UFC 287 Embedded episode 5 shows once again that the spotlight in Miami is having a hard time centering on the main event. UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira is in an immediate rematch with the former champ, Israel Adesanya, but fans in Miami are locked on their hometown fighter, Jorge Masvidal.
Coming off of three consecutive losses, Masvidal needs an impressive victory over Gilbert Burns to get back in the title picture. He’s popular. He’s exciting. But Masvidal won’t get a title shot on his popularity alone. At some point, he has to win the fights that put him back in a championship tilt.
With that in mind, Masvidal is putting as much pressure on himself as is anyone else. He has even gone so far as to admit that a loss in Miami could lead to him laying down his gloves in the Octagon for the final time.
But before he calls it a career, Masvidal is soaking up the spotlight, stealing the thunder of even Adesanya, who is also one of the more charismatic characters in the UFC. The former champ is putting the same pressure on himself as is Masvidal, as he tries to win back the UFC middleweight championship that Pereira took from him.
What UFC 287 Embedded episode 5 below, and check out past episodes here: UFC 287 Embedded.
UFC 287: When, Where, What!
UFC 287 takes place on Saturday at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida, and is headlined by a middleweight championship rematch between Alex Pereira and former titleholder Israel Adesanya. Jorge Masvidal squares off with Gilbert Burns in the UFC 287 co-main event.
The UFC 287 main card also features 18-year-old phenom Raul Rosas Jr. against Christian Rodriguez.
UFC 287 Embedded, Episode 5
(Video courtesy of UFC)
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