The time has come for Dustin Poirier to put down his gloves, however not earlier than yet another scrap in his residence state of Louisiana together with his longtime rival, BMF titleholder Max Holloway. The 2 fighters first met at featherweight in Holloway’s UFC debut in 2012. Poirier’s welcome reward was a triangle armbar that made Holloway faucet out 3:23 into the primary spherical.
By the point Poirier and Holloway met once more in 2019, that they had grown into two of the preferred fighters on the roster. Holloway, then-featherweight champion, moved as much as face Poirier for the interim light-weight belt. The Lafayette, Louisiana, native acquired the higher of the Hawaiian champion once more, this time by way of unanimous determination.
The ultimate struggle of their history-making trilogy on Saturday at UFC 318 in New Orleans (10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV; prelims at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN+) can have one other belt at stake, the BMF title Holloway received by way of an iconic last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 final 12 months.
Internationally in Cape City, South Africa, the PFL Champions Collection may even be in motion on Saturday (2 p.m. ET on ESPN+). Undefeated middleweight champion Johnny Eblen, ranked No. 7 in ESPN’s divisional rankings, will meet Costello van Steenis in the principle occasion. Girls’s flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva, No. 10 in ESPN pound-for-pound rankings, may even be again in motion for the primary time this 12 months in opposition to former Bellator fighter Sumiko Inaba.
ESPN MMA analysts and commentators present their Poirier vs. Holloway predictions, and ESPN betting knowledgeable Ian Parker provides perception on the worth bets out there on each struggle playing cards.
Light-weight most important occasion
We are able to discuss X’s and O’s all we wish, however for some motive, Dustin Poirier has but to wrestle with Max Holloway. There’s only a factor in sports activities typically the place one man has one other’s quantity, and I feel that is the case right here. Dustin is only a extra impactful striker. Max is nice, however I do not suppose he has sufficient energy to constantly stand with these lightweights. — Anthony Smith
It is a residence recreation for Dustin, and I feel he has the flexibility to counterpunch Max. That is what gave Holloway issues in his final struggle with Poirier, and I am unsure Holloway has picked up on that and made the mandatory changes. It is going to be an in depth struggle, although. Aggressive struggle. I simply suppose Dustin wins extra rounds. — Din Thomas
Betting evaluation
Odds correct as of Thursday. For essentially the most up-to-date odds, go to ESPN BET.
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Why Dana White is amped up for Holloway vs. Poirier 3
UFC President Dana White tells Pat McAfee why he is enthusiastic about UFC 318, particularly the principle occasion between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier.
Parker: Over 4.5 rounds. Similar to the primary two fights between Poirier and Holloway, I count on this one to be thrilling. With two fighters of this caliber who’ve a few of the greatest sturdiness within the sport, it might be stunning if this struggle wasn’t aggressive from bell to bell. The most important query might be how Holloway responds to the primary knockout lack of his profession, the final trip in opposition to Ilia Topuria. Poirier would not carry the identical energy. He’s extra the kind to put on you down and end you late within the struggle, so the over 4.5 rounds feels just like the play right here. If you need higher odds, take the struggle to go the gap.
Parker’s greatest bets on the remainder of the UFC card
Middleweight: Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
Kopylov to win (-240). Costa had a whole lot of success earlier in his profession knocking out opponents and imposing his will together with his athleticism, nevertheless it’s been some time since he has had a dominant win over anybody of significance. Enter Kopylov. He’s the betting favourite, and I’m shocked the quantity is not larger. Kopylov is the higher striker and has labored laborious of late to enhance his takedown protection. Except Costa turns into Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez and turns into an unimaginable wrestler with limitless cardio, search for Kopylov to placed on a placing clinic and get the win right here. For those who do not just like the -240 odds, take Kopylov to win by determination.
Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull
Ige to win (-220). Coming off a knockout win, Ige will probably be wanting so as to add Pitbull to his résumé and proceed to climb the ranks of the featherweight division. Ige has an countless fuel tank, fight-ending energy and a excessive struggle IQ, which ought to repay effectively for him in opposition to a seasoned MMA veteran. Pitbull did not seem like himself in his UFC debut, a choice loss to Yair Rodriguez in April, however he was one in every of Bellator MMA’s greatest fighters for a very long time. Count on a aggressive struggle right here. Each guys have a tendency to begin slowly, however Ige’s quantity and tempo will enhance because the struggle goes on and get him the win. Ige opened as a -175 favourite and has climbed to -220. If these odds proceed to rise, take Ige to win and the over 1.5 rounds.
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen
Allen to win (-210). Allen and Vettori have had run-ins exterior the cage prior to now, and now they’ll get to settle their variations within the Octagon. Allen is a -210 favourite, and I agree with the oddsmakers. Pretty much as good as Vettori, a nine-year UFC veteran, as soon as was, he has grow to be a low-volume striker with no takedown makes an attempt. However he nonetheless holds onto his sturdiness. Allen has all the talents to be a champion however tends to fall brief proper earlier than a title is in sight. He’s getting Vettori on the proper time in his profession, and I count on Allen to be the higher fighter in all places and wherever the struggle goes. When Allen is aggressive, he’s at his greatest. Count on him to point out out in his residence state of Louisiana.
Parker’s greatest bets for PFL Cape City
Middleweight: Johnny Eblen vs. Costello van Steenis
Eblen to win; over 2.5. rounds. In the principle occasion, Eblen will look to defend his middleweight championship in opposition to deadly striker van Steenis. Search for Eblen, a heavy favourite, to get this struggle to the bottom early and maintain a menacing tempo to tire out van Steenis and reduce his placing energy because the struggle goes on. Both put Eblen because the anchor to your parlay or take him to win and the over 2.5 rounds. He ought to win rounds and take this struggle into deep waters.
Girls’s flyweight: Dakota Ditcheva vs. Sumiko Inaba
Ditcheva to win by TKO/KO. Inaba will probably be trying to derail the hype practice of Ditcheva, however I simply do not see that occuring. Ditcheva has world-class placing and fight-ending energy that continues to get higher every time she hits the PFL SmartCage. The one technique to wager this struggle is to take Ditcheva by TKO/KO. For the very best odds attainable, take her to complete it in Spherical 1.
Heavyweight: Corey Anderson vs. Denis Goltsov
Anderson to win. In a struggle that may dictate who competes for the PFL heavyweight title later within the 12 months, former Bellator mild heavyweight champion Anderson takes on final season’s PFL heavyweight champion Golstov. The end result of this struggle goes to depend upon whether or not Anderson can outwrestle his opponent early and survive Spherical 1. On the toes, I’d lean towards Golstov, however the wrestling and cardio departments belong to Anderson. I’m going to take a flier on the underdog, Anderson, as a result of Golstov has a questionable fuel tank and was too simply taken down by Oleg Popov in his final struggle.