It’s time for the high rollers to come out and play as the UFC’s whale is back on the Marquee for UFC 257.
Preview
The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first pay per view of 2021 is headlined by a pivotal lightweight match-up. Former featherweight & lightweight champion “Notorious” Conor McGregor squares off with former interim lightweight champion, number three ranked contender, Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier in a rematch over six years in the making.
At UFC 178 McGregor knocked out Poirier in a minute and 46 seconds. The Irishman is 6-2 in the UFC since that win, including five wins by knockout. Louisiana’s Poirier has been the more active party competing 13 times, going 10-2 with one no contest. His first fight with McGregor was “The Diamonds” last fight at 145 lbs. Since moving up to 155 lbs. Poirier has half his wins by knockout. If Poirier is to win it’s most likely to come by submission, as all of McGregor’s losses have and Poirier has seven submission wins. The “Notorious” one has 86 % of his wins by knockout. While Poirier has six career losses, two of each variety: knockout, submission, & decision.
The co-main event also has major ramifications for the lightweight division as number six ranked contender Dan “The Hangman” Hooker welcomes six-time Bellator lightweight champion “Iron” Michael Chandler to the octagon. Hooker has won seven of his last nine fights, five finishes, four by knockout. “The Hangman” fought twice in 2020, his win over Paul Felder & lose to Dustin Poirier were on the short list for fight of the year candidates. Chandler has won four of his last five fights and is coming off consecutive first round knockout wins. Hooker has 17 finishes of which seven have come by submission and Chandler has three submission losses. Chandler has 16 finishes and five decision victories. Two thirds of Hooker’s losses have come from the judge’s cards.
Gambling
Sports Betting sites that you can find listed here, are largely in agreement that Poirier winning by decision should be a +600 wager. Ironically, his odds to win by decision are actually better than McGregor’s +700, even though Poirier is about a +230 underdog overall. In his UFC debut Michael Chandler is a small underdog at +100. The biggest favorites on the card are Khalil Rountree & budding star Amanda Ribas at -335. Coming in as the biggest underdog on the card is Movsar Evloev at +400.
How to watch
UFC 257 is Saturday January 23rd, from Eithad Arena on Yas Island, UAE. Early prelims are on UFC Fight Pass at 6 p.m. ET. Prelims on ESPN & ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is an ESPN+ pay per view at 10 p.m. ET.
Fight Card
Main Card
- Lightweight Bout: Dustin Poirier (26-6) vs. Conor McGregor (22-4)
- Lightweight Bout: Dan Hooker (20-9) vs. Michael Chandler (21-5)
- Women’s Flyweight Bout: Jessica Eye (15-8) vs. Joanne Calderwood (14-5)
- Lightweight Bout: Ottman Azaitar (13-0) vs. Matt Frevola (8-1-1)
- Women’s Strawweight Bout: Marina Rodriguez (12-1-2) vs. Amand Ribas (10-1)
Prelims
- Lightweight Bout: Arman Tsarukyan (15-2) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (12-3)
- Middleweight Bout: Brad Tavares (17-6) vs. Antonio Carlos Junior (10-4)
- Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Sara McMann (12-5) vs. Julianna Pena (9-4)
- Light-heavyweight Bout: Khalil Rountree (8-4) vs. Marcin Prachnio (13-5)
Early Prelims
- Middleweight Bout: Andrew Sanchez (12-5) vs. Makhmud Muradov (24-6)
- Featherweight Bout: Nik Lentz (30-11-2) vs. Movsar Evloev (13-0)
- Flyweight BoutL Amir Albazi (13-1) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (13-4)
