Quite possibly the biggest trilogy in MMA history goes down this weekend.
Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor will face former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier during the main event of UFC 264.
Fightful has you covered on all your betting needs ahead of this weekend's pay-per-view. It's a McGregor fight so we know it's one worth betting on. If you are not sure whether your state has legalized sports betting, make sure to check ahead of time because if you don't know already, not all states have legalized it. Let's go ahead and breakdown the main event.
(#1) Dustin Poirier vs. (#5) Conor McGregor
Odds: Poirier (-130), McGregor (+110)
Breakdown - We're on the eve of what could very well be the biggest mixed martial arts pay-per-view of all-time.
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has only lost once since 2016, where he was submitted by former undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Outside of his shortcoming for undisputed UFC gold the 32-year old Lousiana-native has rattled off wins against Jim Miller, Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Max Holloway, Dan Hooker and most recently, his opponent this Saturday, Conor McGregor. That resumé is widely regarded as the best in the sport at 155-pounds and a second win over the biggest star in the history of MMA would only subplant 'The Diamond' as one of the greatest fighters in not only the division's history, but in the entire sport.
For the third time in this career, Conor McGregor will be standing across from Poirier, Saturday night.
Since his promotional debut in 2013, the 'Notorious' one has taken the entire sport of MMA to a new level and like him or hate him, he's one of the biggest factors in the UFC's meteroic rise in popularity over the past handful of years.
Since that 2013 TKO-debut against Marcus Brimage, McGregor has defeated the likes of Max Holloway, Deigo Brandao, Dennis Siver, Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Nate Diaz, Eddie Alvarez, Donald Cerrone and of course, Dustin Poirier. Becoming a two-weight champion etched McGregor's place in MMA history forever but overcoming yet another shortcoming would ensure his opportunity to have yet another crack at UFC gold which if successful, would immediately thrust him into the GOAT conversation
Pick - McGregor (+110)
(#2) Gilbert Burns vs. (#4) Stephen Thompson
Odds: Thompson (-160), Burns (+135)
Breakdown - A potential UFC welterweight championship eliminator is the co-feature at UFC 264.
Gilbert Burns is coming off of a TKO-loss against champion Kamaru Usman in his first bid at UFC gold at UFC 258. Before the loss to the champion, the 34-year old Brazilian rattled off wins against Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Mike Davis, Alexey Kunchenko, Gunnar Nelson, Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley. In those six bouts, Burns was only a betting favorite (-140) in the Maia matchup, a fight in which Burns won via first-round KO.
The 38-year old South Carolina-native Stephen Thompson comes into the bout riding back-to-back wins against Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal. Before the two-fight win streak, Thompson was victim of a two-fight skid, where he dropped back-to-back bouts against Darren Till and Anthony Pettis following a win against Jorge Masvidal. Like Burns, 'Wonderboy' has came up short when trying to claim UFC gold when he was on the wrong side of a razor-thing decision against Tyron Woodley at UFC 209 which was a rematch of the pair's first title fight at UFC 205 which ended in a draw.
Pick - Burns (+135)
Rest Of Card Predictions
- Tai Tuivasa vs. Greg Hardy
Odds: Tuivasa (-142), Hardy (+116)
Pick - Tuivasa (-142)
- (#4) Irene Aldana vs. (#5) Yana Kunitskaya
Odds: Aldana (-120), Kunitskaya (+100)
Pick - Aldana (-120)
- Sean O'Malley vs. Kris Moutinho
Odds: O'Malley (-900), Moutinho (+600)
Pick - O'Malley (-900)
- Carlos Condit vs. Max Griffin
Odds: Griffin (-200), Condit (+160)
Pick - Griffin (-200)
- Niko Price vs. Michel Perreira
Odds: Pereira (-155), Price (+130)
Pick - Pereira (-155)
- Ryan Hall vs. Ilia Topuria
Odds: Topuria (-250), Hall (+195)
Pick - Hall (+195)
- Trevin Giles vs. Dricus De Plessis
Odds: De Plessis (-120), Giles (+100)
Pick - Du Plessis (-120)
- (#4) Jennifer Maia vs. (#7) Jessica Eye
Odds: Maia (-190), Eye (-160)
Pick - Maia (-190)
- Brad Tavares vs. Omari Akhmedov
Odds: Tavares (-165), Akhmedov (+140)
Pick - Tavares (-165)
- Jerome Rivera vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov
Odds: Zhumagulov (-350), Rivera (+270)
Pick - Zhumagulov (-350)
- Alen Amedovski vs. Hu Yaozong
Odds: Amedovski (-145), Yaozong (+120)
Pick - Amedovski (-145)
Fightful has all of your MMA needs covered. Follow us on Twitter for updates, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, lists, news updates, and predictions.
