Dustin Poirier shares strong prediction for UFC 299 clash with Benoit Saint Denis
Dustin Poirier is set to face surging lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis in a much-anticipated clash as part of the stacked UFC 299 card.
The pay-per-view event will take place on Mar. 9 in Miami, and despite being ranked eight spots above his opponent, 'The Diamond' is currently a slight underdog.
The pair will meet in the co-main event of the card, and many are billing the clash as the old guard facing off against the new generation. Saint Denis suffered a defeat in his UFC debut, but has since introduced fans to his ultra-violent brand of fighting by winning his last five bouts.
Ahead of the bout, Poirier was interviewed by Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, where the former interim lightweight champion shared his prediction for fight night:
"I stop him over 25 minutes. I think I can submit him or knock him out. He looks very physically strong, he's got a takedown in every one of his fights. Good judo, good jiu-jitsu, big kicks. He throws everything with power, a very dangerous guy. I think his best attribute is his mentality. His mental toughness and his grit."
'The Diamond' continued:
"When he's in there, he is there to fight... If I'm going to get him out of there, it's got to really happen. This guy's not gonna find a soft spot on the mat, I've got to put him down."
Watch Dustin Poirier's interview below from 23:30:
Dustin Poirier shares pick for UFC 300 BMF title bout between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway
UFC 300 is set to feature a co-main event title fight between two of the sport's fan favorites, Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway.
'The Highlight' won the BMF title after his superb head kick knockout of Dustin Poirier at UFC 291, and he will look to defend the belt for the first time in April.
Not all fans met the announcement of Gaethje vs. Holloway with joy, with many concerned for the Hawaiian's health. However, Dustin Poirier, a man who has fought both BMF title competitors on two occasions, has shared a different prediction for the clash.
During his recent interview with Helwani, he said:
"I would put money on Max just because he's the underdog. I see a lot of people online saying that Max is going to be undersized [but] Max is a big guy. He and Gaethje probably walk around the same weight. Max isn't a small guy... It's a coin toss but if I was betting, I would bet on Max." [12:30-12:58]