The UFC 264: Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier III main card UFC Odds are available. Read on for our complete betting guide and preview on next weekend’s UFC lightweight trilogy bout, including updated odds and our free expert betting predictions.
Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier III
UFC Lightweight Trilogy Bout
Saturday, July 10, 2021 – 11:00 PM ET at the T-Mobile Arena
The moment UFC fans have all been waiting for is upon us, with the most highly anticipated trilogy bout in UFC history taking place next Saturday as “The Notorious” Conor McGregor and Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier do battle for the third time. There is no championship gold on the line, but the hysteria surrounding the fight is hyping it up to hold even more significance than a UFC title.
On July 10th, 2021, a sold-out T-Mobile arena will play host to a favorite fan clash, and despite there being no gold up for grabs, the magnitude of said contest is exceeding that of any championship fight we’ve witnessed this year.
Conor McGregor won the first meeting at UFC 178; seven years later, Poirier avenged his knockout loss at UFC 257 earlier this year, in no better than fashion than returning a TKO stoppage his favor.
And now, in a much shorter time than their previous rematch, the two lightweight stars meet again. But how did we get here, and who will come out victorious?
UFC 178: McGregor vs. Poirier I (September 27, 2014)
The first clash between the two was a complete masterclass on McGregor’s behalf. The Irishman was light on his feet and seemingly owned all the confidence in the world. Poirier looked out of place, anxious, and considerably less confident than his opponent.
We should note this fight took place in the featherweight division, the weight class where Conor McGregor found most of his martial arts success.
After keeping Poirier at range with a plethora of strikes and fluid defensive slips, we soon noticed that Poirier was not in the same league. McGregor fought with a wide karate stance, shaded his deadly left cross with a kicking offense, smooth footwork, and faints.
Within two minutes into the 1st, with his hands by his side, McGregor walked Poirier down to plant the left cross onto the side of Poirier’s dome, ending the fight before Poirier could even warm up.
UFC 257: McGregor vs. Poirier II (January 27, 2021)
The second fight took place under entirely different circumstances. McGregor had already cemented his legacy in the UFC as a two-division champion. Now both men would clash in the division above.
McGregor’s light-footed, super-fast striking style had been replaced with a boxing focused offence with minimal room for striking on the backfoot. He was leaving the lead leg completely open for Poirier to tear apart. McGregor found success with his strikes, but the more Poirier managed to take the punishment without dropping, the more his confidence grew.
After chopping the lead leg of McGregor for one full round, landing a takedown, and surviving the Irishman’s onslaught, Poirier began to have his way. McGregor’s willingness to box inside the pocket was his downfall, as a counter from Poirier connected cleanly with McGregor’s chin, and the rest was history. A flurry of strikes handed the Louisiana native his long-awaited revenge.
UFC 264: McGregor vs. Poirier III (July 10, 2021)
Predicting the winner of next weekend’s trilogy bout is a difficult one. We don’t know how much McGregor is invested in the fight game, and likewise, Poirier has openly admitted he doesn’t enjoy fighting anymore. Are they both fighting for the paycheque?
Maybe the money is motivating him; he gave up multiple title opportunities to fight McGregor. Whereas McGregor is already a billionaire, the money motivation cannot be why he’s fighting.
McGregor needs to avoid grappling with Poirier, switch stances regularly, and remove his consistent forward pressure with a boxing stance whilst inside the pocket. Should McGregor keep his distance, show an ability to fight to move backwards, and walk into the danger zone. As for Poirier, his game plan has already been written up from January; repeat it!
The most valuable betting prediction for me Is the under 2 and ½ rounds, currently priced at -167. Avoiding the side gives me a sense of ease. That’s because both men are extremely capable of winning this contest.
UFC 264 Best Bet: Under 2 and a ½ rounds @ -167 with Unibet [1.67u returns 1u profi]
