This Weekend’s Big Match-Ups (April 7-10)
The season is reaching its final, climactic stages for huge leagues like the NBA and English Premier League, with big clashes everywhere you look as teams look to battle for the titles, playoff positions, and more. And in the tennis world and the UFC, huge title matches seem to happen every week, with the schedule for both sports looking as jampacked as ever. With that in mind, take a look at some of our top picks for matchups this weekend.
UFC 287: Adesanya vs. Pereira (April 8th)
This Saturday, the UFC is back with its main events, and this time, it’s a real firecracker of a card. Headlining are the two dominant forces in the middleweight division, former champion Israel Adesanya and his usurper Alex Pereira.
This matchup is one of the great stories of martial arts over the past few years, as Pereira was the one who beat Adesanya twice in kickboxing before Adesanya moved into the UFC and started dominating all comers with his fantastic and explosive style. Pereira then followed Adesanya into the sport, started destroying his opponents with his powerful striking, and then beat his rival a third time in the fifth round at UFC 281 after being down on the cards and needing a knockout. This rematch should be a fight for the ages, and is potentially Adesanya’s last chance to get his revenge on his long-term nemesis.
Further down the card, a welterweight bloodbath between Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal and Gilbert Burns is sure to be a blockbuster of a fight, with both fighters determined to use the other as a springboard to get another title shot, especially now that there is a new champion in town in Britain’s Leon Edwards. Burns will be a favorite, but Masvidal’s powerful striking should never be counted out (see Ben Askren). It should be one for the ages.
ATP Tour: Monte-Carlo Masters (April 9th-16th)
After the Miami Open saw Russian star Daniil Medvedev win his fourth title of the year after a superb performance all tournament, he will be looking to carry on his excellent form to the clay season. He hasn’t performed well on the surface in recent years, at least compared to his hard-court form, but he will be full of confidence after his recent run.
However, number one seed Carlos Alcaraz will be there as well, seeking to bounce back from his loss to Janek Sinner in the semi-finals in Miami. He has become such a dominant force in the tennis world over the past few months that no one would bet against the 19-year-old taking the crown.
Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic is also back after he had to sit out the recent US leg of the tour due to his vaccination status. The tennis legend has fought hard to stay at the top of the men’s game despite his advancing years, and he will seek to make sure that the young generation has to wait a little longer to dethrone him.
NBA: Jazz @ Lakers (April 9th)
The NBA regular season is finally drawing to a close, and the final playoff places are finally becoming clearer as to which teams will grab them. The Los Angeles Lakers, led by evergreen LeBron James and the newly rejuvenated Anthony Davis, have hit form at just the right time, winning 7 of their last 10 games and jumping up to the seventh seed. Their last game is against the Utah Jazz, who sit 12th in the Western Conference as it stands, and if results go their way, the Lakers have an excellent chance to get into sixth place and avoid the play-in tournament altogether.
Utah have been sliding down the table in the last few weeks, only winning 3 of their last 10 games and almost certainly missing out on the playoffs, with only a slim chance of grabbing the last play-in place. Jordan Clarkson has played well this season, but he has not been enough to lift this time when the time came, and it seems that this game could be the Lakers’ triumphant entrance into the NBA playoffs this year.
Premier League: Liverpool - Arsenal (April 9th)
The title race in the Premier League is really heating up, with Arsenal continuing to surprise everyone by staying ahead of the rampant force of Manchester City. Mikel Arteta’s men have been terrific over the past few weeks, winning their past seven matches in the Premier League, scoring a boatload of goals in the process. They were also knocked out of the Europa League by Sporting Lisbon and the FA Cup by Manchester City, so they only have the EPL to concentrate on. City have the FA Cup and Champions League to also focus on, so this is Arsenal’s best chance to win the league in years, if not decades.
However, they do come up against a Liverpool side that, despite their struggles this season, have been very good at Anfield. Mo Salah and Cody Gapko are still fantastic forward players, and Alisson is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world. They are more than capable of raising their game for the best teams, and Arsenal should not take Liverpool lightly if they want to continue their winning run. This will probably be the most important match in the title race, because if they don’t win, suddenly Manchester City have the advantage again. Can the Gunners handle the pressure?
Author: Dan Anderson