The main attraction of the pay-per-view fight card at Madison Square Garden in New York City is UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira

Other noteworthy matches on the undercard include Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler and Carla Esparza vs. Zhang Weili, the UFC women's strawweight champion.

Adesanya will make his sixth defense of the UFC middleweight championship against unusually high consumer skepticism. This is due to the fact that Pereira, who is making his first championship defense in the UFC, has beaten Adesanya twice in kickboxing competition

Adesanya has only ever been defeated by Pereira in a combat sport. The champion has the chance to add to his death toll and amake up for his most recent defeat in kickboxing.

Middleweight championship match up between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya Women's straw weight championship match up between Weili Zhang and Carla Esparza

UFC 281 card and results

Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier in a lightweight fight Frankie Edgar loses to Chris Gutierrez in a first-round knockout (knee)

Dan Hooker defeated Claudio Puelles by knockout in the second round (body kick) Brad Riddell is defeated by Renato Moicano by first-round submission (rear naked choke) Ryan Spann defeated Dominick Reyes by knockout in the opening round (punch)

Ottman Azaitar loses to Matt Frevola in a first-round knockout (punch) Silvana Gomez Juarez is defeated by Karolina Kowalkiewicz in a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Nicolae Negumereanu was defeated by Carlos Ulberg through first-round KO (punches)

The main attraction of the pay-per-view fight card at Madison Square Garden in New York City is UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira