UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Picks, Predictions & Odds
By Nick Holz in Mixed Martial Arts News
Updated: July 26, 2023 at 10:06 am EDTPublished:
- UFC 291 kicks off with a bang this Saturday, July 29th
- Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje do battle in a rematch of their UFC on Fox 29 clash
- Explore all the UFC 291 odds, predictions, and best bets
A star-studded UFC event gets underway this weekend as UFC 291 takes centre stage. Leading the charge with an explosive bout in the main event are Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. Before that, Polish steamroller Jan Blachowicz welcomes former middleweight champion Alex Pereira to the 205-pound division. In fact, the entire UFC 291 card is stacked with fan favorites, including the returns of Stephen Thompson, Tony Ferguson, and Michael Chiesa to the Octagon this Saturday night.
All of the action gets underway at 6:30pm eastern time with the prelims will air on ESPN. Taking place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, UFC 291 is sure to be an event to remember.
UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dustin Poirier | -150 |
| Justin Gaethje | +130 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Jan Blachowicz | -125 |
| Alex Periera | +105 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Stephen Thompson | -150 |
| Michel Pereira | +130 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Tony Ferguson | +310 |
| Bobby Green | -410 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Michael Chiesa | +125 |
| Kevin Holland | -145 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Gabriel Bonfim | -320 |
| Trevin Giles | +265 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Derrick Lewis | +185 |
| Marcos Rogerio De Lima | -215 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Roman Kopylov | -240 |
| Claudio Ribeiro | +195 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Jake Matthews | -260 |
| Darrius Flowers | +220 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| CJ Vergara | -160 |
| Vinicius Salvador | +130 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Uros Medic | +175 |
| Matthew Semelsberger | -205 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Miranda Maverick | -305 |
| Priscila Cachoeira | +240 |
Dustin Poirier heads to UFC 291 as a -150 favorite over Justin Gaethje who enters as a +130 favorite. While in the co-main event, Jan Blachowicz is a -125 favorite over Alex Pereira who comes in as a live +105 dog.
Odds as of July 25th at DraftKings. See the latest on Kentucky sports betting and DraftKings Kentucky ahead of UFC 291. Â
Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Odds & Predictions
With an explosive UFC 291 card in store, Saturday’s main event promises to be a barnburner.
These two actually matched up way back in 2018, with Poirier winning by knockout in the 4th round of a high-paced scrap. Expect another explosive contest at UFC 291.
That being said, Gaethje is a much more nuanced fighter, with far more experience than in 2018. He’ll have a few tricks up his sleeve to keep Poirier off-balance, and is surely motivated to come away with the victory.
Each of these fighters love to keep the action standing, and with 33 knockout victories between them, this main event is sure to be an explosive bout.
Ready to run it back SATURDAY 🔥@DustinPoirier and @Justin_Gaethje meet again in our #UFC291 main event!
[ @StateofSport #StateofSport @DeltaCenter ] pic.twitter.com/jsJXdX4QrW— UFC (@ufc) July 25, 2023
These two are extremely evenly matched. Both men are as durable as they come, and each of them possesses the power to end this fight quickly. However, Poirier is the more explosive striker, and he should find a way to breakdown Gaethje’s defenses throughout this contest.
While their first bout was a heck of a lot of fun to watch, Poirier vs Gaethje 2 could turn into an absolute war of attrition. Look for this fight to enter the championship rounds, and possibly go to the judges’ score cards.
| 34 | Age | 34 |
| 5’9 | Height | 5’11 |
| 73″ | Reach | 70″ |
| 22 | Career Finishes | 20 |
Ultimately, the pace of this scrap will likely be much slower than their first bout, as both Poirier and Gaethje are vastly more experienced and mature fighters. We’re going with a razor thin Dustin Poirier decision at UFC 291.
Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Pick: Dustin Poirier via decision (+350), Dustin Poirier to win (-150)
Blachowicz vs Pereira Prediction
Two heavy-handed knockout artists who love to stand and trade enter the Octagon. One man leaves victorious. Fans and bettors alike have seen this movie before.
One way or another, UFC 291’s co-main event is sure to end with a bang. This fight has knockout written all over it. What remains is to see which man can pull out the victory.
A former UFC lightheavyweight champion, Blachowicz can throw bombs with the best of them. His devastating knockout of Luke Rockhold and dominant decision over Israel Adesanya have put the Polish fighter on the map.
Across the cage, Alex Pereira may be the most dangerous striker in all of MMA. Although he was stopped by long-time rival Israel Adesanya in his last match-up, “Poatan” has an outstanding striking arsenal. With 14 kickboxing and 6 MMA knockouts to his name, Pereira has the ability to end this fight at any moment.
While Blachowicz has enjoyed an outstanding MMA career, at 40, his days at the top are numbered. This is the perfect fight for Alex Pereira to establish himself as a new contender at 205 pounds. Take Pereira to end this UFC co-main event by knockout.
Blachowicz vs Pereira Pick:Â Alex Pereira to win by knockout (+165)
Other UFC 291 Best Bets
- Michel Pereira to win versus Stephen Thompson (+130)
- 2-play parlay: Michael Chiesa and Gabriel Bonfim each to win (+195)
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Sports Content Writer
A sports betting aficionado and graduate of Toronto Film School, Nick covers the NFL, NBA, Soccer, and MMA for SBD. He is also an avid NBA podcaster, and sports betting TikToker. Nick's work has been featured on Bleacher Report.
