The UFC’s long-awaited return to Miami after more than two decades delivered a memorable moment with Israel Adesanya making history by reclaiming middleweight gold from Alex Pereira in the UFC 287 headliner at Kaseya Center.
Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) avenged his TKO loss to Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) from November with a highlight-reel second-round knockout in the main event to become the first two-time titleholder in the storied 185-pound division.
For more on the numbers behind Adesanya’s win, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 287.
Event stats
The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $274,500.
Israel Adesanya, Rob Font, Kelvin Gastelum and Chris Curtis earned $50,000 UFC 287 fight-night bonuses.
Debuting fighters went 0-1 on the card.
UFC 287 drew an announced attendance of 19,032 for a live gate of $11,943,363.20.
Betting favorites went 8-4 on the card.
Betting favorites improved to 6-5 in UFC headliners this year.
Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 2:19:25.
Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya
Adesanya became the first two-time middleweight champion in UFC history.
Adesanya’s eight victories in UFC middleweight title fights are second-most in history behind Anderson Silva (11).
Adesanya’s 13 knockdowns landed in UFC middleweight competition are tied with Silva for most in divisional history.
Adesanya’s eight fight-night bonuses for UFC middleweight bouts are tied with Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker for second-most in divisional history behind Silva (12).
Pereira has suffered both of his career losses by stoppage.
Pereira suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Gilbert Burns def. Jorge Masvidal
Gilbert Burns (22-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) improved to 7-2 since he returned to the welterweight division in August 2019. He’s 7-2 when fighting at the weight class.
Jorge Masvidal (35-17 MMA, 12-10 UFC) retired from MMA competition following his loss.
Masvidal’s four-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since November 2019.
Masvidal fell to 7-8 since he returned to the welterweight division in July 2015.
Masvidal has suffered 13 of his 17 career losses by decision. That includes eight of his nine UFC defeats.
Rob Font def. Adrian Yanez
Rob Font’s (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) Font’s 10 victories in the UFC’s bantamweight division are sixth-most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (13), Aljamain Sterling (13), Marlon Vera (12), Raphael Assuncao (12) and Urijah Faber (11).
Font’s six knockout victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Dillashaw (seven).
Adrian Yanez (16-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) suffered the first stoppage loss of his career with a TKO defeat.
Kevin Holland def. Santiago Ponzinibbio
Kevin Holland (24-9 MMA, 10-6 UFC) improved to 3-1 since he dropped to the UFC welterweight division in March 2022.
Holland has earned 20 of his 24 career victories by stoppage.
Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) fell to 2-4 in his past six fights dating back to January 2021.
Ponzinibbio has suffered four of his seven career losses by knockout.
Christian Rodriguez def. Raul Rosas Jr.
Raul Rosas Jr. (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) had his seven-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.
Kelvin Gastelum def. Chris Curtis
Kelvin Gastelum (17-8 MMA, 12-8 UFC) improved to 5-6 with one no contest since he returned to the UFC middleweight division in December 2016.
Chris Curtis (30-10 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has suffered eight of his 10 career losses by decision. That includes both of his UFC defeats.
Curtis has defended 100 percent of opponent takedown attempts in UFC competition, the highest rate in company history among fighters with at least 20 attempts on them.
Luana Pinheiro def. Michelle Waterson-Gomez
Luana Pinheiro’s (11-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak at strawweight is tied for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Tatiana Suarez (five).
Pinheiro has earned two of her three UFC victories by decision.
Michelle Waterson-Gomez (18-11 MMA, 6-7 UFC) fell to 1-5 in her past six fights dating back to October 2019.
Waterson-Gomez has suffered five of her seven UFC losses by decision.
Joe Pyfer def. Gerald Meerschaert
Joe Pyfer (11-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned 10 of his 11 career victories by stoppage.
Pyfer has earned both of his UFC victories by knockout.
Gerald Meerschaert (35-16 MMA, 10-8 UFC) has suffered 12 of his 16 career losses by stoppage.
Loopy Godinez def. Cynthia Calvillo
Loopy Godinez (9-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has earned seven of her nine career victories by decision.
Cynthia Calvillo’s (9-6-1 MMA, 6-6-1 UFC) five-fight losing skid is the longest of her career. She hasn’t earned a victory since June 2020.
Calvillo is 1-5 in her past six fights since June 2020.
Calvillo was unsuccessful in her return to the UFC strawweight division.
Calvillo has completed at least one takedown against 11 of her 13 UFC opponents.
Calvillo has suffered four of her six career losses by decision.
Ignacio Bahamondes def. Trey Ogden
Trey Ogden (16-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has suffered both of his UFC losses by decision.
Steve Garcia def. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke
Steve Garcia (14-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has earned all three of his UFC victories by knockout.
Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (39-11 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has suffered nine of his 11 career losses by stoppage.
Sam Hughes def. Jaqueline Amorim
Sam Hughes (8-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) has earned two of her three UFC victories by decision.
Jaqueline Amorim (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had her six-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of her career.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
