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    UFC women's strawweight Zhang Weili lifts heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou

    Israel Adesanya defends his middleweight title against Alex Pereira in the UFC 281 main event at Madison Square Garden tonight, as the champion looks to avenge two kickboxing defeats to his challenger.

    Adesanya is unbeaten at middleweight in mixed martial arts, his sole professional loss having come while challenging for light heavyweight gold last year. But the Nigerian-born New Zealander’s kickboxing career involved a few losses, with Brazilian Pereira having outpointed Adesanya in 2016 and knocked out the “Last Stylebender” in 2017. Pereira, 35, is 6-1 in MMA, having won five of those bouts via knockout while being fast-tracked to a title shot in New York City tonight.

    In the co-main event, Carla Esparza begins her second reign as women’s strawweight champion with a title defence against Zhang Weili, who held the belt between 2019 and 2021. In her last outing, the Chinese fighter knocked out icon Joanna Jedrzejczyk with a spinning back elbow, while Esparza outpointed Zhang’s recent rival Rose Namajunas to claim the gold. In the night’s other featured bout, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler meet in a huge lightweight clash. Follow live round-by-round updates from the UFC 281 main card and prelims, below.

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    It’s time for the co-main event! Carla Esparza defends the women’s strawweight title against former champion Weili Zhang.

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:44

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    What a fight and what a performance from Poirier.

    Chandler’s stock hardly takes a hit there, but Poirier re-establishes himself at the top of the division.

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:38

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    Dustin Poirier def. Michael Chandler via third-round submission (rear naked choke, 2:00).

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:34

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    Poirier vs Chandler – Round 3

    Final round! Poirier kicks low. He switches stances. Chandler kicks to the body then lifts Poirier and takes him down!

    Poirier reverses the position as he hits the mat, though, and starts to pour on strikes! Now he takes Chandler’s back! Wow!

    Rear naked choke is locked in... CHANDLER TAPS!

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:31

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    It could be 19-19 after two rounds, or even 19-18 to Chandler.

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:29

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    Poirier vs Chandler – Round 2

    Chandler with hammer fists now, but he’s warned for striking the back of Poirier’s head.

    This is a great round for Chandler. It could even be a 10-8...

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:28

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    Poirier vs Chandler – Round 2

    Chandler presses forward, backs up Poirier, then takes him down. Chandler is straight into full guard. This should give him an extra few moments to recover.

    Chandler is leaking blood onto Poirier’s face... but Poirier is unperturbed, trying for a triangle choke!

    Chandler escapes and takes the back! He’s looking for a rear naked choke...

    Poirier is face-down. Chandler is too high on the back, though. Good defence from Poirier, who is able to twist free.

    His back is against the cage, with Chandler back in his guard.

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:27

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    Poirier vs Chandler – Round 1

    Poirier tries to stand, but Chandler slams him back down with a German suplex! Poirier does well to stand again, though.

    Now he backs up Chandler! Both men land huge punches!

    A hook drops Chandler to a knee! Poirier is picking his shots well! Chandler makes it to the buzzer, somehow!

    A wild end to a wild round. Somewhere in there, there was a clash of heads.

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:22

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    Poirier vs Chandler – Round 1

    Chandler is bouncing around, coming forward. Now Poirier backs him up in measured fashion. Chandler sees a right cross blocked as he steps in. Harsh body kick from Chandler.

    Poirier jabs to the body. Chandler smashes a low kick into Poirier’s shin but sees it checked! Ouch.

    Chandler comes forward with a flurry of punches, but Poirier stays calm... He eats four big right hands, though!

    Now here comes Poirier with a cross from southpaw. Now Chandler loads up with wild hooks, missing with each...

    This is fun but also rather tense. A clean right hook connects for Poirier, then an outside low kick. Chandler’s face is sporting burising already.

    Again Chandler comes forward with big punches! He’s landing over and over! Now he takes down Poirier against the fence!

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:21

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    This one should produce fireworks.

    Here. We. Go.

    Alex Pattle13 November 2022 04:16

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