The UFC’s first 2021 pay-per-view, UFC 257, is a big one. Conor McGregor returns to rematch Dustin Poirier in what should produce one of the most action-packed main events this year. Find the latest online betting odds from our sportsbook as we look into the top fights for this card.
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 23, 10:00 PM EST
- Venue: Etihad Arena, UFC Fight Island
- Watch on: Pay-Per-View
Main Event: Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor 2
A fight over six years in the making, Poirier (26-6-0 1 NC) and McGregor (22-4-0) rematch for a potential second shot against the recently retired UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Poirier enters the rematch a significant underdog at +220 thanks to getting knocked out in just under two minutes in the first fight. This is a bad stylistic matchup for “The Diamond” despite all the improvements he’s made to his game since.
McGregor returns to the octagon after one year. He dusted Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in just over a minute at the start of 2020 and gets a prime tilt against a fighter he’s already mastered. -300 is steep for “The Notorious” one, but he should win this fight handily.
When Poirier and McGregor first fought, McGregor easily got into Poirier’s head. The American is known for being a short-fused fighter, which has led to mixed results in his earlier career in the UFC. But recently, he’s developed a cooler head and a more technical aspect to his striking.
Don’t expect McGregor to be getting under Poirier’s skin as easily as the first time. McGregor has actually been more soft spoken lately, but he can still let words fly if he chooses to. Poirier is six years wiser and better, but at the end of the day, he’s still a striker.
McGregor has only lost to one striker in the UFC: Nate Diaz. He was winning the fight by brutalizing Diaz, but the Stockton native had one of MMA’s most durable chins and McGregor wore himself out en route to getting choked.
Poirier has improved defensively, but his chin has always been suspect. This fight will go longer than 106 seconds, but it should still end in the same way: with Poirier face first on the canvas and McGregor calling out the UFC champion.
Odds For This Event
Find and bet on this main event fight along with other UFC odds from the BetUS’s UFC section. The sportsbook currently has the fight lined at:
- Poirier +220
- McGregor -300
* odds are subject to change
Pick: McGregor to win at -300
Co-Main Event: Dan Hooker vs Michael Chandler
Former three-time Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler (21-5-0) finally makes his octagon debut and will take on Dan Hooker (20-9-0) who sits just outside the top-five in the UFC’s most dangerous division.
Chandler is an NCAA Division-I All-American wrestler with significant power in his hands. He is coming off two straight knockouts including one over former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson in just two minutes.
Hooker finds himself at a spot Poirier has found himself in his earlier career. The Kiwi has won seven of his nine bouts at lightweight but fell short when faced with a step-up in competition. He is a high volume striker (4.98 significant strikes landed per minute) and a switch hitter.
This fight hinges on how effectively Hooker can fight Chandler knowing of the threat of a takedown. He dusted Gilbert Burns who is a decorated grappler, but Chandler is another type of wrestler. Still, he is durable and relentless, two traits that usually gives Chandler a run for his money.
Odds For This Event
BetUS has this fight lined at a “pick em” price, meaning it’s close to a 50-50. Check out more UFC picks here.
- Hooker -120
- Chandler -110
* odds are subject to change
Pick: Dan Hooker to win at -120
Feature Fight: Jessica Eye vs Joanne Calderwood
Two women’s flyweight will slug it out in what should be a fun fight to warm everyone up for the two bangers at the main event slots. Both Eye (15-8-0) and Calderwood (14-5-0) are strikers although Eye is more of a boxer while Calderwood is a kickboxer.
The odds here are a bit off and Calderwood should be favoured a bit more. She is the better striker and lands a whopping 6.17 significant strikes per minute at a 48 percent clip. Eye lands 3.65 and is bit more measured, which won’t do the job against Calderwood.
To beat Calderwood, Eye will not only have to pressure her but also mix in some takedowns. Calderwood tends to lose to fighters who can grapple, but Eye’s 0.40 takesdowns per 15 minutes shows she’s not really one to do that.
Calderwood should win this striking exchange and book a title shot against Valentina Shevchenko.
Odds For This Event
The UFC betting odds for this fight are currently at the following per BetUS:
- Eye -110
- Calderwood -120
* odds are subject to change
Pick: Joanne Calderwood to win at -120
