Dustin Poirier has never lost back-to-back fights in his entire MMA career and he’ll be looking to extend that streak in devastating fashion when “Diamond” meets Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 later tonight (Sat., Mar. 9, 2024) live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Poirier, who is coming off a crushing knockout defeat to Justin Gaethje for the “BMF” title back at UFC 291, has always rebounded after a loss inside of the Octagon. The former interim UFC lightweight champion only has five UFC losses to his name, but he’s great at bouncing back and immediately regaining momentum. It’s one of Poirier’s biggest assets and a major reason why he’s a fan favorite.
On Saturday, Poirier is being asked to fend off one of the most dangerous lightweights that have come along in a while. Saint Denis is currently riding a five-fight win streak with five finishes and has made other up-and-coming contenders look like mere amateurs. He’s former French Army Special Forces and has a true knack for steamrolling just about anyone in his way.
Poirier, who remains one of the most accomplished veterans on the UFC roster, is also confident in his ability to find a finish. In fact, “Diamond” is counting on overwhelming Saint Denis on Saturday night and becoming the first fighter to stop the French contender. Check out Poirier’s official co-main event prediction below:
Dustin Poirier is looking to stop Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299, ideally a knockout.
? – “I want to stop this guy, Submission or Knockout. I think i’m gonna knock him out.”
“If it has to get gritty, if it has to get [into] a dog fight, i’m no stranger to that, but i’m… pic.twitter.com/1qaQEN1OtJ
— MMA Frenzy (@mma_frenzy) March 9, 2024
“I want to stop this guy, submission or knockout. I think I’m gonna knock him out,” said Poirier following Friday’s ceremonial weigh ins (replay HERE).
“If it has to go long, if it has to get gritty, if it has to get ugly dog fight, I’m no stranger to that. But I’m going to knock him out”.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 299 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 299: “O’Malley vs. Vera 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.