UFC president Dana White recently unveiled a stacked UFC 291 fight card, topped by a pivotal rematch between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje.
History of the Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje UFC 291 rematch
UFC 291 will take place on July 29 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The main event pits No. 2 ranked lightweight Poirier in a rematch with No. 3 ranked Gaethje, the man he defeated the first time they met.
The two fought a Fight of the Night performance at UFC on FOX 29 in 2018. The fight was a brutal battle that went into the fourth round before Poirier finished Gaethje via TKO stoppage.
Both men have since become a UFC interim lightweight champion. Both have also lost twice, each of them losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira, but otherwise remaining entrenched at the top end of the 155-pound division.
Poirier and Gaethje are fierce competitors, both widely known for their toughness and never-say-die fighting styles. They’re five-round bout at UFC 291 will not only help determine a challenger for the lightweight title, it will crown the winner the next BMF (Baddest Motherf**ker) Champion, now that Jorge Masvidal has retired with the distinction he claimed in a battle with Nate Diaz.
The rest of the UFC 291 fight card is also stacked
Though the Poirier vs. Gaethje rematch is sure to be a magnet for fight fans, the UFC 291 fight card is stacked with several other marquee match-ups, several of which could easily headline a Fight Night event.
One of those is former UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira making his 205-pound debut opposite former UFC light heavyweight titleholder Jan Blachowicz. It’s a significant challenge for Pereira as he moves up in weight after losing the middleweight belt to Israel Adesanya.
The hits don’t end there, as longtime heavyweight threat Derrick Lewis looks to rebound against rising Brazilian talent Marcos Rogério de Lima. Former welterweight title contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson faces Michel Pereira and Michael Chiesa fights Kevin Holland in two key 170-pound bouts.
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Another former UFC interim lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson, also looks to right the ship at UFC 291. He’s coming off of five consecutive losses, quite possibly trying to avert a UFC exit when he faces Bobby Green in a lightweight bout.
Former middleweight threat Paulo Costa will also return at UFC 291 just about a year after his last fight, as he faces up-and-coming Russian talent Ikram Aliskerov.
Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje rematch tops stacked UFC 291 fight card