Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje Booked For BMF Title at UFC 291
A top-5 matchup between Lightweights Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje has just been announced as the headliner for UFC 291 in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 29 inside the Vivint Arena, per Dana White.
This bout has been sanctioned for the vacant Baddest Mother-Fucker (BMF) title following Jorge Masvidal's retirement in April 2023.
This five-round title fight takes place in the Lightweight (155 lbs) division.
Dustin Poirier holds a professional record of 29-7-1NC (21-6-1NC UFC) and is ranked #2 in the Lightweight division. He holds notable wins over Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler, and Max Holloway.
Justin Gaethje holds a professional record of 24-4 (7-4 UFC), is ranked #3 in the Lightweight division, and holds credible wins over Rafael Fiziev, Tony Ferguson, and Edson Barboza.
Current Odds: Dustin Poirier +105, Justin Gaethje -125, per BestFightOdds.com as of May 16th, 6 PM EST.
Dustin Poirier successfully rebounded from his loss to Charles Oliveira with a Fight of The Night victory vs. Michael Chandler back in November at UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira. "The Diamond" would survive early adversity in the contest and multiple fouls from Chandler to secure the rear naked choke submission in round three, becoming the only person ever to submit Chandler. Poirier is a gritty, tough veteran of the UFC who has phenomenal boxing, and he'll be looking to use these tools to go 2-0 over Gaethje and claim the BMF title.
Justin Gaethje is also coming off a Fight of The Night victory after losing to the former Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira. In his last bout, he took on the rising contender Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3 in a three-round banger of a fight. Despite starting slow, Gaethje would rally in the third round and rock Fiziev several times with uppercuts, which secured him the majority decision victory. Now, his sights are set on the BMF title and getting revenge against Dustin Poirier, and he'll be looking to use his technical standup to secure the victory in this match.
This is an absolutely insane matchup in the Lightweight division! Who do you have taking this one? Will "The Diamond" keep on shining? Or will Gaethje produce another highlight? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.
