The commission for the Ultimate Fighting Championship has decided to open the new year with a bang. A long-awaited rematch between superstar Connor McGregor against the younger Dustin Poirier. The winner will be the official featherweight champion.
To get the full details of the best sportsbooks and strategies, check out our guides to UFC betting. For now, let’s preview the upcoming fights on January 23, 2021 at UFC 257.
Every match involving Conor McGregor generates buzz. But nothing is quite like a good rematch. These two last met up in September 2014 for UFC 178. We expect this fight to be much closer, to say the least.
2014 was a long time ago. And that is good news for Poirier who lost that fight quickly and badly. McGregor was able to close the match in the first round with a TKO. Uf that hurts!
However, now Poirier is ranked second in UFC Featherweight rankings and has previously been number one. It would be a surprise to see such a blowout this time around for sure. Keep that in mind when betting on which round this fight will end in.
At the same time, McGregor has the upper hand. Almost no fighter would be favored against this champion. While his personal life has been marred by controversies, there is greater consensus around his technical skill. Just last year, McGregor knocked out Donald Cerrone in just 40 seconds.
For this fight, our picks are for McGregor on the Moneyline, but expect the match to last longer than their first meetup in 2014. For over/unders, throw in a few rounds, as Poirier will not be going down so easily this time around.
McGregor is known for his fast, bad boy lifestyle. Poirier is totally the opposite. Dustin Poirier’s soft heart is revealed by his baby face, in contrast to the tough, bearded look of McGregor.
Poirier’s charity work extends across an impressively wide range of services. He sold his fight kit and donated the thousands of dollars from it to Second Harvest Food Bank. He auctioned another fight kit and used the funds to buy backpacks for low-income school children.
He even founded his own foundation. Dana White and other UFC stars have donated funds to this charity. Through this foundation, Poirier is bringing clean drinking water to people in Uganda.
Even as recently as during the pandemic, Poirier has been donating meals to staff in the local hospital in his hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana.
This classic match-up between bad boy and boy next door is not the only thing waiting for UFC fans on January 23.
They also scheduled a promotional fight between Umar Nurmagomedov and Sergey Morozov. A flyweight bout between Amir Albazi and Zhalgas Zhumagulov will also take place this night. Both are rescheduled events that were previously canceled.
A women’s bout is also scheduled. Marina Rodriguez will take on Amanda Ribas in what is sure to be an exciting match.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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