UFC 291: How to watch Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 ‘BMF’ title fight, start time, Salt Lake City fight card, odds, more
The UFC returns to Utah on Saturday for UFC 291 in Salt Lake City. For just the second time, the “BMF” title will be up for grabs atop the card.
Here’s how to watch UFC 291 with two ex-interim lightweight champions in the main event.
Broadcast and streaming info
UFC 291 has a main card that begins at 10 p.m. ET and streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view. The prelims air on ABC and ESPN, and also stream on ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET. And a trio of early prelims streams on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Main event: Dustin Poirier
In the headliner, former interim lightweight champion Poirier (29-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC) takes on Justin Gaethje in a rematch. The longtime fighters, each known for a propensity to get into violent slugfests, fought in 2018 – a fourth-round TKO for Poirier. This time, the “BMF” title will go to the winner. It’s essentially a trophy belt invented for Nate Diaz’s 2019 fight with Jorge Masvidal. Since he lost a title challenge against then-champ Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, Poirier has won four of five, including two against Conor McGregor.
Main event: Justin Gaethje
Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) will be out to not only capture the “BMF” belt for his trophy case, but also avenge his 2018 loss to Poirier. After that Poirier setback, Gaethje won four straight fights against James Vick, Edson Barboza, Donald Cerrone and Tony Ferguson – all by knockout, and all of which won post-fight bonuses. The Ferguson win picked up a double bonus. But in his 2020 title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov, he was submitted in the second round. In a 2022 vacant lightweight title fight, he was submitted by Charles Oliveira. But he also has Fight of the Night wins over Michael Chandler and Rafael Fiziev, the latter of which came in March.
Co-main event: Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
Featured bout: Michel Pereira vs. Stephen Thompson
Two-time welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) got back in the win column this past December against Kevin Holland after a pair of decision losses to Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad in 2021 set him significantly back in the title picture at 170 pounds. “Wonderboy” will try to make it two in a row when he takes on Michel Pereira (28-11 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in a fight that was rescheduled from a planned June 10 date. Pereira has five straight wins, including a Fight of the Night split call over Santiago Ponzinibbio. But that was his most recent action, and it came 14 months ago.
UFC debut: Darrius Flowers
The only debutant on Saturday’s card is 28-year-old Chicago native Darrius Flowers (12-5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who takes on Jake Matthews (18-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) in a welterweight bout on the prelims. With UFC welterweight standout Belal Muhammad as one of his training partners and mentors, Flowers has four straight wins, including two knockouts under the LFA banner and a first-round highlight-reel slam TKO win on Dana White’s Contender Series nearly a year ago. He had to pull out of a planned UFC debut in February, but now will get back in the cage about 11 months after his DWCS win.
Pay-per-view main card betting odds
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Dustin Poirier (-150) vs. Justin Gaethje (+130) – for “BMF” title
Jan Blachowicz (-120) vs. Alex Pereira (-110)
Michel Pereira (+145) vs. Stephen Thompson (-170)
Tony Ferguson (+280) vs. Bobby Green (-360)
Michael Chiesa (+125) vs. Kevin Holland (-145)
ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ preliminary card betting odds
PRELIMINARY CARD (ABC/ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
Gabriel Bonfim (-315) vs. Trevin Giles (+260)
Derrick Lewis (+150) vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima (-175)
Roman Kopylov (-230) vs. Claudio Ribeiro (+185)
Darrius Flowers (N/A) vs. Jake Matthews (N/A)
ESPN+ early prelims betting odds
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)
Vinicius Salvador (+145) vs. CJ Vergara (-170)
Uros Medic (+150) vs. Matthew Semelsberger (-175)
Priscila Cachoeira (+260) vs. Miranda Maverick (-335)
UFC 291 main event preview with Brendan Fitzgerald, Sayif Saud
UFC 291 Countdown: Blachowicz vs. Pereira
UFC 291 Countdown: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2
Jan Blachowicz vs. Luke Rockhold full fight video
Alex Pereira vs. Sean Strickland full fight video
Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler full fight video
Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev full fight video
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.
