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UFC 291: Best Bets and Predictions

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The UFC is in full stride of its four straight months of weekend action with UFC 291 tomorrow. The event is scheduled to take place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and will feature a 5-fight main card that is sure to excite. Wanna make some money? Read below.

Click here to sign up for BetMGM Sportsbook and place your bets on UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2. 

The Best Bets for UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2

Derrick Lewis vs Marcos Rogerio De Lima

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Early in the prelims, a clash of heavyweight giants will take place. Derrick Lewis, who has suffered four losses in his last six walks to the Octagon, will take on Marcos Rogerio De Lima.

For fans of the “Black Beast”, this may be a do or die walk for their Houston, Texas, heavyweight. Thankfully for them, Lewis will pull this one out.

Rogerio De Lima, despite enjoying a two fight win streak, has very little credibility to his name, finding victories over an aged Andrei Arlovski and an inexperienced Waldo Cortes-Acosta in his last two. De Lima has historically had issued with his gas tank and the new and improved and leaned out Lewis looks promising. The odds here are just too good to pass up.

Fight Pick: Derrick Lewis via 2nd Round T/KO

Michael Chiesa vs Kevin Holland

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To open up the main card, a feature of two different styled welterweights will ensue. Michael Chiesa has not competed since November 2021 when he dropped a unanimous decision to Sean Brady. Since then, The Ultimate Fighter 15 winner has been enjoying his desk job with the UFC, offering analysis work alongside Dominick Cruz, Paul Felder, and others.

Kevin Holland jumped back into the win column at UFC 287 when he finished Santiago Ponzinibbio inside of the third round. As the most active athlete in the UFC, Holland has seen a lot of growth stylistically over the past few years.

Kevin Holland is evolving. Michael Chiesa is aging and enjoying his new desk job.

Fight Pick: Kevin Holland Moneyline

Tony Ferguson vs Bobby Green

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In what will ultimately culminate as a retirement fight, Tony Ferguson will meet Bobby Green in a lightweight encounter.

Bobby Green, self-admittedly, ranked himself a ‘7 out of 10 fighter’ in a media query prior tomorrow’s event. Whether joking or not, a seven is all that “King” will need to send “El Cucuy” to the retirement home.

Ferguson is a shell of what he once was—a monster who was posited by many pundits to be able to defeat the now icon that is Khabib Nurmagomedov. After an awful showing against Nate Diaz at UFC 279, not much should be expected from the former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion.

Fans should not be surprised to see a finish in this one.

Fight Pick: Bobby Green via T/KO

Stephen Thompson vs Michel Pereira

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Just behind the co-main event, fight fans will be welcomed with what could be a sneaky Fight of the Night candidate. Stephen Thompson, aged 39, topped Kevin Holland in December. Now 40-years-old, the longtime karate style staple of the 170-lbs. division will meet Michel Pereira.

Pereira is one of the most entertaining fighters in all of the UFC. His in-cage antics has wowed fans and baffled opponents. The Brazilian has strung together a rather impressive five-fight win streak that has placed him inside of the division’s top-15.

“Demolidor” has not secured a finish since 2021. “Wonderboy” stopped Holland in December but prior had not seen a stoppage victory since 2016.

The best bet here is to send this one to the judges.

Fight Pick: Fight to Go Over 2.5 Rounds (+2.5 Rds)

Dustin Poirier vs Justin Gaethje

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In the main event, fight fans will see a rematch between two juggernauts of the 155-lbs. division. Dustin Poirier first met Justin Gaethje at UFC on Fox 29 in 2018 in a bout that he would win via TKO. “The Diamond” alongside “The Highlight” earned Fight of the Night honors for their efforts.

Unfortunately, as a Gaethje fan, its hard to envision a win here for the Genesis Training Center athlete.

Gaethje’s style simply does not translate well with the build and technicality of Poirier. This is not to say that this fight will not be a dog fight—just a dog fight that Gaethje cannot win.

Fight Pick: Dustin Poirier Moneyline

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Brian Knight is a contributing writer and active editor for MMASucka since November 2020. He is currently authoring his first book.

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