Israel Adesanya distinct betting favorite to beat rival Alex Pereira in UFC trilogy title fight

Off the back of his championship redemption at UFC 287 last month, middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya remains a distinct betting favorite to defeat arch-rival, Alex Pereira in a much-speculated and discussed trilogy rubber match between the two.

Headlining UFC 287 last month in Miami, Florida, City Kickboxing striker, Adesanya managed to reclaim his undisputed middleweight championship with a stunning second round KO win over Pereira, flattening the Sao Paulo native with a devastating counter hook at the Octagon fence.

However, back in November of last year, Pereira minted himself as the undisputed middleweight champion in the main event of UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden, stopping Adesanya with a rallying fifth round standing TKO of his own at the Octagon fence.

Landing his first victory over the Brazilian striker as part of their four-fight series across their respective combat sports careers, Adesanya opened and still remains a betting favorite (-185) to beat Pereira – the betting underdog (+165) in they share the Octagon in a championship trilogy rubber match. 

TPP list of UFC betting sites offer numerous odds and markets on a host of mixed martial arts events and fights – including outright bets and prop wagers ahead of a potential third mixed martial arts meeting of Adesanya and Pereira later this annum. 

1-3 over the course of four combat sports outings against former Kickboxing rival, Pereira, Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Adesanya first dropped a dubious 2017 decision loss to the Brazilian, before suffering a thunderous KO loss of his own in a Brazilian re-run the following year. 

Distancing himself from the prospect of an immediate third battle with former two-weight GLORY Kickboxing champion, Pereira following UFC 287, Adesanya is, however, expected to headline a pay-per-view return to Sydney, Australia for the Octagon against either Robert Whittaker or Dricus du Plessis later this annum.

As for Pereira, the striking berserker has been touted to make a light heavyweight division move in the immediate aftermath of his first UFC loss, weighing up potential fights against the trio of former title challenger, Magomed Ankalaev, former champion, Jan Blachowicz, and current gold holder, Jamahal Hill. 

Of note, ahead of their UFC 281 title fight back in November, Adesanya rose as high as a stunning -710 betting favorite to defeat Pereira, however, fell as short as -210 to defeat the Brazilian – prior to his eventual fifth round stoppage defeat at Madison Square Garden. 

Over the course of his five fight Octagon tenure, as well as closing as a betting underdog against Adesanya on both occasions, Pereira also closed as a +110 betting underdog for his title-eliminator against Sean Strickland during International Fight Week at UFC 276 last July.

Pereira went on to earn a title outing against Adesanya with a dominant, first round highlight-reel knockout win over Strickland at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Closing as a betting favorite for both fights with Andreas Michailidis, and Bruno Silva – Pereira stopped the former with a stunning flying-knee KO in his UFC bow, before taking a decision win over his Brazilian compatriot at the beginning of last year.