The UFC is back this weekend with another stacked event, UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2, featuring two former interim UFC Lightweight Champions. This fight card promises not only a slew of compelling matches but also a battle for the symbolic “BMF” title.
Taking place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, this event marks the UFC’s third visit to the city and is set to stream live on ESPN+ in the United States on July 29, 2023.
In the headlining bout, Dustin Poirier will meet Justin Gaethje in the Octagon for a thrilling rematch. The two originally clashed at UFC on Fox: Poirier vs. Gaethje in April 2018, with Poirier emerging victorious via a fourth-round TKO. Numerous media outlets deemed this battle “Fight of the Year,” creating high expectations for the rematch.
The main card also features a light heavyweight match between Jan Błachowicz and Alex Pereira. Stephen Thompson is set to face Michel Pereira in a welterweight bout that was initially scheduled for UFC 289. Tony Ferguson will take on Bobby Green, and Michael Chiesa is lined up against Kevin Holland in the welterweight division.
The preliminary card includes matchups like Gabriel Bonfim vs. Trevin Giles in a welterweight bout and Derrick Lewis facing off against Marcos Rogério de Lima in the heavyweight division. Jake Matthews will now face promotional newcomer Darrius Flowers in a welterweight bout after Miguel Baeza had to pull out due to undisclosed reasons.
UFC 291 Fight Card
Main Card – 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT only on ESPN+ PPV (order here)
- Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje (BMF title fight)
- Jan Błachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
- Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira
- Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
- Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
Prelims – 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT on ESPN+, ABC, and ESPN
- Gabriel Bonfim vs. Trevin Giles
- Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogério de Lima
- Roman Kopylov vs. Claudio Ribeiro
- Jake Matthews vs. Darrius Flowers
Early Prelims – 6:00 pm ET / 3:00 pm PT on ESPN+ and ESPN
- C.J. Vergara vs. Vinicius Salvador
- Matthew Semelsberger vs. Uroš Medić
- Miranda Maverick vs. Priscila Cachoeira
MMA fans can catch all these thrilling matchups by purchasing the UFC 291 PPV event via the official ESPN+ website.
Stay tuned for more details regarding this highly anticipated event, and make sure to check out our UFC Predictions Hub for all of our expert predictions for UFC 291.