Conor McGregor Vs. Dustin Poirier in UFC 264: Odds & Prediction
UFC welcomes the summer of 2021 with an action-packed fight card, including what could be the fight of the year — a highly anticipated rematch between Conor McGregor against Dustin Poirier.
With both fighters’ respective triumphs in their previous results, the odds are almost even for McGregor and Poirier. The latest odds from top bookmakers compiled by https://smartbettingguide.com/ have leaned only slightly against Poirier. The UFC 264 odds offer decent value by betting on the money line; therefore, it might be the right momentum to gain some chances of winning the bet. We review the pre-match moments and stats to predict how the upcoming match will turn out to be.
McGregor Vs. Poirier: Part 3
The UFC’s current superstar, McGregor (22-5-0), will be back to settle the score in his third match against Poirier (27-6-0) for the main event of UFC 264, dubbed as the final chapter of a trilogy. Both fighters will settle their rivalry at the tops of the pay-per-view card for the upcoming event scheduled for July 10, 2021. The match will also welcome a full-capacity crowd to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This lightweight bout will decide who will face off current UFC Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
A Quest for Redemption
They met for the first time at UFC 178 in September 2014 at featherweight. That night, the rising McGregor announced his presence to the world with a first-round knockout against Poirier. The Irish fighter gave Poirier a quick workaround by scoring a quick TKO in less than two minutes.
Since then, McGregor has moved on to become a two-division champion while going back and forth with retirement from the sport that has made a name for himself. Meanwhile, Poirier continued and matured his reputation as one of the finest lightweight fighters in UFC history.
Back in January at the UFC 257, Poirier gave McGregor a shocking defeat in a two-round match. McGregor had a domineering first round; however, Poirier landed numerous low-calf kicks that eventually took a toll on the former. In the end, Poirier scored a second-round knockout after consistently utilizing leg kicks to set up the finish.
Prediction
Coming off a loss, McGregor will throw on some extra motivation and aggression in the next match. The Notorious One and his coach, John Kavanagh, will expect improvements in several departments after receiving a shocking blowback in January. The leg kicks will be something that McGregor anticipates. Judging from the previous miscalculation, he will check this early on in the match to overcome any shortcomings that will weigh against him.
Poirier, on the other hand, is on the upper hand. He could have opted for a title shot, but he instead chose to give McGregor the rematch. From recent bouts, it is evident that his morale is soaring high. He’s worked up his firm boxing style with a combination of lethal kicks that has proven to be fruitful in crucial matches.
In the aftermath of the January defeat, McGregor has shown more concern in the defensive work rate, leaving his open stance behind. Meanwhile, Poirier has significantly landed more strikes per minute. We expect the upcoming match to be an open-and-up MMA fight with aggressive punches and strong grappling on display.
What to Bet
Expecting McGregor to repeat his glory in the first match back is highly plausible. He is ready and motivated to end this trilogy with a victory. His current KO percentage of 86% should give the confidence to bet on McGregor by strikes to win. However, knowing that Poirier gave McGregor his first KO in their recent match, betting on Poirier by KO/TKO is also plausible. Bookmakers are also keen on this match not to go the distance. It might be fair to bet that the fight doesn’t go the distance for a chance of winning the bet.
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