Skip to main content

Who Ya Got?! UFC 291 fighters predict Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje, give thoughts on 'BMF' belt

SALT LAKE CITY – What started as a great quote and moment on the mic has turned into a real thing in the UFC: the “BMF” title.

When Nate Diaz challenged Jorge Masvidal to a fight in 2019, saying the winner would be the “baddest motherf*cker,” he couldn’t have known there’d be an actual UFC “BMF” title. Masvidal won it, but Saturday it will get a resurrection nearly four years later.

Former interim lightweight champions Dustin Poirier (29-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC) and Justin Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meet in the UFC 291 main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+. The “BMF” belt will go to the winner.

Poirier has 13 career UFC post-fight bonuses. Gaethje has a remarkable 11 in 11 UFC fights. Both are known for their durability and fan-friendly slugfests, so if ever there was a time to trot the “BMF” thing back out, it’s for their rematch. Poirier beat Gaethje with a fourth-round TKO in a FOX headliner in 2018.

Ahead of the UFC 291 main event, we asked fighters in Utah what they think of the “BMF” belt – and who they’re picking in the fight. Check out the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.



from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/duaVDUA
via IFTTT

Popular posts from this blog

Drew Dober offers to be Michael Chandler's warm-up fight for Conor McGregor

LAS VEGAS – If Michael Chandler wants to step into the cage before his long-awaited matchup against Conor McGregor, Drew Dober has his hand raised. Dober (26-12 MMA, 12-8 UFC) returns to action on the main card of UFC Fight Night 229 to face Ricky Glenn (22-7-2 MMA, 4-4-1 UFC). While he isn’t looking past his upcoming opponent, Dober has threw his name in the hat should Chandler get tired of waiting around for McGregor to commit to a fight date. “He’s definitely waiting for Conor, I’m still unsure if Conor’s going to ever show up,” Dober told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “If he wants a 5-foot-9 southpaw to get him warmed up for that fight, I’m absolutely available. He’s just got to let me know when he wants to do it.” Dober, a lightweight competitor, is willing to move up in weight to face Chandler, even though the two fighters share the same weight class. “He said he’s 190 pounds right now? I can fight him at 170,” Dober said. “I’m here for the excitement and he brings ...

Henry Cejudo: 'I still don't see Sean O'Malley as the best in the world' ahead of UFC 299

Henry Cejudo is not sold on Sean O'Malley as UFC bantamweight champion. O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) knocked out Aljamain Sterling to become 135-pound champion at UFC 292, whereas Cejudo is coming off a close title loss to Sterling at UFC 288 . O’Malley will make his first title defense against Marlon Vera in the UFC 299 headliner on March 9, and Cejudo is still adamant that “Chito” beats O’Malley again – despite being a sizable underdog. “I still don’t see Sean O’Malley as the best in the world,” Cejudo said on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel . “I don’t. I do believe ‘Chito’ Vera is going to beat him. You have good defense, you walk that dude down, you kick his freaking legs – he still has that wide leg – you kick his legs, you just bring the fight to him and grit. “This is what Sean O’Malley will do: He’ll look at the clock because he throws a lot of power. He is precise, but he throws a lot of it. I would bet the house on ‘Chito.’ Once I beat Merab (Dvalishvili), I’m goi...

Tatiana Suarez targets drop to strawweight next, lists Rose Namajunas as potential opponent

LAS VEGAS – Tatiana Suarez is set on a move back to strawweight, despite having a successful return at 125 pounds. Suarez made her long-awaited return to competition Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 220. Suarez (9-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), who hadn’t competed in nearly four years due to a series of injuries, submitted Montana De La Rosa (12-8-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) in a women’s flyweight bout. But despite picking up a dominant win at 125 pounds, as well as a $50,000 bonus, Suarez is determined to return to her original weight class and resume a title run. “I think they should give me a really good opponent at strawweight, and I’ll earn it,” Suarez told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 220 post-fight press conference. “I’ve never been given anything in my life. I’ve always earned it, and I don’t mind doing that because I think that builds character. You have to work for the things you want in your life. I don’t mind doing that because that’s how my mom and grandma raised me. “I’...