5 questions that will be answered at UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira

The UFC's annual trip to the Big Apple will be underway this weekend as UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira will take place at the iconic Madison Square Garden arena in New York City.

The upcoming pay-per-view is stacked from top-to-bottom, featuring some rising prospects, numerous mouthwatering matchups and two championship bouts. One of the biggest stars in the sport, Israel Adesanya, is set to compete in the main event.

UFC 281 Artist Series poster [Image via @ufc on Twitter]

With all the explosive matchups and engaging storylines on tap, a number of burning questions will be answered by the end of this blockbuster event.

On that note, here are five questions that will be answered at UFC 281.

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#5. Are Dominick Reyes' best days behind him?

Dominick Reyes compiled a scorching 12-0 record to earn a title shot back in 2020. 'The Devastator' took on long-time light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones at UFC 247 for the title. Despite pushing Jones to the absolute limit, Reyes ultimately found himself on the short end of a narrow judges' decision.

While the loss to Jones marked Reyes' first defeat, his stock was still sky-high, considering many believed that he deserved to have his hand raised. The champion subsequently vacated the title, allowing Reyes and fellow top-ranked contender Jan Blachowicz to compete for the vacant championship.

Reyes was viciously knocked out by Blachowicz, and under a year later, he was brutally finished by current champion Jiri Prochazka. Now riding a three-fight losing skid, the American is quite far off a shot at the title.

Dominick Reyes will be looking to return to the win column [Image via @espnmma on Twitter]

It has been over 18 months since Dominick Reyes' last fight. The former title challenger has openly admitted to battling mental demons during his hiatus and is desperate to pick up his first win since 2019.

At UFC 281, Reyes will square off against up-and-coming light heavyweight contender Ryan Spann, who sits five spots behind him in the rankings. With his undeniable knockout power and stellar submission rate, Spann could prove to be a tough matchup for Reyes.

At 32, Reyes is in his athletic prime. If he is to return to title contention, a win this weekend is paramount. The version of him that almost beat Jon Jones likely still exists deep within, and it's up to 'The Devastator' to bounce back and edge closer to claiming the belt he came so agonizingly close to winning over two years ago.

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#4. Can Dan Hooker return to winning ways?

Dan Hooker's stock has dropped quite a bit since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent government imposed lockdowns. The Kiwi came into 2020 as one of the most promising lightweight contenders, but has struggled for consistency since then.

A blood-and-guts five-round war with Dustin Poirier likely took its toll on Hooker and he's looked a shadow of his former self since that bout. He was then knocked out by Michael Chandler, and in his last two bouts, he was finished by Islam Makhachev and Arnold Allen in the first round.

Hooker's opponents over the last two years are clearly world-class, and he even took a couple of the aforementioned bouts on short notice. Nevertheless, he needs to return to the win column and will intend to do just that on Saturday night.

Thankfully, he'll have a full fight camp and the support of his entire team behind him this time around.

Dan Hooker's ongoing losing skid has seen him drop to the No.12 spot in the lightweight rankings. Looking to avoid a third loss on the bounce, 'The Hangman' will take on unranked lightweight Claudio Puelles at UFC 281.

Puelles is certainly a complex puzzle to solve. The Peruvian is a lethal submission specialist and notably has three wins via kneebars in the UFC. The 26-year-old boasts slick striking as well, making him one of the best unranked fighters in the 155-pound division.

Hooker will need to tap into his vast combat sports experience to overcome his next opponent. The 33-fight veteran is over six years older than Puelles and has been fighting the best of the best for quite some time now. With his berth in the top 15 up for grabs, Hooker's future as a legitimate championship contender hangs in the balance.

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#3. Dustin Poirier or Michael Chandler – Whose lightweight title run will come to an end?

A new wave of up-and-coming lightweights, featuring the likes of Mateusz Gamrot, Arman Tsarukyan, Rafael Fiziev, Jalin Turner and many others, is set to take over the division in the coming years. For now, though, the old guard still sits atop the division.

MMA veterans Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler both started their professional careers in 2009. The two former title challengers are now firmly established in the top tier of the division and are jockeying to return to the title picture. Poirier occupies the No.2 spot in the rankings, while Chandler sits three spots behind at No.5.

With their placement on the lightweight ladder, the stylistic matchup, and the indeniable friction between the duo, this pairing was a no-brainer for the UFC matchmakers.

Chandler, a former Bellator champion, has emerged as one of the most entertaining fighters in the world since signing with the UFC in 2020. The all-action American has captured the imagination of the masses with his scintillating performances, kill-or-be-killed mentality and pro-wrestling style post-fight promos.

Meanwhile, throughout his 11-year UFC career so far, Poirier has never had a boring fight and has been fighting the cream of the crop at 155 pounds for over half a decade. The former interim champion is now among the most recognizable figures in the sport, thanks in part to his pair of victories over global superstar Conor McGregor.

Both Chandler and Poirier have been competing at the highest level for a very long time. Both fighters have also hinted at moving up to welterweight as they enter the twilight of their careers, making this upcoming bout a high stakes matchup. The victor will move one step closer to the belt, while the loser might be forced to re-evaluate his title aspirations.

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#2. Will the UFC women's strawweight title continue changing hands?

The UFC strawweight division is undoubtedly the most exciting weight class across women's MMA. Since its inception in 2014, five champions have held the 115-pound belt and that trend will continue even after UFC 281.

The inaugural strawweight queen, Carla Esparza, finally reclaimed the title six years after losing it with her second win over Rose Namajunas earlier this year. For her first title defense, Esparza will take on former champion Zhang Weili in the co-main event of UFC 281.

Weili initially won the title when she defeated Jessica Andrade in China back in 2019. 'Magnum' then defended her title in a five-round classic against Joanna Jędrzejczyk before suffering back-to-back defeats to Rose Namajunas. She worked her way back to title contention with a sensational knockout victory in her rematch with Jędrzejczyk.

In that bout, Weili showcased new layers to her skillset, notably displaying much-improved offensive wrestling. While Esparza is widely recognized as the best wrestler in the division, this matchup appears to favor the Chinese challenger.

Weili's striking levels above the champion's and her improved wrestling will likely thwart Esparza's attempts to take this fight to the ground. All signs point to the strawweight title changing hands for the sixth time in five years, unless the sitting queen can somehow upset the odds.

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#1. Can Israel Adesanya avenge the only KO loss of his professional career?

Israel Adesanya has never tasted defeat at 185 pounds. 'The Last Stylebender' is not only one of the most dominant champions across professional combat sports, he is also among the sport's biggest superstars.

Across his six pro-boxing bouts, 80 kickboxing fights and 24 MMA outings. Adesanya has only been knocked out once. The lone knockout came at the hands of Alex Pereira, who remains the boogeyman of the UFC middleweight champion's career.

Aptly nicknamed 'Po Atan' which translates to 'Stone Hand', Pereira is considered one of the hardest-hitting fighters to ever grace the octagon. The former two-division GLORY champion is among the greatest kickboxers on the planet, and since shifting his focus to MMA, the Brazilian has looked incredible.

With just three fights in the UFC, Pereira has been fast-tracked up the rankings, undoubtedly credited to his history with Israel Adesanya. The reigning middleweight king has already cleaned out the top tier of his division, but this upcoming bout is arguably his toughest test yet.

Up until this matchup came to fruition, Adesanya seemingly had no equal in the UFC, at least in terms of striking prowess. With the introduction and astronomic rise of Pereira, the champion's reign is undoubtedly under threat. While he won't be too concerned about takedowns and wrestling, the threat of another knockout loss to the Brazilian looms large.

Adesanya has revenge on his mind. Against a formidable foe like 'Po Atan', this could bring out the very best in 'The Last Stylebender'.

UFC 281 main event [Image via @diaztwinsmma on Instagram]