The event featured 11 stoppages out of 14 fights, tying a UFC record for the most first-round finishes (seven) on a single card. Weight Class vs. Israel Adesanya (c) Middleweight TKO (punches) Zhang Weili vs. Carla Esparza (c) Women's Strawweight Submission (RNC) Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler Lightweight Submission (RNC) Chris Gutiérrez vs. Frankie Edgar Bantamweight Gutiérrez Dan Hooker vs. Claudio Puelles Lightweight TKO (body kick) Notable Performances
At UFC 281, Alex Pereira defeated Israel Adesanya via technical knockout (TKO) at 2:01 of the fifth round to become the new UFC middleweight champion. UFC Main Event 281 : Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pe...
: Scored a highlight-reel knockout with a knee in what was the retirement fight for UFC legend Frankie Edgar. UFC 281: Adesanya vs Pereira Results The event featured 11 stoppages out of 14
UFC 281: Adesanya vs Pereira Results * Main Event: Alex Pereira defeats Israel Adesanya by TKO (punches) at 2:01 of Round 5. * Co- UFC Main Event 281 : Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pe...
This win marked Pereira's third victory over Adesanya across combat sports, following two previous wins in kickboxing.
Entering the final round at Madison Square Garden, Adesanya was comfortably ahead on all three judges' scorecards with a 3–1 lead. He had controlled much of the action, nearly finishing Pereira at the very end of the first round with a massive right hand. However, Pereira mounted a stunning come-from-behind victory in the fifth, pinning the champion against the fence and landing a barrage of power shots that forced referee Marc Goddard to stop the contest.