UFC 242 Odds: Nurmagomedov vs. Poirier & Full Main Card
- Khabib Nurmagomedov returns from suspension
- Dustin Poirier looking to hand the champ his first loss
- See the odds for the entire main card of UFC 242
The octagon heads to Abu Dhabi on Saturday, Sept. 7, for a very intriguing UFC 242 card. In the main event, lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov will look to defend his belt when he takes on the interim champion, Dustin Poirier.
The co-main event sees a rematch of a ‘Fight of the Night’ from 2015 as Edson Barboza collides with Paul Felder in an lightweight scrap. The main card airs live at 2 p.m. ET on pay-per-view.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Dustin Poirier Odds
| Fighter | Book 1 Odds | Book 2 Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Khabib Nurmagomedov | -450 | -410 |
| Dustin Poirier | +325 | +340 |
*All Odds Taken 09/04/19
Can Khabib Stay Undefeated?
Nurmagomedov (27-0) is coming off of the biggest win of his career in the biggest event in UFC history. At UFC 229, the Russian successfully defended his title for the first time when he submitted Conor McGregor in the fourth round.
After that, he jumped the cage and attacked the Irishman’s corner which resulted in a suspension withholding him from competition until this fight. Before that win, he beat Al Iaquinta at UFC 223 to become the undisputed lightweight champion. He also has wins over the likes of Edson Barboza, Michael Johnson, Rafael dos Anjos, and Gleison Tibau.
Poirier (25-5 and one no-contest) is the current interim lightweight champion. At UFC 236, he took on featherweight king Max Holloway and beat him by decision to continue his run of wins over former champs.
During his four-fight win streak and six-fight unbeaten streak, he has beaten Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gaethje, Anthony Pettis, and Holloway as mentioned, who are all current or former champions in major organizations. He has also beaten the likes of Jim Miller, Diego Ferreira, Yancy Medeiros, and Bobby Green.
Tale of the Tape
| 30 | Age | 30 |
| 5’10” | Height | 5’9″ |
| 70″ | Reach | 72″ |
| 2 | UFC title fights (including interim) | 1 |
| 5 | UFC finishes | 11 |
The odds are way too high on this one as I believe it will be a much closer fight than many expect.
Nurmagomedov has looked unstoppable and has only lost one round in his entire career and that was the third round against Conor McGregor. But, Poirier has the skillset to make this fight interesting. He has good boxing and kicking that he uses to keep the distance and has the power to hurt the champion. However, the major question mark will be, can he stuff Nurmagomedov’s takedowns?
I think the Russian will get some takedowns, as he always does. But, Poirier will be able to stop some and should look to use an uppercut early and often when Khabib shoots in, reminding the champ there are consequences for a takedown.
If he keeps this fight on their feet he will have a chance, but I believe Nurmagomedov will win by decision or by TKO in the fourth or fifth round. His takedowns will be too much and he will use it en route to a win.
Pick: Khabib Nurmagomedov (-410)
Edson Barboza vs Paul Felder Odds
| Fighter | Book 1 Odds | Book 2 Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Edson Barboza | -155 | -160 |
| Paul Felder | +125 | +140 |
Can Barboza get back into the win column?
Barboza (20-7) is coming off of a knockout loss to Justin Gaethje last time out. Before that, he put on a dominant performance over Dan Hooker to get back to his winning ways. Since the Felder win, he has gone on to fight the likes of Anthony Pettis, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Tony Ferguson.
Felder (16-4) got back into the win column last time out as he beat James Vick by decision. Before that, in a brief stint at welterweight, he lost to Mike Perry by decision. He has beaten the likes of Charles Oliveira, Stevie Ray, and Daron Cruickshank.
Tale of the Tape
| 33 | Age | 35 |
| 5’11” | Height | 5’11” |
| 75″ | Reach | 70.5″ |
| 4-4 | Record since the first fight | 6-3 |
| -145 | Odds for the first fight | +115 |
I think this fight will go very similar to the first one. Both are phenomenal fighters and have improved greatly since their first fight but I still think Edson Barboza can get it done here. Barboza, who hails from Brazil, will use his striking and elite-level kicks to really chop up Felder’s lead leg and body and hurt him as he did in the first fight.
For Felder, he needs to close the distance and not let Barboza use his kicks which is his best weapon. Felder is a grinder and can push the pace, but so too, can the Brazilian. If it stays standing, which I suspect, it will be Barboza landing the better and harder shots and he will win by decision once again.
Pick: Edson Barboza (-155)
The Rest of UFC 242 Main Card
Here are the odds for the remaining fights on the card.
Islam Makhachev vs Davi Ramos Odds
| Fighter | Book 1 Odds | Book 2 Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Islam Makhachev | -335 | -330 |
| Davi Ramos | +255 | +270 |
Curtis Blaydes vs Shamil Abdurakhimov Odds
| Fighter | Book 1 Odds | Book 2 Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Curtis Blaydes | -500 | -475 |
| Shamil Abdurakhimov | +350 | +375 |
Mairbek Taisumov vs Diego Ferreira Odds
| Fighter | Book 1 Odds | Book 2 Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Mairbek Taisumov | -260 | -250 |
| Diego Ferreira | +200 | +210 |
Cole graduated from Sheridan College in April of 2019 with a diploma in journalism. He now is a full-time freelance writer, focusing on MMA for sites like BJPENN, while also covering the Toronto Blue Jays as a credentialed media member. At SBD, Cole covers the four major sports and MMA.
