Two former interim UFC Lightweight champions clash in the headliner at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City. The rematch between Dustin Poirier vs Justin Gaethje will see the winner winning the symbolic title of BMF and replacing Jorge Masvidal, the previous titleholder. The two Americans first met in April 2018 in a "Fight of the Year" bout in which Dustin Poirier won by fourth-round TKO. The fighters are ranked second and third in the division. The "BMF" title is an honorific for the most violent fighter in the promotion.
MMA: UFC Lightweight
Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City
Where to watch: PPV
Date: 30.07.2023. 06.15
Dustin Poirier
Louisiana-born Dustin Poirier is a veteran of UFC, having been active in the promotion since 2010. He has fought the biggest names of all time in the Lightweight division and is a mean fighting machine. A black belt in BJJ, "The Diamond," is also very proficient in striking. Some of his famous wins have been against top strikers like Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Dan Hooker, Max Holloway, and Conor McGregor. The American Top Team member last fought in November 2022 when he defeated Michael Chandler with a third-round submission. The 34-year-old has lost two title matches for the UFC Lightweight championships against Khabib Nurmegomedov and Charles Oliveira in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 34
- Height: 5' 9"
- Reach: 72"
- Record: 29-7-1
Dustin's just a fun guy to fight. He makes it too much fun and sucks you into that game. I can watch the Gaethje fight, and it's the same thing. He's just like a fun guy to fight, a fun guy to get in a fight with, which is weird. He's just a fun person to fight, and you get distracted about all of that and get sucked into the fight. It's just fun.
Justin Gaethje
Before his last fight against Rafael Fiziev in March 2023 at UFC 286, 34-year-old Justin Gaethje had won six Fights of the Night and Four Performances of the Night awards. Following a back-and-forth clash with Fiziev, the flashy fighter produced another Fight of the Night performance to secure a majority decision. The five-time WSOF Lightweight champion will attempt to climb the division's summit again after losing to Dustin Poirier in their first match. A win over the number two-ranked Lightweight will likely give him another shot at the higher echelons of the division. He was a two-time Arizona state champion as a wrestler in High School and an NCAA Division I All-American during his time at the University of Northern Colorado.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 34
- Height: 5' 11"
- Reach: 69.5"
- Record: 24-4
Of course, I'd take it because money comes with it, which is the main objective of doing it. But having a BMF title and hanging that on my wall and being proud of that is not the same as a world title. I'd probably put it under the bed or something like that.
Betting Odds
The odds favor Dustin Poirier slightly, with the Southpaw priced at 1.80 odds on Bet 365—the sportsbook prices Justin Gaethje at 2.00. On 1XBET, over 2.5 rounds is listed at 1.65 odds, with the under at 2.15. For Marathonbet, the favorite is 1.70 odds to win, with Justin Goethe listed for 2.13.
