Two of the most popular fighters in the entire UFC will meet for a third time on Saturday, July 10 at UFC 264 (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ PPV). What happens next will have major implications for the careers of both Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.
The winner likely gets the first shot at new UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira — some wondered why this bout wasn't for the lightweight crown in the first place — while the loser could go in a number of directions. McGregor in particular could go in a number of directions, from the rest of the UFC's lightweight challengers to an exhibition match against Jake Paul.
The pair last met at UFC 257 in January, with Poirier emphatically defeating the former two-belt champion. Poirier enters their rematch with a 27-6-1 record, while McGregor holds a 22-5 mark.
But that's just one fight in a full night for UFC at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
When does UFC 264 start?
The main card for UFC 261 is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET. Before that, the early prelims will begin at 6:15 p.m. ET, while the prelims will begin at 8 p.m. ET.
Where will UFC 264 be available on pay-per-view?
As usual, the UFC 264 main card will be aired via pay-per-view on ESPN+. This one will run you $69.99 if you're an existing ESPN+ subscriber, otherwise you can bundle in a yearly subscription to ESPN+ for $89.98.
The early prelims for the event will be available on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass, while the prelims will be televised on ESPN and streamed through ESPN+ (no pay-per-view necessary).
The full UFC 264 card
Here's the full main card for UFC 264, beginning with rising star Sean O'Malley at bantamweight. A big fight between two former welterweight challengers also serves as the co-main event.
- Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor (lightweight)
- Gilbert Burns vs. Stephen Thompson (welterweight)
- Tai Tuivasa vs. Greg Hardy (heavyweight)
- Irene Aldana vs. Yana Kunitskaya (bantamweight)
- Sean O'Malley vs vs. Kris Moutinho (bantamweight)
Who's favored in UFC 264?
As of Friday evening July 2, BetMGM has Poirier as a slight favorite at -120, while a bet on McGregor will give you even odds.
The pair first met all the way back in 2014, when McGregor's star was just beginning to rise and Poirier was an established veteran in the featherweight ranks. McGregor took that bout in decisive fashion, scoring a first-round TKO with a combination that stunned Poirier. Both men have since moved up to lightweight, with McGregor capturing both the featherweight and lightweight championship and Poirier an interim lightweight championship.
McGregor's roller coaster since reaching the top of the UFC — the Khabib Nurmagomedov loss, the Floyd Mayweather exhibition match, his many legal issues, his career as a whiskey pitchman — has been well documented, while Poirier transformed into one of the promotion's top lightweights.
Beyond the main event, Thompson (-155), Tuivasa (-145), Aldana (-120) and O'Malley (-900) are the rest of the favorites on the main card. O'Malley is a heavy favorite in particular against UFC newcomer Kris Moutinho, who is replacing Louis Smolka on four days' notice due to an undisclosed injury.