Photo by Valery Sharifulin\TASS via Getty Images
One of the biggest fights of the year will unfold later today (Sat., Sept. 7, 2019) at UFC 242 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside The Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, as undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov puts his title on the line against streaking interim champ Dustin Poirier.
While Khabib is roughly a 4-1 favorite to take care of business on home soil and walk out of UFC 242 with his belt wrapped around his waist, Poirier has been unstoppable of late. From taking out former UFC champions Anthony Pettis and Eddie Alvarez to handing current UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway his first loss since 2013, “Diamond” has been destroying the competition of late.
It’s going to be difficult for Poirier to carry all of that over to a title fight with the unflappable “Eagle,” but the interim champion will try to give Khabib a run for his money from the opening bell. It will be up to Nurmagomedov to ward off “Diamond,” shake off the ring rust, and prove that he very well might be the best pound-for-pound fighter in all of MMA.
But when exactly can ESPN+ subscribers expect Khabib and Poirier to step inside of the Octagon for their mid-afternoon PPV headliner?
Given that the PPV main card begins at 2:00 p.m. ET a conservative estimate has Nurmagomedov and Poirier making their respective walks to the cage sometime around 4:15 p.m. ET (subject to change so keep it tuned into Mania for any updates). That will come right after lightweight strikers Edson Barboza and Paul Felder meet in an entertaining co-main event.
For much more on UFC 242 check out our complete event archive by clicking here.