On Saturday evening, the UFC returns to Atlanta, Georgia for the first time in three years using UFC 226, and that time, it is bringing two title conflicts with it.
In the primary event, UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is moving around 155 pounds to struggle for an interim lightweight title against towering rival Dustin Poirier, a guy who beat him once before at featherweight.
In the co-main occasion, one of the UFC’s fastest rising stars, Israel Adesanya, gets his first shot in UFC gold when he chooses The Ultimate Fighter 17 winner, Kelvin Gastelum. It has two fight-of-the-year contenders from the ATL with just two very live underdogs for UFC gaming lovers to consider, so let’s get to it.
Max Holloway vs. Dustin Tips UFC & Poirier Odds 236
What is there to say? At only 27 years old, Holloway is already making his case for the title of best featherweight of time with just two dominant wins on Jose Aldo at 2017.
Now, Holloway has his sights set on the name of greatest pound-for-pound fighter and is moving up to 155 lbs to become only the fourth dual winner in UFC history.
Holloway’s sport is all about pressure and pace. He places among the highest paces in the featherweight division, throwing about 15 strikes per minute and hammering competitions under his relentless volume.
Even when a fighter could get the better of him early on, as Aldo failed in both of the fights, few are able to remain blow for blow with Holloway since the fight drags to the third, fourth and fourth rounds.
In most respects, Poirier is comparable. “The Diamond” also functions at a high pace, with mix striking. The two differ though is that while Max has power and can damage opponents, his finishes usually come as a result of accumulated damage.
Poirier, by comparison, is one of the only hardest blow-for-blow punchers in the lightweight division. He does not have to land many strikes to harm an opponent as his litany of UFC wins reveals. Poirier is a grappler than Holloway.
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