Later this month, the best in the UFC are set to square off at the Delta Center for an electric event at UFC 291. If you are in need of UFC 291 betting tips you have come to the right place with the SBS UFC 291 picks breakdown. In the main event of the night, former interim lightweight title holders Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje are set to square off for the recently vacated “BMF” title. The belt was vacated earlier this year when original title holder Jorge Masvidal announced his retirement. In the other big event of the night, former UFC Light Heavyweight Jan Błachowicz is set to take on former UFC Middleweight Champion Alex Pereira in an explosive battle.
For this article, SBS will be going over some UFC 291 betting tips along with fighter breakdowns and more notes about UFC wagering.
| UFC 291 Main Event Bouts | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje | Poirier | -125 | -125 | -125 |
| Jan Błachowicz vs. Alex Pereira | Pereira | +135 | +135 | +135 |
Fighter Spotlight: Dustin Poirier
The former interim UFC Lightweight Champion, Poirier is coming off a Fight of the Night performance at UFC 281. In that bout, he faced Michael Chandler and won via a spectacular rear-naked choke submission in the third round. Prior to that rebound fight, Poirier lost a heartbreaking battle to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 where the Brazilian forced him to submit in the third round as well. With recent wins over the likes of UFC mainstays Conor McGregor (twice), Dan Hooker, and Max Holloway, Poirier is one of the sport’s most consistent stars. Moreover, the last time he faced Gaethje back in 2018, he was able to overcome repeated eye pokes from his opponent to score a TKO win in the fourth round.
Fighter Spotlight: Justin Gaethje
Another former interim UFC Lightweight Champion, Gaethje is currently recognized as the No. 3 fighter in the UFC lightweight rankings. A former two-time Arizona state high school wrestling champion and an NCAA Division I All-American, the 34-year-old has perhaps the best wrestling resume in the UFC lightweight division. One of the most entertaining fighters in the UFC, he has won the coveted Fight of the Year honor twice (both wins in 2017 and 2021). With 24 wins in his career, the Northern Colorado alumnus has won 19 of his fights by way of knockout, an astounding number considering his wrestling prowess as well. However, he has faltered as of late, going 2-2 in his last four outings, albeit with losses to the stellar duo of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Oliveira.
Prediction: This battle is a toss-up between the two lightweight division stalwarts, but Poirier has the edge here given his lengthier resume. Expect the winner of this fight to face off with Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title next.
Fighter Spotlight: Jan Błachowicz
Currently rated as the No. 3 competitor in the UFC light heavyweight rankings, Błachowicz is looking for his first win since May of 2022 when he scored a TKO win over Aleksandar Rakić. In his last outing, the Polish fighter came to a draw decision against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282. This was for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship and both combatants fought to a stalemate in the Vegas battle. With 29 career victories, Błachowicz can beat you in a number of ways which is evidenced by his win dispersal totals of nine knockouts, nine submissions and 11 decisions.
Fighter Spotlight: Alex Pereira
The former UFC Middleweight Champion, Pereira is moving up a weight class after being recognized as one of the best fighters in the middleweight division per the UFC rankings. An established kickboxing competitor as well, the Brazilian has been recognized as the No. 1 kickboxer in his weight class, most recently in 2021. While he did fall to Israel Adesanya earlier this year at UFC 287 to snap his undefeated streak, this could be an excellent rebound matchup for him. A veteran MMA competitor, Pereira was recognized by numerous media outlets last year as the 2022 Male Fighter of the Year.
Prediction: Another excellent matchup, look for the younger Pereira to score the win here over Błachowicz.
Once you are all squared away with your UFC 291 picks, SBS has an excellent array of resources to keep the good times rolling beyond this UFC event. Of course, for more information on the topic at hand, make sure to tap into our UFC betting sites guide which covers all the latest betting markets as it relates to UFC wagering and also putting together the best UFC 291 bets. Additionally, if you are looking to juice up your UFC 291 bets, make sure to check out the SBS best bonus betting sites rundown which gives you tips for getting the most out of promotions. Conversely, if you are perhaps uncertain about which payment options are the best for you, the SBS payment methods breakdown is a must-read. Here you can find more info about which withdrawal and deposit options are the best for you.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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