Presented in partnership with UFC 242 on ESPN+
There really is no offseason in the UFC.
Fresh off the heels of the UFC 241 card, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is back on Pay Per View on September 7 with a compelling lightweight title unification fight, as champion Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov returns to the Octagon for the first time in nearly a year to take on interim title holder Dustin “The Diamond,” live on ESPN+.
The card, which goes down in Abu Dhabi of all places, is built around this banger of a main event, and while there are plenty of intriguing bouts on the Pay Per View main card on ESPN+, it’s all about Khabib’s wrestling and suffocating pressure versus Dustin’s brutal boxing and heart.
In order to prep for the card, here are a few storylines to watch out for. So read up and start learning the talking point that will make you the smartest guy in the bar or at any fight party. Also, keep in mind that this fight card starts early, so you can watch some wicked fights and still have your Saturday nights free. And, remember that there’s a different UFC title fight this weekend, so perhaps consider signing up for ESPN+ a bit early to take in all the action from Shenzhen China this weekend. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to order the UFC 242 Pay Per View main card on ESPN+ when the time is right.
Return of Khabib Nurmagomedov
Last we saw of Khabib Nurmagomedov in the Octagon, he was, well, flying out of the Octagon to start a massive brawl inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It was probably the low point of Nurmagomedov’s career, which ironically came just moments after the highlight of his historic run, submitting Conor McGregor with a fourth-round neck crank at UFC 229.
One half of the biggest selling pay per view fight in UFC history, Khabib enters UFC 242 with a perfect 27-0 professional record, which includes 11 wins in the UFC. So dominant is Nurmagomedov that he’s only ever lost one round in his entire career (the third round against McGregor). I guess that’s why they’re marketing Khabib as “The Most Dominant Champion in the UFC.”
Khabib has become a major, major star in Russia, Europe, and the Middle East during his rise to the title. His 16 million followers on Instagram repeatedly watch that video of him wrestling a bear as a child because if he could own a bear cup at 10 years old, what challenge does another man really present?
Anyway, it’s been close to a year since anyone’s seen Khabib in action because, well, he was suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission for instigating the brawl at the T-Mobile Arena. And while it’s not the best look for a professional athlete, you gotta hand it to Khabib for sticking to his convictions and going after McGregor and his team for saying all sorts of gnarly things in the leadup to the fight.
Besides, combat sports have a history of in ring brawls. Just look back to Riddick Bowe vs. Andrew Golota or Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson, when Nick and Nate Diaz and the entire Skrap Pack jumped Jason “Mayhem” Miller in the cage, post fight.
Khabib’s comeback is a huge deal for MMA fans: raging mega huge. And it’s time to really see how big of a star “The Eagle” is without McGregor’s name on the other side of the marquee.
Lightweight Title Unification
There’s no doubt that Khabib should be a big favorite going into this fight, and at -345 at the sportsbook, the handicappers agree. But that doesn’t mean Nurmagomedov won’t have his hands full with Dustin Poirier. In fact the UFC 242 main event will be a lot more competitive that many people think.
Poirier is one of the most powerful lightweights in the UFC and in all of mixed martial arts. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Poirer has a great submission game. But it’s on the feet, in boxing range where he dishes out violent punches and brutal punishment.
Sure, if you want to go down the black hole of MMA math, it’s easy (and oversimplified) to say that Poirier has lost to both Michael Johnson and Conor McGregor by knockout, both of whom Khabib finished by submission. Then again, MMA math means absolutely nothing, and you have to look at Poirier’s recent body of work to understand how much he’s improved since moving up to lightweight in 2015. He’s 9-1 with one No Contest at 155 pounds, with six finishes. He’s also beaten former champions like Eddie Alvarez, Anthony Pettis, and Justin Gaethje, and current featherweight king Max Holloway.
Now that’s an absolutely astonishing list of scalps right there.
Having already competed inside the Octagon 22 times, Poirier is about as savvy a veteran as you can find. He has all the tools a mixed martial artist could ever want, including impressive knockout power. The only thing that really stands in his way is Khabib’s ultra-dominant chain wrestling and takedown game.
So can Poirier keep the fight on the feet and beat Khabib with strikes? Well, he better, because once Nurmagomedov gets on top, he’s likely keeping you on the mat for as long as he wants.
Russia Versus Everyone
Combat sports and mixed martial arts have always carried serious national allegiances into fights. Fans get behind their hometown fighters. That’s really just how it is.
So, while the UFC 242 Pay Per View on ESPN+ takes place in Abu Dhabi, it’s really a home event for the UFC’s Russian contingent, in particular the legion of fighters hailing from Dagestan.
Of the 13 fights currently lined up on the UFC 242 card, six bouts feature fighters from Dagestan, while a seventh features a fighter from the nearby Republic of Georgia. It’s almost like an entire fight card of Rockys versus Ivan Dragos, and when Poirier walks out for his UFC 242 main event on ESPN+, it’s the perfect opportunity to crank James Brown’s “Living in America.”
This primer is only the beginning of our UFC 242 coverage on BroBible. Check back with us for daily posts, updates, and all the storylines as we approach yet another huge Pay Per View event on ESPN+.
UFC 242 Pay Per View Main Card on ESPN+ (2 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. PST)*
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier
Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder
Islam Makhachev vs. Davi Ramos
Curtis Blaydes vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov
Mairbek Taisumov vs. Diego Ferreira
UFC 242 Prelims*
Khalid Taha vs. Bruno Silva
Teemu Packalen vs. Ottman Azaitar
Joanne Calderwood vs. Andrea Lee
Sarah Moras vs. Liana Jojua
Belal Muhammad vs. Takashi Sato
Nordine Taleb vs. Muslim Salikhov
Zak Cummings vs. Omari Akhmedov
Don Madge vs. Fares Ziam
*Bout order subject to change
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