Key Stats: 1.95 knockdowns per 15 minutes (8th all-time), 5.43 strikes landed per minute, +2.51 striking differential (3rd all-time among FW)
What It Means: “The Notorious” one made waves from the moment he stepped into the Octagon with his unique striking style, otherworldly power and a penchant for psychological warfare. While the latter isn’t as venomous leading into this fight, McGregor showed the finishing knack in his return against Donald Cerrone. His wide, karate-esque stance allows him to cover distance explosively and land with his vaunted left cross. He’s good at managing and punishing from distance with a variety of kicks, particularly a front kick to the body.
Key Stats: 6.45 strikes landed per minute (3rd all-time among LW), 51.1% significant strike accuracy (8th), +1.47 striking differential (8th)
What It Means: A true fighter’s fighter, Poirier’s ascent up the lightweight division is a testament to the improvements he has made in the UFC. His boxing is among the best in the division, and he’s grown fond of a Philly-shell style defense that lets him stand inside the pocket more and land heavy hooks and uppercuts. He is a well-rounded striker who will mix in some kicks, but his hands are his best and most varied weapon. He’ll often take one to give several big shots back. In the clinch, he is strong and tends to go for guillotines whenever presented a chance, but he also has a solid ground game as well.
What to Look For in the Fight: A rematch six years in the making, this fight’s biggest differences lay with Poirier. His improvements and better psychological standing heading into this fight are key factors, but stylistically, it comes down to McGregor’s distance management and timing to land the knockout shots. Poirier has proven to have better cardio, so if the fight goes into deep waters, keep an eye on how McGregor’s explosiveness holds up with Poirier likely upping the pressure after the third round.
Co-Main Event: Dan Hooker vs Michael Chandler
Key Stats: 90% takedown defense (tied 2nd), 5.86 strikes landed per minute (4th), 0.86 knockdowns per 15 minutes (2nd)
What It Means: “The Hangman” is as tough as they come, and with a big frame for the division (6-foot, 75-inch reach), he does a good job of fighting from distance. When he sticks with jabs and leg and body kicks, he creates a dangerous puzzle for his opponent to solve in terms of closing that distance. He does love a firefight, though, and he has some tricky footwork and punches that can catch people off guard, and he mixes knees into combinations well. Grappling-wise, Hooker uses his length well to fend off takedowns, and he is strong and fundamentally sound when going for his own takedowns, showing pretty good timing.
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Key Stats: N/A, UFC Debut
What It Means: Chandler’s UFC debut comes after a decade of high-level fights outside the Octagon, where he showed an explosive, darting striking style complemented by his All-American wrestling pedigree. Though he stands 5-foot-8, his 71-inch reach and athleticism help him close distance rather quickly. Chandler likes to hop in with a punch to the body or big shots up top, and from distance, he’ll mix up his kicks, sometimes throwing multiple shots in a row, to the body and legs. He times takedowns well, either off his opponent’s overextended strikes or off one of his own punches.
What to Look For in the Fight: Hooker has made a point to say he wants to stick to fighting technically rather than engage in a brawl, which lends to thinking he’ll try to pick Chandler apart from distance and physically outmatch the UFC debutant. On the other hand, Chandler’s explosiveness could increase the tempo of the fight to which Hooker could very easily oblige. Hooker is good at timing knees when opponents dive for his legs, which is something to watch for in the fight if and when Chandler decides to mix in his wrestling.
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Other Fights to Watch (Jessica Eye vs Joanne Calderwood, Marina Rodriguez vs Amanda Ribas)
Key Stats: 3.79 strikes landed per minute (7th), 1.0 submissions per 15 minutes (2nd), 57.6% significant strikes defense (7th)
What It Means: Eye is a well-rounded fighter whose isn’t afraid to win a gritty, grinding type of fight. She’ll often throw punches in flurries, and she has solid footwork when exiting the pocket. When she initiates clinches along the fence, she shows good strength in either muscling the fight to the mat or just wearing on her opponent against the cage.
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Key Stats: 6.61 strikes landed per minute (1st), +2.01 striking differential (1st), 55% takedown defense
What It Means: With a strong Muay Thai background, Calderwood is adept at throwing varied combinations in the pocket, often stringing together punches ending with a kick or mixing in a knee and elbow as well. Her tempo is high whether she is striking from distance, often off leg kicks, or in the clinch. Her grappling game has improved in the last two years, but her strength is very much still in her ability to swarm her opponent with strikes.
What to Look For in the Fight: This could be a high-tempo fight given the striking styles involved, but it could also turn into a methodically-paced fight in which clinch work along the fence plays a big factor. Eye is probably the better grappler of the two, but they both like to stand and trade. Calderwood will often stick with her varied combinations in the pocket, which leaves Eye some chances to land her own punches, but how the two implement their tempo and pressure is key.
Key Stats: 61.5% takedown defense (8th), +1.44 striking differential (7th), 49.2% significant striking accuracy (4th)
What It Means: Rodriguez is a strong striking-based fighter with a technically proficient style. She keeps her punches long, and she is solid at sticking and moving away from danger. In clinches, she is sneaky strong and does a good job of posting her opponent up for elbows in close. In grappling exchanges, she hustles well to keep the fight in her preferred space on the feet.
Key Stats: 2.28 takedowns per 15 minutes, 1.9 submissions per 15 minutes, 73% striking defense
What It Means: Ribas, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as well as judo, is a slick, strong grappler with a dangerous ability to find submissions from a multitude of positions. Because of her great skills on the mat, she can pressure forward and throw a variety of strikes without the real worry of takedowns. She likes to scramble forward and throw plenty of feints with her upper body, and against the fence she is strong with hip tosses and different trips.
What to Look For in the Fight: This is your essential striker-vs-grappler matchup, and Rodriguez is by far the best opponent Ribas has faced to this point. How Ribas engages on the feet and how quickly she goes to get the fight on the mat is the key point, and how Rodriguez keeps those attempts at bay while punishing Ribas is something to watch as well. Ribas likes to keep a high, in-your-face pace, so how Rodriguez responds with her own offense could prove important.
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*Hasn’t competed in division long enough to qualify in UFC Record Book
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