Unlike any previous big pay-per-view event, UFC 264 will not include a championship match. What the card lacks in championship gold, it makes up for in star power.
The main fight will feature a highly anticipated rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. Following knockout wins over one another, the rivals will settle the score.
However, Poirier and McGregor will not be the only high-profile combatants on the program. At UFC 264 Live, there will be a slew of notable contenders and prospects in action. Let's take a look at the top fighters that will compete on this card:
Gilbert Burns, a former UFC welterweight championship contender,
Gilbert Burns will resume his ascent up the welterweight rankings at UFC 264, after his unsuccessful attempt to dethrone Kamaru Usman.
Prior to his most recent fight, Burns had six straight wins, including major triumphs against Brazilian star Demian Maia and former welterweight titleholder Tyron Woodley.
If Burns can recover from a catastrophic TKO defeat to the champ, he will just need a few more victories to reclaim the championship. After all, Usman has swept the 170-pound class, defeating all of the top contenders.
Currently, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is on a rematch tour. He just defeated Jorge Masvidal for the second time in a row and will very certainly face Colby Covington again in his next defense. If Burns wins at UFC 264, he may earn a rematch with Usman sooner rather than later.
Stephen Thompson, the UFC's fourth-ranked welterweight,
Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson came close to capturing the UFC welterweight title twice against ex-champion Woodley. Thompson has now gone on a losing streak, losing back-to-back bouts against Darren Till and Anthony Pettis.
However, 'Wonderboy' seems to have found his second wind and is presently experiencing a late-career renaissance. Thompson is on a two-fight winning run, having won two straight unanimous decision victories against fellow rated welterweights Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal.
Thompson will face a stiff test against Burns in the co-main event of UFC 264. However, if 'Wonderboy' maintains his winning ways, he may be able to obtain a future championship opportunity.
Kevin Lee, the No. 12 rated MMA lightweight,
Kevin Lee, the perennial 155-pound challenger, thought it was time for a change after losing to future lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
Lee stated earlier this month that he is returning to the 170-pound weight class. His initial effort to move up was unsuccessful, as he was defeated by Rafael dos Anjos by triangle choke at UFC Fight Night 152.
Lee sought out Mike Perry and Robbie Lawler, but the UFC had other ideas for 'The Motown Phenom.'
Sean Brady, an unbeaten up-and-comer, will face Lee in his first fight back at welterweight at UFC 264. The 28-year-old will have the chance to reintroduce himself to the division if he can put a scratch on his opponent's perfect record.
A charismatic potential Sean O'Malley
Sean O'Malley feels he is still unbeaten, despite his professional record. Despite this, 'Sugar' Sean roared back in a huge manner after suffering his first career loss against Marlon Vera.
O'Malley returned to the winner's circle at UFC 260 with another highlight-reel knockout of Thomas Almeida. O'Malley will aim to continue his winning streak against Louis Smolka at UFC 264.
Because Smolka is an unranked bantamweight, a victory for O'Malley will not give him with a much-needed ranking rise. If he can get past Smolka at UFC 264, O'Malley should face a higher-profile opponent.
So far, the following matchups have been announced for UFC 264:
• Main event: Dustin Poirier versus Conor McGregor 3
• Co-main event: Gilbert Burns versus Stephen Thompson
• Kevin Lee versus Sean Brady
• Sean O'Malley versus Louis Smolka
• Ryan Hall versus Ilia Topuria
• Jessica Eye versus Jennifer Maia
• Tai Tuivasa versus Greg Hardy
• Irene Aldana versus Yana Kunitskaya
• Omari Akhmedov versus Brad Tavares
Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 3 clashed in a blockbuster crossover super-fight in January 23, 2021. The bout was rightly called ‘the money fight’ as it ended up getting the second highest pay-per-view buys in the history of ufc.
However, it could be questioned whether facing the Irishman again would be a good decision for Dustin Poirier winning streak. ‘Notorious’ has learned a lot from his previous fight. As a result, his chances of defeating Poirier in aufc match have increased. Here are the reasons why Conor McGregor can defeat Dustin Poirier:
Posted by: McGregor Conor Dustin Poirier 3 | 07/01/2021 at 11:14 PM