UFC Summer Preview – Part II

With the UFC taking this weekend off as America celebrates their birthday on July 4^th, we’re given a chance to catch our breath before Conor McGregor makes his return to the octagon next week. Which is the perfect time to look ahead with a quick preview on what the UFC has in store for us the rest of the summer.

Here’s your UFC 2021 Summer Preview – Part II.

I already previewed Poirier vs McGregor in Part I of this column a few months back – here’s what I said:

Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor – UFC 264 – July 10^th

This is the summer of the rematch in the octagon, as July’s pay-per-view is also a rematch, this time the rubber match between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, with both men owning a win over the other. Poirier was too much for the returning Irishman this past January, finishing him via strikes in the second round. Despite this, Poirier finds himself a slight underdog for act three, coming in at 20/23 to McGregor’s 5/6. I don’t see how this fight will be any different than this past January’s, but I think the line on Poirier will become even better to bet on the closer we get to fight night.

(the current line is Poirier at 5/6 and McGregor at 10/11)

Ciryl Gane vs Derrick Lewis – UFC 265 – Aug 7^th

The UFC heads back to the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas for UFC 265 in August after a packing in over 16,000 fans there back in May with UFC 262. They are headlining this card with a surprise, last minute addition of a Ciryl Gane vs Derrick Lewis fight for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship. This was spurred by an ugly, public spat between current champ Francis Ngannou’s manager and UFC president Dana White.

While the odds for this fight aren’t posted on MansionBet yet, other books have Gane in the 10/27 range. I think there’s value in Lewis as the dog here, as while Gane is a cautious, smart fighter, that might not be the best approach when facing Lewis. Standing across from a man who hits that hard for 25 minutes doesn’t seem like a good idea – finishing him fast or taking him down and grounding him out is the best path to victory, which isn’t Gane’s game.

Amanda Nunes vs Julianna Pena – UFC 265 – Aug 7^th

The co-main event in Houston will be for a real UFC title belt – the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship. Amanda Nunes is the greatest female fighter of all-time, while Julianna Pena is not, hence Nunes coming in currently at 1/10. While Pena is a fine fighter, she’s basically just getting this title fight due to being the best fighter available at this time for a title shot. Right place, right time. But once she steps into the cage on August 7^th, it’ll be the wrong place, wrong time for her.

While that’s it for title fights for the rest of the summer, there are still some other intriguing fights on the schedule. Here’s a quick rundown of some highlights:

Gilbert Burns (7/5) vs Stephen Thompson (20/39) – UFC 264 – two top welterweight contenders battle before Poirer-McGregor take the stage. I’m going with Wonderboy Thompson to win and finally get a shot at champ Kamaru Usman.

Marion Reneau (11/10) vs Miesha Tate (4/6) – Jul 17^th – former champ Tate returns after an almost five year ‘retirement’. Still only 34-years-old, if she looks anything like her past self, I think she takes care of the 44-year-old Reneau.

Cory Sandhagen (20/39) vs T.J. Dillashaw (7/5) – Jul 24^th – another former champ, Dillashaw, returns after a lengthy drug suspension. I’m going with the surging Sandhagen, as who knows what Dillashaw will look like off of the “special sauce” and inactive for so long.

*All odds correct at time of writing.

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