The UFC is set to deliver a trio of electrifying pay-per-view events this summer, promising fierce battles in the Octagon. Their most recent event, UFC 300, stole headlines the world over thanks to some brutal knockouts. Firstly, Max Holloway denied the naysayers as he starched Justin Gaethje to win the BMF belt against all odds. Then, in the main event, Alex Pereira proved to the world that he was the world-class fighter he has always claimed to be by brutally finishing former light heavyweight king Jamahal Hill to assert his dominance at 205 pounds.
Now, however, attention turns to the future and the summer in particular. Fans were left somewhat disappointed with the upcoming UFC 301 card. headlined by Alexandre Pantoja’s second defence of his bantamweight title against Steve Erceg. But when that is out of the way, all the attention will turn to the summer and the Return of the Mac. Here is what we have to look forward to.
UFC 302 – Makhachev vs. Poirier
Kicking off the summer series on June 2nd, UFC 302 presents a headliner that has fans buzzing with anticipation. Islam Makhachev is a fighter whose grappling skills and combat strategy have drawn comparisons to the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, his closest ally and trainer. He is set to face off with a man whom The Eagle conquered in the penultimate fight of his career, Dustin Poirier. The Diamond has become a fan favourite in recent years for his willingness to fight anybody and his ability to bounce back from crushing losses.
Oddschecker, which provides free bets and offers on the top Octagon action, such as Bet365’s Bet £10 get £30 promotion, makes Poirier a huge 4/1 outsider. For those who wonder how does a free bet work, should you place the aforementioned £30 on the underdog at those odds, you would secure £120 in winnings and the stake won’t be included… if he wins, of course. And that is no guarantee.
Poirier was destroyed by the aforementioned Gaethje last July, but bounced back with a stunning knockout of up-and-coming French star Benoit Saint-Denis. With Gaethje’s loss at UFC 300, coupled with Charles Oliviera’s loss on the same card and the unwillingness of his conqueror Arman Tsarukyan to fight on short notice, it is Poirier who gets the title shot.
Makhachev heads into the fight following a string of impressive victories that have seen him dismantle opponents with his suffocating ground game and ever-improving stand-up skills. His submission victory against the former champion Do Bronx, coupled with back-to-back wins over former featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, have made him one of the most feared fighters in the division. It remains to be seen as to whether Poirier can finally become undisputed champion at the ripe old age of 35.
UFC 303 – McGregor vs. Chandler
The excitement reaches a fever pitch four weeks later at UFC 303 as Conor McGregor – the biggest star that the sport has ever seen – makes his much-anticipated return to the octagon against Michael Chandler. The Notorious One has been out of the Octagon since back-to-back losses against Dustin Poirier three years ago, the second of which featured a gruesome leg break. It is unknown whether the Irishman is the same charismatic striking star that he was during his heyday back in 2015 and 2016 when he defeated the likes of Jose Aldo, Nate Diaz and Eddie Alvarez.
His opponent, on the other hand, aims to cement his legacy by taking out one of MMA’s most iconic figures. Since making the move from Bellator in 2021, the 38-year-old hasn’t lived up to expectations. He is 2-3 in his UFC career so far, with his only victories being knockout wins over Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson. The most recent came two years ago and, at this point in his career, he is just as unproven as McGregor.
UFC 304 – Edwards vs. Muhammad
To close out the summer, UFC 304 offers a compelling rematch between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad. Their first encounter ended in an unintentional eye poke that resulted in a no-contest, leaving fans and fighters alike clamouring for a definitive conclusion. Since then, Edwards has solidified his position, becoming the UFC welterweight champion with a vicious knockout of Kamaru Usman, before successfully defending the title against the Nigerian Nightmare and the brash American Colby Covington.
Muhammad isn’t the exciting fighter that fans love to see, but he is effective, of that there is no doubt. Not including the No Contest, he is currently on a nine-fight winning streak stretching back to April 2019. This won’t be one for the purists, but it will be an intriguing bout that could go either way.
