The BMF title is on the line as Dustin Poirier battles Justin Gaethje in a mouth-watering contest in what is a repeat of their epic fight in 2018. The card is stacked from top-to-bottom in what promises to be an action-packed night in Utah. Read below for a preview of the main card from UFC 291: Salt Lake City.
Main Event: Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje for the BMF Title
Five years after their first fight, MMA fans get to witness Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje battle each other once again in the main event at UFC 291 tonight. When they first met, Justin Gaethje had only two fights in the UFC, but he was by no means inexperienced; he had compiled an 18-1 record before fighting ‘The Diamond.’
Poirier, on the other hand, had nineteen fights and boasted a 22-5 record going into their first bout. Although he only had eight more professional fights compared to his counterpart, Poirier had already spent multiple years fighting in the big league that is the UFC. Fast forward to 2023, and both fighters have a lot more similarities rather than differences when comparing their careers.
Since Poirier defeated Gaethje, both have amassed a 6-2 record, with both defeats coming against the same opponents, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira, which were title fights on each occasion for either man. Both fighters have received multiple performance bonuses for their explosive styles, and the BMF title fight is expected to be no different. Strap in your seatbelts because this fight will not likely make it to the final bell, and if it does – like Poirier said – both men will end up in the hospital.
Co- Main event: Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira moves up to light-heavyweight for the first time in his UFC career, and the test doesn’t come much tougher than the former champion, Jan Blachowicz. Pereira is coming into this fight on the back of the conclusion (for now) of his thrilling rivalry with Israel Adesanya, who has previously moved up to middleweight to fight Blachowicz.
Adesanya was unsuccessful on that occasion, with much of his struggles attributed to the size differential. Pereira looks bigger, a more natural middleweight, so seeing how this one plays out will be fascinating. Blachowicz’s last outing was a draw against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282, and he will be hoping to leave this fight out of the judge’s hands as the winner is likely to earn themselves a shot at the light heavyweight title.
Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
One for the hardcore fans, the two UFC veterans go head-to-head as they both look to have one last push at moving up the lightweight rankings. Ferguson is taking a different approach to this fight, seeming more relaxed in the build-up and not letting anger get in the way of his preparations.
It will be an interesting fight as Green has the speed advantage and superior striking; however, Ferguson’s unorthodox style has caused problems for the majority of his opponents in the past. Both men have the ability to submit one another, so it’s difficult to see how this fight will play out – it could be a mixture of on the feet and the ground. The bookmakers have Green as the huge favorite going into this one, but write Ferguson off at your peril; there’s certainly some value to be had with him at a whopping +295.
Bobby Green’s last fight was ruled a no-contest after he knocked out his opponent, Jared Gordon, as a result of an unfortunate clash of heads. An argument could be made that Ferguson has been unfortunate himself as of late, as he has been on the end of some unfortunate comments from online trolls following five straight defeats.
It’s worth noting that Ferguson’s defeats have come against huge names like Nate Diaz, Charles Oliveira, and one of tonight’s headliners, Justin Gaethje. The outcome of this one is certainly not a foregone conclusion.
Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson vs. Michel Pereira – CANCELLED
After Michel Pereira missed the welterweight limit by three pounds, Wonderboy made the decision not to go ahead with the fight despite the pay increase he would have received due to the financial penalty which would have been imposed upon Pereira.
Much respect goes to Stephen Thompson for making the call; after weighing up the pros and cons, he decided to prioritize his safety, releasing a statement on social media explaining his thought process behind the decision.
Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
After almost two years out of the Octagon, Michael Chiesa returns for a fun matchup with the ever-present Kevin Holland. ‘Trailblazer’ won his last fight against Santiago Ponzinibbio and has gained respect from MMA fans and the UFC for his willingness to fight anybody at short notice, evidenced when he took on the man who most people fear in the middleweight division, Khamzat Chimaev, at the drop of a hat back at UFC 279.
Chiesa is a former top-ten-ranked welterweight who has suffered bad luck with injuries over the past couple of years. He will be looking to out his defeats to Sean Brady and Vicente Luque behind him with a notable win over rising star Kevin Holland.
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