The UFC will emanate from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City tomorrow night as some of the best fighters in the world will step into the octagon once again. There may not be any championship gold on the line, but there are some explosive matchups on this card.
Contenders ranked in the top three of the UFC’s lightweight division will face off for a second time in a main event that could have a future title fight on the line. Plus, former champions will square off in a massive light heavyweight bout that could serve as a title eliminator and hard-hitting heavyweights will look to put on a show to jump up the rankings.
Heavyweight bout: Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio De Lima
It’s been a rough go for Derrick Lewis as of late. The former title challenger has lost three in a row and four of his last five, being finished each time. Still, his record sits at 26-11 with 21 knockouts. He’s still one of the most feared power punchers in the sport and one of the best heavyweights around. There’s no secret in his gameplan here. As always, Lewis will look to score a knockout.
That will be easier said than done against Marcos Rogerio De Lima, who comes into this bout with a 21-8-1 record with 14 knockouts. The 15th ranked heavyweight has only been knocked out once in his career, and that came all the way back in 2012. He’s won four of his last five, with a knockout and a submission in that stretch. He’s likely going to be looking to make an example of Lewis here and prove that he belongs in the top of this division. He has to get past a very dangerous opponent to do so though.
My pick: Lewis via 1st round knockout
Light heavyweight bout: Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
This is a very interesting co-main event because it pits the former light heavyweight champ against the former middleweight champ. Blachowicz is looking to bounce back from a tough outing against Magomed Ankalaev in December, a fight that was deemed a draw despite the fact that many thought Ankalaev won. And incredibly powerful and smothering grappler, the former champ is a tough matchup for anyone and if he gets a hold of you, he can end the fight in a hurry, as is evident by his nine knockouts and nine submissions. Expect him to use some grappling in this one against a very dangerous striker.
The former middleweight champ is moving up in weight after losing his title to Israel Adesanya in April. With just nine professional fights, Pereira’s record sits at 7-2 with six knockouts. The power Pereira possesses is unmatched and now that he’s moving up a class, he is likely to be even stronger. The key for him will be keeping his distance and and landing punched without being taken to the ground.
My pick: Blachowicz via 3rd round submission
Lightweight bout: Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje
The lightweight division has long been the most stacked the UFC has to offer and that is absolutely the case right now. Islam Makhachev sits on the throne right now, but there is a long list of very talented fighters who want a shot at his crown, including the two in this main event.
Dustin Poirier is coming off of a big win over Michael Chandler in November, which brought his record to 29-7 with 14 knockouts and eight submissions. The UFC veteran has had a shot before, losing to former champion Charles Oliveira in 2021. With wins over Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, Eddie Alvarez and, oh yeah, Justin Gaethje, Poirier has beaten the best in the class. He’s very well rounded and he used his crisp striking to TKO Gaethje in their first meeting back in 2018. Poirier loves to stand and bang, but if Gaethje decides to grapple, he can do that too.
For Gaethje, it has been a long time since his first meeting with Poirier. Since then, he has beaten six of the very best fighters in the division and become one of the most popular fighters in the sport in the process. His record sits at 24-4 with 19 knockouts. Coming off of a big win in a very exciting fight against Rafael Fiziev in March, Gaethje will be looking to put together some momentum to make one last run at the championship before he leaves his gloves in the octagon. One way or another, this is sure to be a very exciting main event that fans will remember.
My pick: Poirier via decision
UFC 291 will be held Saturday, July 29 at 10 PM ET. Fight fans can order the pay per view through ESPN+ and receive a special offer: $124.98 for UFC 291 and an ESPN+ annual plan. ESPN+ subscribers can order the pay per view for $79.99.