Poirier v McGregor 3 betting tips: Familiar foes meet again
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UFC 264 preview and odds
Conor McGregor steps back into the octagon this weekend to face a familiar opponent and we have studied the odds to highlight some Poirier v McGregor 3 betting tips.
McGregor knows a win will catapult him back into the UFC lightweight title picture but a defeat could bring his storied mixed martial arts career to an end.
It really is as simple as that. Beat Dustin Poirier in their rubber at UFC 264 at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night and it is likely McGregor will next face Charles Oliveira for the gold at 155lbs before the year is finished.
But a second straight loss to Poirier, who is slight favourite at 5/6 to have his hand raised, and McGregor is out of obvious options. With his legacy secured and untold fortunes banked, McGregor could retire – for good this time.
Poirier v McGregor 3 odds
Unlike the cordial, even friendly, build-up to the pair’s rematch in January at Abu Dhabi, where Poirier levelled the rivalry at one win apiece, both combatants have taken swipes at each other either online or in interviews.
McGregor could reason that such a tactic worked in their first meeting seven years ago. Back then the pair were up and coming featherweights and Poirier acknowledged his opponent got into his head, which proved his undoing.
McGregor, who holds an MMA record of 22 wins and five defeats, needed just 106 seconds to stop the American and is rated at evens to get the win in the trilogy encounter, with odds of 29/20 to win by either technical knockout or knockout and 6/1 by decision.
But the former featherweight and lightweight champion – the first UFC fighter to hold belts in different divisions simultaneously – is the underdog heading into a bout rated at 3/10 to finish inside the scheduled five rounds.
It is just six months since Poirier stunned McGregor in the desert with repeated kicks to the brash Irishman’s lead leg before capitalising with a series of brutal punches. Poirier is 5/4 to win this time by TKO, KO or submission.
Unlike McGregor, Poirier, who has won 27 and lost six of his 34 MMA fights, with one no-contest, has never held a UFC title – coming up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov two years ago.
Having seen off McGregor for the biggest win of his career earlier this year, he could have snubbed another money-spinning fight against the Dubliner in favour of going straight for the main prize against Oliveira or Michael Chandler.
But the belief he gained from his most recent win at the start of the year means he will be highly confident of putting the final nail in McGregor’s career inside the octagon.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
