After showcasing her skills at Invicta FC for roughly three years, Maverick felt ready to take her talents to the main stage – the UFC. In her debut versus Liana Jojua, she produced a beautiful display of Muay Thai. The exclamation point – a devastating rear elbow – which effectively ended the bout due to a doctor’s stoppage.

Interview

Surprisingly, she was not rewarded with a Performance of the Night bonus. Although, she left no doubt in whether or not she was ready for the UFC. Importantly, Maverick doesn’t feel any added pressure in recreating and/or topping her fantastic debut.

“I’m going in there to be the best version of myself,” she affirmed. “All the hype surrounding me adds a little pressure, but I handle myself really well under that kind of pressure. I’m not just going with it, like ‘yeah I’m one of the best in the flyweight division’ – I plan on living up to the hype by going in there and having a good performance.”

At UFC 258, Miranda Maverick takes on eight fight UFC veteran Gillian Robertson. ‘Fear The’ Maverick is feeling confident heading into this match up.

“I feel like I’m a veteran as well,” she said. “Hers is in a different organization of course – she’s fought a lot of top girls, but I feel like I’m gonna be the bigger fighter and stronger fighter by far and that’s going to be hard for her. She has a lot of trouble against the stronger, more athletic girls and I think I’m stronger and more athletic than anyone.”

As far as Robertson’s high-level ground game, Maverick feels like she’s more than equipped to handle it, and then some.

“In addition to that, she has great ground game as everyone talks about, but I feel my striking is much better than hers and I think my ground game is comparable.”

Best Version of Herself to Date

As you can see above, we are in for a treat. At UFC 258, Miranda Maverick will present the best version of herself to those watching. What exactly does that entail?

“I feel like I’m physically more prepared and healthier than I’ve ever been,” Maverick explained. “My weight cut went really well last time and this time we’re following suit so I’m really happy with that. Also, my speed and technique has gotten better, and I’ve had more personal work with my coaches than ever before due to COVID restrictions. More training partners have stepped in this fight camp as well.”

Beating Gillian Robertson at UFC 258 will put her in prime position to crack the rankings at some point this year. I asked Miranda what a perfect 2021 looks like in her eye’s.

“I wanna have three fights by the end of the year. Four would be great, but we’ll see how school works with that as well. After three or four fights, I wanna be in the top-10 to top-5 rankings by that point if I can, but I’m OK with taking my time up the rankings. I’m not in my prime yet and I wanna be in my prime for when I fight for the title.”

Many MMA analysts and writers peg Miranda Maverick as a future contender. She’s takes her next step in making that dream a reality at UFC 258. Make sure to tune in to the early prelims this weekend at 6:15PM (ET) on UFC Fight Pass.

**Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest UFC/MMA content. Also, check my out my work for Overtime Heroics MMA**

The post UFC 258 – Miranda Maverick Interview appeared first on Back Sports Page.

It’s not often that names like Alistair Overeem, Frankie Edgar, Cory Sandhagen, Alexander Volkov, Alexandre Pantoja, and Clay Guida fight on the same Fight Night card. That’s the case here, plus some, with UFC Vegas 18.

**Updated Records of BSP’s MMA Team: Alexis Rodriguez (31-27) & Ryan Truland (31-27)**

Here we go.

Alistair Overeem (47-18) vs Alexander Volkov (32-8)

Alexis Rodriguez: Alexander Volkov is a kickboxer who uses kicks to keep the fight at distance. Meanwhile, Overeem is the ultimate veteran’s veteran. He’s also a kickboxer, but he likes to close the distance and throw knees. His clinch and top-game have elevated him immensely.

Volkov has solid conditioning and he takes his time picking his opponents apart. His weakness, however, is his takedown defense. Overeem will look to implement a similar game plan as the one used by Curtis Blaydes when facing Volkov.

This is a close fight – Overeem wants one more run – Volkov is always on the cusp of becoming a top contender. It’ll be back and forth, but Overeem’s durability will be the x-factor.

Pick: Alistair Overeem by Unanimous Decision

Ryan Truland: This is Overeem’s final run. Alexander Volkov presents a rare challenge to him too – he’s taller and longer. Still, I actually believe Overeem matches up well here.

‘Drago’ enjoys fighting a clean kickboxing fight at his preferred distance. That’s something Overeem just won’t allow to happen. In fact, he’ll look to take Volkov down to wear him out.

A dirty fight is a good fight for Overeem in this case. Heavy clinch work, grueling grappling, and violent ground and pound will lead Overeem to victory.

Pick: Alistair Overeem by TKO, Rd. 3

Draftkings Odds: Volkov (-190) vs Overeem (+160)

Cory Sandhagen (13-2) vs Frankie Edgar (23-8-1)

Alexis Rodriguez: Cory Sandhagen’s movement, distance management, scrambling and uniqueness is unlike anything Edgar has ever seen. Edgar is the speedy in-and-out striker with great wrestling and top game. He’s going to try to use his wrestling – especially seeing what Sterling did to Sandhagen.

Frankie may be able to find success with takedowns, but Sandhagen’s scrambling will remain an issue. Sterling didn’t allow Sandhagen breathe because he was insistent on attacking. Whereas, Edgar is less aggressive in his ground work.

Therefore, it seems like this is Sandhagen’s fight to lose. He’ll keep it on the outside and land strikes to keep Edgar at bay most of the night.

Pick: Cory Sandhagen by Unanimous Decision

Ryan Truland: Vegas along with just about everyone and their mothers are picking Sandhagen in this one – and I’m inclined to agree. I think Frankie Edgar matches up well with a lot of the top bantamweights, but not Sandhagen.

Sandhagen will learn from his last outing and not allow Edgar to dominate him in the grappling department. Additionally, he’ll likely be able to utilize his reach to out-land Edgar on the feet.

Pick: Cory Sandhagen by Unanimous Decision

Draftkings Odds: Sandhagen (-435) vs Edgar (+320)

Alexandre Pantoja (22-5) vs Manel Kape (15-4)

Alexis Rodriguez: Kape is a UFC newcomer signing from RIZIN, who has shown tremendous finishing ability and strength. Meanwhile, Pantoja is more of a grappler, but he can strike as well. He’s shown flashes of his full-potential, but has fallen short against the likes of Askar Askarov and Deiveson Fiueiredo.

Kape has more hype because of his raw abilities, but Pantoja is a tough draw in your debut. Look for Kape to set the tone early with powerful strikes and do enough damage to take this fight. Nevertheless, this is a can’t miss fight.

Pick: Manel Kape by Unanimous Decision

Ryan Truland: Manel Kape has a lot of star qualities about him. He produces highlights and he handles himself confidently outside of the cage. He’s faced some quality competition over at RIZIN as well.

His opponent, Pantoja, is a top-10 mainstay within the flyweight division. He’ll have the advantage if this fight ends up on the ground, but it’ll be difficult to take Kape down.

Kape is an excellent Muay Thai practitioner, who can stun his opponents with his hands. Getting in close and then being able to get him down will be very difficult. I think Kape will land early and hard.

Pick: Manel Kape by TKO, Rd. 1

Draftkings Odds: Pantoja (-122) vs Kape (+100)

Diego Ferreira (17-2) vs Beneil Dariush (19-4-1)

Alexis Rodriguez: Ferreira is a great grappler, but it’s his pressure and fast striking that make him so dangerous. Against Anthony Pettis, he simply gave him no space and worked to a submission win.

Dariush has become a heavy handed, durable grappler. He is willing to ride out flurries and weather stormer to enact his own power or suffocating grappling.

Their first fight is irrelevant, but Ferreira’s inactivity may be his undoing. With only three fights in the last three years and with Dariush staying busy, it feels like Ferreira may get a wake up call.

Pick: Beneil Dariush by TKO, Rd. 1

Ryan Truland: This is the most fascinating fight on the card in my eyes. Something tells me the winner is going to have a massive 2021. Unlike UFC 257’s rematch, I think the winner of this first match up will prevail once again.

Beneil Dariush is putting it all together – from his grappling, now to his striking – he’s a problem for anybody at 155lbs. I’ll admit, of all the UFC Vegas 18 staff predictions, this is the closest call. I just think Dariush is slightly better in every aspect.

Pick: Beneil Dariush by Unanimous Decision

Draftkings Odds: Ferreira (-117) vs Dariush (-107)

Mike Rodriguez (11-5) vs Danilo Marques (10-2)

Alexis Rodriguez: A typical striker vs grappler match up. In this case, it seems as though the striker has an advantage though. Rodriguez is dangerous on the feet – his last fight ended in controversy, but he’s got some momentum.

Marques won his debut fight by decision, but his takedowns leave something to be desired. Rodriguez’s power striking may be too much.

Pick: Mike Rodriguez by TKO, Rd. 1

Ryan Truland: Danilo Marques has a puncher’s chance in this one – or I should say a grappler’s chance. If he can navigate through Rodriguez’s heavy shots, he’ll threaten with submissions.

However, I think Rodriguez is getting better each time he fights right now. His striking, both in close and at distance, is dangerous. I see him catching Marques coming in with a heavy right hand.

Pick: Mike Rodriguez by KO, Rd. 1

Draftkings Odds: Rodriguez (-240) vs Marques (+188)

Tune in for the prelim bouts tomorrow at 5:00PM (ET). Then, the main card begins at 8:00PM (ET). Hope you all win some money with BSP’s UFC Vegas 18 staff predictions!

Follow me both Twitter and Instagram (@RyanTruland). Also, check out my BSP page for all the important UFC/MMA news.

**Draftkings Odds were recorded at 6:30PM (ET) on Feb. 5^th, 2021**

The post BSP’s UFC Vegas 18 Staff Predictions appeared first on Back Sports Page.

These top-15 lightweights met once prior, at UFC 179 in 2014. Now, they’ll battle it again in what is a pivotal rematch in the lightweight division.

Dariush vs Ferreira (2014)

Beneil Dariush was originally scheduled to face Alan Patrick at UFC 179. After a broken jaw in camp forced Patrick out, Carlos Diego Ferreia stepped in as the late replacement. Both men’s careers were fairly young – having just six UFC fights between them – but both proved they were here to stay.

The classic orthodox vs southpaw chess match was on display their first go-around. Both guys were landing when they fought at distance, but Dariush dominated the fight with his grappling – landing six of his twelve takedown attempts.

Dariush dictated how and where this fight was fought utilizing his grappling advantage. Fast forward nearly seven years later and you have two much improved fighters who are gunning for contender status.

The Rematch (2021)

This rematch – in a lot of ways – is similar to the Poirier-McGregor rematch. Both were roughly seven years ago, the winner and the loser improved drastically in both, and they’re all still big players at lightweight (to varying degrees).

In a recent interview with ESPN, Beneil Dariush acknowledged Ferreira’s improvement.

“He’s improved so much,” he said, “you can tell in his stand up, you can tell his entire style has changed. He was kind of wild before, but he’s become much more strict with his striking.”

We’re in for a real treat this Saturday because these are two veterans who are excellent wherever the fight goes. Both Dariush and Ferreria are world-class grapplers. Additionally, Dariush has a black belt in Muay Thai under Rafael Cordeiro. All the while, Ferreira’s refined striking is dangerous – especially at distance.

This is the first rematch either guy has had in their professional careers. The matchmakers picked the right time to pair these two up again as both are blazing hot. Although having not fought since last January, Ferreira has won six straight. Meanwhile, Dariush is riding a five fight winning streak, with only one of those wins being left to the judges.

Whichever lightweight leaves this pivotal rematch with their hand raised will be in prime position to make a run up the ranks this year. Dariush vs Ferreira is an absolute must watch bout at UFC Vegas 18.

The post UFC Vegas 18 Features a Pivotal Rematch in Dariush vs Ferreira appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Alistair Overeem’s career dates back to the 20^th century (1999). Fast forward 66 professional fights later and he’s still contending for championships. He wants nothing more than to finally get his hands on a UFC belt.

The most accurate striker in UFC history (74.8%) is fully aware of his approaching expiration date in this sport.

“Listen I’m still improving – still getting better,” Overeem told SCMP MMA, “it would be nice to get a win over Volkov and inch ever more closer to the title shot – because to be honest I’m getting too old for this.”

Heavyweights tend to push the age limits more than any other division, but Overeem knows his time is coming to an end. The winner of four out of his last five, ‘Reem is making one last push towards his goal of becoming a UFC champion.

“I’m not going to be fighting until I’m 45,” he said to MMA Junkie, “it’s gonna be one final run – then it’s gonna be thank you everybody for watching and see you next time,” he chuckled.

There’s no question that fans still love watching Alistair Overeem perform. At 40 years old, his last four wins were all via TKO. Furthermore, a signature win over Alexander Volkov and he’ll enter top-contender status. Realistically, he needs two consecutive wins to receive another chance at the belt.

After finishing Walt Harris last September, Overeem discussed his retirement plans with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani.

“It’ll probably be one or two more years and a couple more fights,” he said, “two or three (fights).”

Losing to Volkov this weekend will be a major dent in Overeem’s plan. Leaving UFC Vegas 18 with a win and he’ll be right on track. Each of his fights moving forward could be his last. Overeem’s hoping to retire with that gold belt wrapped around his waist.

Please check out the rest of my work at RT BSP and follow me on both Twitter and Instagram for my latest articles and interviews.

The post Alistair Overeem Knows His Time Is Coming to an End appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Born in Angola, Kape has trained at VS Team in Portugal, but the team he currently reps is AKA Thailand. It’s this gym in Thailand where Kape has reached his full potential.

Manel Kape suffered lows and highs early on in his RIZIN career. He burst onto the scene at the RIZIN Fighting World Grand Prix 2017, when he knocked out Erson Yamamoto in the opening round with a flush head kick. Then, he faced former UFC flyweight Ian McCall in the second round of the Grand Prix. Doctor’s stopped the bout after Kape landed a devastating knee.

From New Year’s Eve 2017 to New Year’s Eve 2018, Kape lost three out of his four contests. However, he came back looking better than ever four months later at RIZIN 15. There, he scored a finish over Seiichiro Ito with a liver shot. Just a few months after that, Kape used his heavy hands again by grabbing a TKO (right hook) over Takeya Mizugaki.

His back to back victories earned him his first title fight at RIZIN – and a chance to avenge his loss to Kai Asakura. He did just that with a right cross to the chin that dropped Asakura to the floor. Manel Kape was crowned the RIZIN bantamweight champ that evening.

Three consecutive finishes placed Kape on the UFC’s radar. Moreover, the UFC is always actively searching for talent from other organizations – especially if they can help bolster the flyweight division. Enter Manel Kape.

The UFC officially signed the RIZIN bantamweight champ to a four fight contract last May.

Kape was originally scheduled to debut against Rogerio Bontorin last August, but an ankle injury forced Bontorin to withdraw. Then, Kape and his current opponent Pantoja, were scheduled to meet in December, but Kape’s foe withdrew once again.

Now, Manel Kape will make his highly-anticipated UFC debut this weekend at UFC Vegas 18. He’ll look to bask in the same success that fellow former RIZIN champ Jiri Prochazka had in his UFC debut.

Immediately, ‘Prodigo’ will be entering the UFC as a flyweight contender. With a win, Kape will throw his name right into the title picture. Whether he wins or loses, he’s an intriguing new face that’ll be joining the mix at 125lbs.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram (@RyanTruland) for my latest articles and interviews!

The post UFC Vegas 18 – Enter Manel Kape appeared first on Back Sports Page.

First and for most, the likelihood of Khabib Nurmagomedov returning anytime soon is slim. Dana White admittedly tried his best to convince the current champ, but to no avail. With that being known, expect a vacant lightweight title fight to take place near the end of the year.

Obviously, Dustin Poirier jumped ahead of the pack with his second round TKO over Conor McGregor at UFC 257. Furthermore, Michael Chandler immediately entered the conversation following his opening round KO against Dan Hooker. Chandler now joins Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, and Tony Ferguson as contenders campaigning to be Poirier’s next opponent.

With all that being said, what is the toughest match up for each lightweight contender?

Dustin Poirier: Charles Oliveira

Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira may cross paths in the very near future. That might spell trouble for ‘The Diamond’ – as Oliveira presents the most difficult match up out there for him.

Looking back on Poirier’s last five wins and you’ll see a trend – they’re all versus strikers (McGregor, Hooker, Holloway, Alvarez, and Gaethje). His only loss came against the masterful wrestler Khabib. Oliveira will not be willing to stand and attempt to beat Poirier at his own game.

Instead, ‘Do Bronx’ will look to work the fight to the mat. The Brazilian featherweight is one of the most feared submission artists in the world – owning the most submission victories in UFC history (14). If Poirier allows Oliveira to take him down, he’ll be in serious trouble until he gets back up.

Recently, Oliveira has displayed sizable improvements in the striking department as well. He cannot box with Poirier, but he could use his length to land shots from the outside prior to closing the distance for the takedown.

Chandler, Gaethje, and Ferguson are all accomplished grapplers, but they’ve all fallen in love with their hands lately. I don’t believe any of the three could out-box Poirier. Oliveira’s determination to grapple, along with his proven submission attacks is why he’s the toughest match up for ‘The Diamond’.

Charles Oliveira: Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler is the toughest match up for Charles Oliveira due to his wrestling pedigree and his one-punch knockout power. Chandler would likely only utilize his wrestling defense, but that’s mighty important against Oliveira.

Moreover, his power clearly translated over to the UFC with his quick flatlining of Dan Hooker. The former Bellator lightweight champ edges out Justin Gaethje as Oliveira’s most difficult opponent because of the consistent one-punch finishing ability. Gaethje displays insane cardio and zombie-like durability, but his one-punch KO ability seems to come and go.

Additionally, Chandler seems stronger in his legs and core than just about any lightweight out there – I bet he’d be able to get back to his feet against Oliveira; at least early on.

Not to mention, I’m in heavy favor of Chandler and Oliveira fighting next to determine who faces Poirier for the vacant belt.

Justin Gaethje: Charles Oliveira

Justin Gaethje keeps his wrestling in his back pocket, but that’ll certainly change in a fight versus Charles Oliveira. ‘The Highlight’ has already beaten Ferguson and despite losing to Poirier, he spent nearly 20 minutes inside the octagon with him.

The only opponent of Gaethje’s to actively try and take him down was Khabib – he got submitted fairly easily in the second round.

Versus Gaethje, Oliveira would surprise most if he even attempted to stand and bang. The numbers say Gaethje’s takedown defense is stellar, but Oliveira has dominated credentialed, and even more seasoned grapplers before. As soon as ‘Do Bronx’ gets Gaethje on the ground, he’ll attack the neck, arms, and legs.

Michael Chandler: Justin Gaethje

The reasoning behind Gaethje being Chandler’s toughest match up is largely due to their similarities. Both are exceptional wrestlers who mostly lean on their striking to win them fights. Plus, both guys like to move forward – constantly pressuring their opponent.

While Chandler is more explosive than Gaethje, is he as durable? I’m betting on Gaethje’s ability to take Chandler’s best shots, and keep moving forward. ‘The Highlight’ is adept at diversifying his attacks – making it very difficult to get a read on him.

What we saw Chandler do against Hooker was pressure, pressure, and more pressure while cutting off angles. Gaethje will not move backwards versus Chandler. They will meet in the middle and I believe Gaethje would be the man standing in the end.

Conor McGregor: Justin Gaethje

Like I said, Gaethje usually keeps his wrestling in his back pocket – meaning a stand up battle would ensue against McGregor. Watching Conor wilt to Poirier’s calf kicks makes me wonder if he could handle even one of Gaethje’s piercing leg kicks.

Meanwhile, Gaethje’s constant pressure would disallow Conor to ever get comfortable in the fight. Then, combine his durability with the likelihood of him entering with a solid Trevor Wittman game-plan, and you have a very tough test for McGregor.

McGregor currently claims he has strong desire to fight again, but he better mean that if he ever faces Justin Gaethje. Damage is inevitable in a Gaethje bout – if Conor can’t get him out early, he’ll be in for a long, painful evening.

Tony Ferguson: Dustin Poirier

Tony Ferguson, he got butchered on the feet by Justin Gaethje. A similar outcome may ensue if he and Dustin Poirier ever squared off. Poirier proved again versus Conor that he’s arguably the best boxer in the sport. He’s a better boxer than Gaethje, which doesn’t bode well for Tony.

I believe Ferguson would take the challenge of striking with Poirier (not a smart move), rather than trying to take him down and attack submissions. Notably, if Ferguson took the route of grappling he’ll probably have some success.

Still, Poirier works well in the clinch and he carries a lot of power in his short hooks. Besides that, his experienced head movement and high guard will fend off most of Ferguson’s unorthodox attacks.

The toughest match up for each lightweight contender can be found above. Please feel free to leave your opinions in the comment section. Also, you can find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @RyanTruland.

The post Toughest Match Up for Each Lightweight Contender appeared first on Back Sports Page.

In his UFC 257 post-fight presser, Poirier swatted away the notion of facing Michael Chandler for a vacant belt.

“No it does not (make sense fighting Chandler),” he asserted. “Respect to Chandler, great win over a guy – but to come in and beat a guy I just beat and get a title shot – he should fight Charles Oliveira or something. Let him and Charles Oliveira go at it. That doesn’t really interest me at this point.”

Honestly, I couldn’t have said it any better myself. Obviously Chandler looked phenomenal against a contender in his UFC debut, but jumping ahead of Oliveira would be utter disrespect.

Poirier is completely fine with going home to Lafayette, Louisiana to his family and waiting to see how things play out. Moreover, he’s spot on by saying Chandler vs Oliveira is the fight to make.

The winner of Chandler and Oliveira faces Dustin Poirier for the vacant lightweight belt – figure November or December. By the way, Chandler beating Dan Hooker was impressive, but if he were to finish Oliveira – who hasn’t lost since 2017 – that would be an absolute jaw-dropper.

McGregor vs Diaz III Next

The UFC’s biggest superstar was in a state of disbelief after being on the wrong end of a TKO for the first time in his career. As per usual, people are already theorizing his next move. In this case, the obvious answer is the right one. McGregor vs Diaz III is next – now’s the time. Conor now has two trilogies to attend to – one with Diaz and now one with Poirier. Dana White confirmed that Nate Diaz will be returning to the lightweight division, so have it at 155lbs and the winner is back in the lightweight title picture.

Lastly, what do you do with Justin Gaethje? Who’s very much still in the lightweight title picture. One option is waiting a little longer, but another choice is Rafael dos Anjos. There’s no doubt RDA would be eager to take this match up – due to his desire to regain championship status. Additionally, Gaethje doesn’t strike me as the one to turn down a challenge.

If Gaethje vs Rafael dos Anjos doesn’t manifest, there’s Dan Hooker, but I envision ‘The Hangman’ taking some time off after the disappointing results from UFC 257. Also, Gaethje could be Chandler’s next foe if they don’t pair him with Oliveira.

**Tony Ferguson is one win away from reinserting himself back into the lightweight title picture**

All in all, the UFC lightweight title division is absurdly loaded with talent and the match up possibilities are basically endless. The lightweight title picture is a beautiful mess – especially with Khabib’s expected departure.

The post Sorting Out the UFC’s Lightweight Title Picture appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Providing updates, details, and reactions in the form of a UFC 257 live blog. In the headliner, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor returns to the octagon to rematch Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier. Additionally, the co-main event features lightweight Michael Chandler debuting against Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker. Before all of that, promising prospects like Amanda Ribas, Movsar Evloev, Antonio Carlos Junior grace the cage. Enjoy the blog, please comment!

The early prelims begin at 6:00PM (ET). However, you can only watch them via UFC Fight Pass. Afterwards, the prelims begin at 8:00PM (ET) and they can be viewed on both ESPN and ESPN+. Then, the main card at 10:00PM (ET) exclusively seen on ESPN+ PPV.

If you’re a bettor, check out our UFC 257 predictions. Enjoy the UFC 257 live blog!

The post UFC 257 Live Blog appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Lightweight contending mainstay and former interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier is hoping to crash McGregor’s party and avenge his 2014 loss to the Irishman. Before that though, we gain witness to a hyped newcomer in Michael Chandler debut versus the always violent Dan Hooker. The pair of featured lightweight bouts conclude the UFC’s first PPV of the new year.

**Updated Records of BSP’s MMA Team: Alexis Rodriguez (30-24) & Ryan Truland (30-24)**

Here we go – UFC 257 predictions.

Dustin Poirier (26-6) vs Conor McGregor (22-4)

Alexis Rodriguez: The rematch that is six years in the making. Poirier is a much different fighter with a whole new arsenal of weapons and tricks. Meanwhile, McGregor is the same prolific striker with the same bravado. He looked amazing against Cerrone, and Poirier pulled through a crazy battle with Hooker.

That fight however, showed that Poirier can get hit and hurt. It must be noted that McGregor is different than Hooker – who looks to pressure and land the left hand. Suffocating Poirier won’t be easy, considering Poirier’s boxing prowess.

‘The Diamond’ knows he has power, and he’s willing to stand and trade – something McGregor aims to avoid. Conor’s best chances for a finish will come early on, because the longer the fight goes, the more it benefits Poirier. Still, this feels like a poor match up for Poirier – versing someone with the reflexes, instincts, and skills to avoid his best offerings.

Pick: Conor McGregor by Unanimous Decision

Ryan Truland: Like I said before, throw their first fight right out the window. The Dustin Poirier who we’ve seen since 2017 is many levels above the one who fought McGregor in 2014. How’s this for a list of bodies since then: Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Max Holloway, and Dan Hooker.

This is a different Conor McGregor as well. This Conor is focused and hungry to compete – possibly more than ever before – and that’s scary. He promises a “masterpiece”, but don’t expect another knockout in the opening minutes. Moreover, the former double-champ has taken his training to different levels and different places – i.e., Portugal.

It’s true that the longer this fight goes, the more it favors Poirier though. The chance of a McGregor knockout significantly goes down after the second round – considering he’s never finished someone outside of the first two rounds. I believe that changes at UFC 257.

I envision Poirier utilizing his head movement, footwork, and crisp boxing to avoid Conor’s early power shots. He’ll even land a few significant shots of his own. Then, round two things open up more and the two begin trading with McGregor inflicting more damage with his power advantage. Then third round Conor drops Poirier and finishes the job – completing the masterpiece.

Pick: Conor McGregor by TKO, Rd. 3

Draftkings Odds: McGregor (-305) vs Poirier (+250)

Dan Hooker (20-9) vs Michael Chandler (21-5)

Alexis Rodriguez: Michael Chandler finally makes his UFC debut. The former Bellator lightweight champ is a wrestler who’s fallen in love with striking over time. Against Hooker, he’s going to have to go back to his base.

Hooker is more than hittable and has shown a limited gas tank, but his offense is spectacular. He was able to hurt Dustin Poirier and has an arsenal that Chandler just doesn’t have on the feet. It’s hard to hold Hooker down as well.

This is a tough fight to predict, but Hooker should take it with his ability to defend the takedowns. If Chandler does get Hooker down, he may not even be able to hold him there. ‘The Hangman’ may not be able to get the finish, but he’ll do enough to get a decision in what will be a grueling affair.

Pick: Dan Hooker by Unanimous Decision

Ryan Truland: Michael Chandler’s UFC career will be much different from Ben Askren’s. This former Bellator champ has the all-around game to compete with the best lightweights in the world – and that’s exactly what Dan Hooker is.

Of the UFC 257 predictions, this one’s most difficult to pick in my opinion. Yes, Chandler has beaten the likes of Benson Henderson, Eddie Alvarez, and Patricio Freire. However, he’s also lost to Alvarez and Freire. Moreover, Hooker is very, very different stylistically from those three athletes.

Hooker is confident in his wrestling defense and I believe him. I think he’ll handle himself grappling against Chandler. Notably, Chandler has power in his hands and he’s shown a likeness to trading on the feet since beginning MMA in ’09.

This one will be back and forth. Still, I’m going with the striker Dan Hooker to win over the judges in the end.

Pick: Dan Hooker by Unanimous Decision

Draftkings Odds: Hooker (-143) vs Chandler (+112)

Jessica Eye (15-8) vs Joanne Calderwood (14-5)

Alexis Rodriguez: This one is all about who can outwork who. Both are not known for one particular skill or area. Calderwood can strike and wrestle, but has shown vulnerability to submissions.

Meanwhile, Eye can outpace her opponent and grapple moderately, but she has left a lot to be desired recently. Calderwood will use grappling and clinch work to outwork Eye. ‘Evil’ Eye could threaten submissions, yet it’s difficult to count n her pulling something crazy off.

Pick: Joanne Calderwood by Unanimous Decision

Ryan Truland: Both of these women are quite good. Yet, both of these women also have ceilings – meaning the elite of the elite seem too much for them at times.

In her last three outings, Jessica Eye is (1-2, missing weight twice. This fight will tell a lot regarding the direction of her career. On the flip side, Joanne Calderwood has tendency to get caught in submissions, but that shouldn’t be a concern against Eye.

This one will be competitive, but I don’t know how much either will be in “danger” throughout this contest. I’m going with Calderwood winning on the scorecards.

Pick: Joanne Calderwood by Unanimous Decision

Draftkings Odds: Eye (-105) vs Calderwood (-117)

Marina Rodriguez (12-1-2) vs Amanda Ribas (10-1)

Alexis Rodriguez: Ribas is a star in the making. Her ground game and judo make her incredibly dangerous to coincide with her improvements on the feet. She is insanely aggressive on the ground each night out.

Rodriguez is a striker who has shown weaknesses to grapplers, but her striking is powerful and can truly stop Ribas is done right. However, Ribas applies pressure masterfully and her defense should hold enough to where she can comfortably take Rodriguez down.

It may take time to get her down, but continuous pressure, she can do so and finish the fight. Rodriguez will look good early, but slowly, Ribas will take over and secure a finish.

Pick: Amanda Ribas by Submission, Rd. 2

Ryan Truland: Marina Rodriguez has had a strange start to her UFC career – owning wins over Tecia Torres and Jessica Aguilar, along with draws to both Randa Markos and Cynthia Calvillo. She clearly can hang with most of the top-10 flyweights on the roster.

The flyweight she’ll be facing at UFC 257 is though to be a rising star. That very well may be the case, but let’s pump the brakes a little. She’s (4-0) since entering the UFC – including victories over Mackenzie Dern and Paige VanZant.

Ribas definitely owns the advantage on the ground and she might not be far behind in terms of striking. I think she uses the striking to work the fight to the ground where she’ll finish it.

Pick: Amanda Ribas by Submission, Rd. 1

Draftkings Odds: Ribas (-335) vs Rodriguez (+250)

UFC 257 is LIVE tomorrow night beginning with the early prelims at 6:00PM (ET) only on UFC Fight Pass. Then, catch the prelims at 8:00PM (ET) on ESPN and ESPN+. And then, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, the UFC 257: Poirier vs McGregor main card begins at 10:00PM (ET) exclusively on PPV.

Betting odds for BSP’s UFC 257 predictions come via Draftkings. Head there now to place your bets using our UFC 257 predictions.

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‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor promises “a masterpiece” at UFC 257, but lightweight contending mainstay Dustin Poirier is planning on ruining the superstar’s plans. Meanwhile, Dan Hooker believes he is a bad stylistic match up for Michael Chandler – the former Bellator lightweight champ.

Here’s everything you need to know for UFC 257: Poirier vs McGregor:

Date: January 23^rd, 2021

Venue: Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Main Card (10:00PM ET, ESPN+ PPV):

• Dustin Poirier [#2] vs Conor McGregor [#4] (lightweight bout)
• Dan Hooker [#6] vs Michael Chandler (lightweight bout)
• Jessica Eye [#4] vs Joanne Calderwood [#7] (women’s flyweight bout)
• Matt Frevola vs Ottman Azaitar (lightweight bout)
• Marina Rodriguez #[8] vs Amanda Ribas [#10] (women’s strawweight bout)

Prelims (8:00PM ET, ESPN & ESPN+):

• Arman Tsarukyan vs Nasrat Haqparast (lightweight bout)
• Brad Tavares [#14] vs Antonio Carlos Junior (middleweight bout)
• Julianna Pena [#7] vs Sara McMann [#9] (women’s bantamweight bout)
• Khalil Rountree Jr. vs Marcin Prachnio (light heavyweight bout)

Early Prelims (6:15PM ET, Fight Pass):

• Andrew Sanchez vs Makhmud Muradov (middleweight bout)
• Nik Lentz vs Movsar Evloev (catchweight bout)
• Amir Albazi [#15] vs Zhalgas Zhumagulov (flyweight bout)

Throw the First Fight Out the Window

Yes it happened, and yes Conor McGregor made quick work of Dustin Poirier the first time around. Yet, expecting a similar result and banking on McGregor cashing in on his prediction – “I’ll knock Dustin out inside 60 seconds” – would be a massive underestimate of 2021’s ‘The Diamond’ Poirier.

The first fight was nearly seven years ago – essentially an eternity in this sport. The Dustin Poirier that we’ve seen since 2017 is an entirely different animal. He’s been on a tear, owning victories over Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Max Holloway, and Dan Hooker – and only losing to the unbeaten Khabib. The Louisiana native is one of the crispest boxers in the sport, and he’s become extremely durable over the past three years. Finishing him on the feet is a tall order.

Like is the case with Poirier, it’d be foolish to believe this is the same Conor McGregor that we saw in 2014. Obviously, that is far from the reality. Dana White assures this is a different Conor than who we saw fight Khabib, and I believe him. Not even necessarily physically – although that may be the case as well – but he appears more disciplined and matured between the ears. That’s a scary proposition for anyone across the cage from him.

All in all, what I’m basically saying is we’re in for a much more competitive fight this time around. That’s what we’re all hoping for and that’s what we shall receive.

A Mix of Styles in the Co-Main Event

Michael Chandler is an aggressive offensive wrestler, earning Division I All-American honors his senior year at the University of Missouri. Meanwhile, his first UFC opponent Dan Hooker is a rangy and violent striker, effective in utilizing the “art of eight limbs”.

‘The Hangman’ has been expressing confidence in his wrestling defense. The renowned City Kickboxing gym has a knack for developing striker’s wrestling defense.

“I bet if he (chandler) could’ve picked anyone else it wouldn’t have been me,” Hooker said in the pre-fight presser. “I’m a long, tall guy and my game’s built around defending wrestlers. The only reason I’m here is because everyone ahead of me turned the fight down.”

UFC newcomer Michael Chandler has been awaiting this moment his whole life – the opportunity to compete with the best in the world. Calling him a wrestler would be a misjudgment of his abilities. This isn’t another Ben Askren. Chandler has power in his hands, awarding him the capability of finishing opponents on the feet.

These two are going to meet in the middle. Blood will be shed along the way as both are fully aware of the high-stakes at place.

UFC Title Picture Post UFC 257

Clearly, the ultimate wild card in this picture is Khabib Nurmagomedov. You can bet your ass that if McGregor defeats Poirier, both him and Dana will do everything in their power to coax Khabib back for one more fight. McGregor-Khabib II is still the biggest fight the promotion could make right now; just edging out Adesanya-Jones.

Things will play out differently if Poirier gets his hand raised this weekend though. Of course, Poirier will demand a title shot – and he’ll likely receive it. However, I’m expecting things to get a bit fuzzy. Poirier will really have to deliver a big-time moment to garner enough of Khabib’s attention. That still might not be enough.

Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and the victor of UFC 257’s co-main event could all have say in how the immediate lightweight title picture plays out.

The odds of Khabib returning increase mightily with a Conor McGregor win this weekend.

A Fine Trio of Women’s Bouts

Aside from the two featured lightweight bouts atop the card, the rest of the event revolves around a few women’s fights with heavy implications.

First and for most is Amanda Ribas vs Marina Rodriguez. Ribas has already displayed some “star” qualities, to go along with her impressive wins over Mackenzie Dern, Randa Markos, and Paige VanZant. Meanwhile, her foe Marina Rodriguez is eager to earn a staple victory after having only fought once last year.

Just before we see Hooker and Chandler we’ll be treated to a top-10 women’s flyweight bout – as Jessica Eye faces Joanne Calderwood. At this point, Calderwood is a UFC vet in search of a consistent win streak – going (5-5) since competing on The Ultimate Fighter. Jessica Eye is in the midst of her second roughest stretch since entering the UFC in 2013, but she’s owns wins over Katlyn Chookagian and Viviane Araujo. These ladies should deliver an entertaining scrap.

Lastly, or should I say firstly because we’ll it’s on the prelims, is Julianna Pena vs Sara McMann. The latter has been around long enough to have fought and lost to Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Amanda Nunes. The Venezuelan Pena is also a former title-challenger who’s looking to climb bac up the ranks. Both women desperately need this win.

Only two more sleeps until UFC 257! The first PPV of the year promises to be a banger.

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