UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor betting odds and preview

Conor McGregor is back, but can Dustin Poirier spoil his comeback party?

Here is our preview and a pick, ahead of McGregor’s return Saturday, Jan. 23, at UFC 257.

Has Poirier closed the gap?

When these two fought six years ago, McGregor folded Poirier up and put him in the glove compartment. It was a walkover and a devastating performance from McGregor.

Since then, Poirier has established himself as a top lightweight, while McGregor has transitioned from a full-time fighter to a special attraction.

McGregor looks to be in tremendous shape and still has that awkward, hard-hitting style that’ll bedevil most opponents. Poirier campaigned for a rematch, but things can get ugly for him if he doesn’t respect McGregor from the beginning.

If McGregor can catch Poirier like Dan Hooker did, Poirier is going to be in trouble.

McGregor will start fast

There shouldn’t be a feeling-out process in this fight. McGregor is going to go right at Poirier, and he will go for the kill.

But because McGregor is coming off another long layoff, the longer the fight lasts, the more it will favor Poirier. Expect McGregor to impose his size and drop some bombs from the start.

It’ll be up to Poirier to handle it, but he might weather the storm. He has looked tremendous against formidable strikers, like Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, and he has a better ground game than McGregor. The best chance he has is to let McGregor get off a few shots, cover up, and have McGregor expend his energy. Poirier can then shoot for a takedown and get McGregor on the canvas.

McGregor will earn a tough win

Poirier is becoming a bigger underdog by the day, but he deserves more credit than he has received. But it is hard to see him outlasting McGregor’s power to get to the later rounds.

This should be a war, one that’ll go over 2.5 rounds (+152) for sure, but McGregor will pound Poirier out for a stoppage in the third (+900).

MMA free pick: McGregor