UFC 257: McGregor vs. Poirier 2 Odds, Predictions and Pre-Weigh-in Hype

There are few spectacles in MMA history on the level of a Conor McGregor fight, and he will return to the Octagon on Saturday night in a highly anticipated rematch with Dustin Poirier at UFC 257. 

The last time McGregor stepped into the cage was just over a year ago. A 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone was yet another indication of his ability to draw money. Even in a non-title fight against an opponent in Cerrone who is more of a name in MMA circles than actual contender, Tapology recorded more than one million buys. 

In Poirier, McGregor draws an opponent he should be familiar with. The two fought in September 2014. It was the Irishman's fourth UFC fight and Poirier's 11th. However, both have evolved a lot since then. 

Louisiana native Poirier has gone on to win an interim lightweight title while going 10-2 with one no-contest since fighting McGregor. His opponent has gone on to become one of the biggest stars in the history of the sport and a two-division champion. 

The lightweight division, which has yet to officially strip Khabib Nurmagomedov of his title despite his public retirement, will be in the limelight in Abu Dhabi. 

The co-main event features the UFC debut of former Bellator champion Michael Chandler. Dan Hooker will welcome him to the Octagon in a fight that could also have title implications. 

Here's a look at the entire offering, the latest odds and some of the pre-weigh-in hype. 

Fight Card, Schedule and Odds

Mel Evans/Associated Press

Main Card (ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET)

• Conor McGregor -315 (bet $315 to win $100) vs. Dustin Poirier +255, lightweights
• Dan Hooker -134 vs. Michael Chandler +105, lightweights
• Joanne Calderwood -117 vs. Jessica Eye -105, women's flyweights
• Ottman Azaitar -155 vs. Matt Frevola +125, lightweights
• Amanda Ribas -335 vs. Marina Rodriguez +250, women's strawweights

Prelims (ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET)

• Arman Tsarukyan -286 vs. Nasrat Haqparast +225, lightweights
• Brad Tavares -150  vs. Antonio Carlos Junior +120, middleweights
• Sara McMann -130 vs. Julianna Pena +105, women's bantamweights
• Khalil Rountree -335 vs. Marcin Prachnio +250, light heavyweights

Early Prelims (UFC Fight Pass at 6:15 p.m. ET)

• Makhmud Muradov -143 vs. Andrew Sanchez +115, middleweights
• Movsar Evloev -480 vs. Nik Lentz +350, featherweights
• Zhalgas Zhumagulov -125 vs. Amir Albazi +100, flyweights

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

McGregor Gunning for Early KO; Poirier Just Wants to Win

Mahmoud Khaled/Associated Press

Conor McGregor didn't get to this point on fighting skill alone. He's a master promoter to go with his very real skills in the cage, and part of that has been his penchant for making predictions and bringing them to fruition. 

This time, he is calling for an early knockout. 

"I like Dustin. I think he's a good fighter. He's even a great fighter. But great is still levels below me. I'll knock Dustin out inside 60 seconds," McGregor said in a promo for the fight. 

It hasn't been uncommon for him to end fights within the first minute. In addition to his last fight with Cerrone, his most famous moment in the Octagon is the 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo, and he once won a fight in four seconds outside of the UFC. 

The prediction could be nothing more than marketing, or it could be an early indication he feels he has found an opening in Poirier's striking style.

Poirier, meanwhile, doesn't care what it looks like but is confident he'll get his hand raised. 

"I'm going to be victorious. I don't know which way it's going to be, but I feel like I can grind him out, I can submit him, and I can knock him out. I'll take whatever is open. I'll find an opening and finish the fight," he told Kelsey McCarson of Bleacher Report.

If this fight comes to an early end, McGregor has the advantage. Pound-for-pound he's the better finisher and power puncher. However, the advantage swings to Poirier as the fight wears on. 

His toughness, durability and willingness to stand up make him a dangerous opponent for McGregor. This could be a spot for an upset. 

Prediction: Poirier via decision

Chandler Not Worried About Impressing Nurmagomedov in UFC Debut

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Michael Chandler did not draw an easy assignment as he transitions from Bellator to the UFC. The 34-year-old former champion will see a fighter in Hooker who was on a tear with seven wins in his last eight fights before falling to Poirier by unanimous decision in June. 

Chandler was a big fish in a small Bellator pond at times during his run with the company, but there are some legitimate wins on his resume. Twice he defeated Benson Henderson, and Patricky Freire is no easy out. 

Adding pressure to Chandler this weekend, the certainty of Khabib Nurmagomedov's retirement has come into question after a meeting with Dana White last week. According to White, Nurmagomedov issued a challenge for the lightweights at UFC 257: "Show me something spectacular and make me want to come back and fight."

Already facing the pressure of fighting in the UFC for the first time, Chandler told reporters Tuesday he isn't interested in the additional heat to impress the champ:

"You focus so much (on), 'I've got to be spectacular. I've got to get a knockout. I've got to get a submission. Khabib is a wrestler, so maybe he wants a wrestling challenge. Let me go out and wrestle Dan Hooker, so he thinks I'm a good enough wrestler for him to challenge.' I don't want to think about that. I want my performance to speak for itself."

Many former champions in other promotions have struggled in their UFC debuts. Hector Lombard and Eddie Alvarez both dropped their first fights, while Justin Gaethje started off 1-2 in the UFC. 

Hooker's defense could be his downfall in this one, though. The New Zealander is very hittable, and Chandler doesn't lack power. In a fight that could be a war, that will make a huge difference. 

Prediction: Chandler via decision

Frevola Hoping to Kill the Hype for Another Prospect

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

The Steamrolla vs. Bulldozer isn't just a battle of industrial machines, it's a classic test of a prospect who could give us a look into his potential. 

That would be the "Bulldozer" Ottman Azaitar, who enters his lightweight bout on a marquee pay-per-view with a 13-0 record and back-to-back first-round knockouts in his only UFC fights. 

Matt "The Steamrolla" Frevola is more of a veteran in the UFC. After picking up a submission win on Dana White's Contender Series, he has fought four times under the UFC banner with a 2-1-1 record. Those two wins have come against Luis Pena and Jalin Turner. 

Both Turner and Pena were looked at as exciting prospects, and both were surprised by Frevola's grinding style on their way to upset losses. Frevola is excited by the opportunity to make Azaitar a third in a row. 

"I had my eye on him. I was watching the Ottman and Khama Worthy fight and saw he was undefeated," Frevola said, per Cole Shelton of BJPenn.com. "Those are the kind of things that really excite me. He's undefeated, all those first-round knockouts, another hype train that I can derail, it all really excites me."

Neither of those guys had the power that Azaitar has shown in his brief UFC stint, though. If Frevola can survive the first five minutes, things will get interesting, but no one has done that to this point, and Azaitar's power and speed are legitimate.

Prediction: Azaitar via first-round TKO

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