UFC announces 20 fights for 2023 including Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya 2 title bout

The UFC announced or finalized over 20 fights this week, which also includes a much-anticipated rematch for the UFC middleweight championship title. The newly crowned champion Alex Pereira will defend the title against Israel Adesanya at the UFC 287 pay-pew-view (PPV) event in April. Pereira picked a 5th-round TKO win against Adesanya in November to become the new undisputed UFC middleweight champion at UFC 281 in Madison Square Garden.

While Adesanya was leading the middleweight by 3 rounds to 1 going into the fifth round, his former kickboxing rival caught him off-guard in the fifth round. Pereira fought against all the odds to unleash his power in the final round and stamp his authority. With the win, Pereira became the new undisputed middleweight champion and maintained his unbeaten record in UFC to 6-0. 

On the other hand, this was Adesanya’s first loss in the middleweight division, which ended his long title reign. His only other loss in UFC came when he stepped up to the light heavyweight division. Here’s a look at the list of 20 fights announced or finalized by the UFC in the last week, as reported by Bloody Elbow.

Fights announced/finalized by the UFC

UFC 284 - February 11

• Tyson Pedro vs. Modestas Bukauskas — light heavyweight

UFC Vegas 70 - February 25

• Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Gabriella Fernandez — women’s flyweight

UFC 285 - March 4

• Mana Martinez vs. Cameron Saaiman — bantamweight
• Dan Hooker vs. Jalin Turner — lightweight
• Ian Machado Garry vs. Song Kenan — welterweight

UFC Vegas 71 - March 11

• Alexander Volkov vs. Alexandr Romanov — heavyweight
• Vitor Petrino vs. Anton Turkalj — light heavyweight
• Tony Gravely vs. Victor Henry — bantamweight
• Ricardo Ramos vs. Austin Lingo — featherweight

UFC 287 - April 8

• Kelvin Gastelum vs. Chris Curtis — middleweight
• Gerald Meerschaert vs. Joe Pyfer — middleweight
• Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya — middleweight
• Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal — welterweight
• Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio — welterweight

UFC Fight Night - April 15

• Joselyne Edwards vs. Lucie Pudilová — women’s bantamweight
• Gastón Bolaños vs. Aaron Phillips — bantamweight

UFC Fight Night - April 22

• Priscila Cachoeira vs. Karine Silva — women’s flyweight

UFC Fight Night - April 29

• Natan Levy vs. Pete Rodriguez — lightweight
• Chelsea Chandler vs. Danyelle Wolf — women’s featherweight

UFC Fight Night - May 6

• Khaos Williams vs. Rolando Bedoya — welterweight