UFC reveals full UFC 281 lineup, including two title fights
The UFC’s return to New York is set with 14 total bouts – and two world title fights.
During Saturday’s UFC Vegas 63 broadcast, the promotion revealed the full lineup for UFC 281, which takes place Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In the main event, Israel Adesanya puts his middleweight title on the line against two-time kickboxing foe Alex Pereira, who holds two previous victories over Adesanya.
In the co-main event, Carla Esparza puts her newly regained strawweight title on the line against former champion Zhang Weili, while the highly anticipated lightweight tilt between Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler serves as the fight card’s featured bout.
The main card rounds off with what is slated to be the final fight of Frankie Edgar’s MMA career as he takes on the surging Chris Gutierrez in the bantamweight division. The pay-per-view portion of the event begins with a 155-pound matchup between Dan Hooker and Claudio Puelles.
The preliminary card, which airs on ESPNEWS and ESPN+, is capped off by another lightweight bout between Brad Riddell and Renato Moicano. Prior to that is the return of two-time light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes as he competes for the first time in over 18 months in a bout against Ryan Spann.
Check out the full UFC 281 lineup below.
Main Card (10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV)
Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira - middleweight title fight
Carla Esparza vs. Zhang Weili - strawweight title fight
Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler
Frankie Edgar vs. Chris Gutierrez
Dan Hooker vs. Claudio Puelles
Preliminary Card (8 p.m. ET on ESPNEWS, ESPN+)
Brad Riddell vs. Renato Moicano
Erin Blanchfield vs. Molly McCann
Wellington Turman vs. Andre Petroski
Early Prelims (6 p.m. ET on ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass)
Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez
Michael Trizano vs. Seung Woo Choi
Matt Frevola vs. Ottman Azaitar
Carlos Ulberg vs. Nicolae Negumereanu
*Rankings based on MMA Fighting’s Global Rankings