it would go on to be his last one. Adesanya, crowded on the cage, found his right hand that had been working since the start of the fight and ended up finishing Pereira for his first win against his rival.

Adesanya instantly celebrated with shooting arrows, Pereira’s signature pre-fight warmup, and taunted the Pereira camp.

This fight had everything; explosive emotions, high-level striking, and one of the best storylines the UFC has ever seen.

Maddalena Knee-Deep In Trouble

The path to the title is different for everyone, but for Jack Della Madallena, that means beating a very durable and experienced fighter in Gilbert Burns. From the start of the fight, it was evident that Burns wanted to take Maddalena down and keep him grounded for the duration of the fight. With three takedowns just in the first, Burns made his presence known early that it would take some miracle to beat him.

Burns was throwing a lot of kicks in all fashions, while Maddalena sat behind his jab. It was evident early that Burns was looking for the one shot to end the night while Maddalena was aiming for combinations.

The only issue for Burns was that he could not keep Maddalena on the canvas. Every time that Burns took him down, Maddalena would find his way up and connect on the feet. Maddalena was patient in his approach and how he operated defensively. Maddalena used wrestling reversals and always seemed to get the fight back in his world, the world of striking.

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The problem was that Burns was amassing control time with these takedowns and slowly taking the fight. Burns was winning on all scorecards except one, where it was tied up.

Maddalena found the miracle. Off a miraculous break during a grappling exchange, Maddalena fired a knee that landed flush on Burns just as he was entering for a wrestling shot. Maddalena predicted that Burns would immediately shoot for another takedown and was right.

With some follow-up punches, the fight was over. Maddalena defied the odds and with this win, it turned out to be the fight that led him directly to face Belal Muhammad at UFC 315.

Poirier Jumps The Gilly

Dustin Poirier and Benoit Saint Denis squared off at UFC 299 with what seemed to be everything on the line. Poirier, fighting for his legacy in possibly one of his last fights in the Octagon, was fired up to show that he still deserved to be considered a threat in the lightweight division. Saint Denis, coming off five finishes, was looking to prove that he was not a flash in the pan, but a serious contender.

So, when they touched down in the Octagon, someone was bound to leave disappointed. Poirier was seven years older than Saint Denis and was the underdog going into this co-main event. Poirier was expected to be leaving disappointed but was rained with cheers from the crowd, seemingly because Poirier trains less than an hour away from Kaseya Center. Saint Denis did not have the same luxury as he was jeered with boos from the crowd.

Saint Denis started off with relentless pressure and Poirier was probably having Khabib flashbacks early. It was unusual, though, because Poirier was immediately targeting a guillotine choke every single time Saint Denis shot for a takedown.

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Dustin Poirier has never finished anyone in the UFC with a guillotine choke. In this fight against Benoit Saint Denis, Poirier “jumped the gilly” four times. While this may be met with praise as Poirier was attempting submission, it was giving Saint Denis a ton of control time and a lead that might have been unrecoverable.

That was the case in round one where Saint Denis won every scorecard. It would not be until the second where Poirier found his range and introduced Saint Denis to his hands, which was soon met with wobbling legs. Once Poirier found his window, he took it and immediately unleashed a barrage of punches that sat Saint Denis and ultimately ended the fight.

This became Poirier’s 22nd UFC win and arguably the sweetest. This was the birthing of “jumping the gilly” as Poirier states he will never stop doing it. Another win for one of the best lightweights the UFC has ever seen and an unforgettable moment.