MMA Preview – Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
DUSTIN POIRIER VS BENOIT SAINT DENIS FACTS
When is UFC 299? Sunday 10th March, 2024 - 01:00 (UK)
Where is UFC 299? Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 299? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 299
What channel is UFC 299 on? TNT Sports 2
Where can I stream UFC 299? TNT Sports subscribers can stream the fight online via the TNT Sports website and Discovery+
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
DUSTIN POIRIER VS BENOIT SAINT DENIS LOWDOWN
Dustin Poirier (29-8(1)) graces another stacked pay-per-view card. He makes his 30th UFC appearance and has been fighting the very best for seven years. After succumbing to Khabib Nurmagomedov (2019) in his first title fight, he went on outpoint Dan Hooker (2020) in a war and then add two TKO’s over Conor McGregor (2021). He then got submitted in another title fight, this time to Charles Oliveira (2021). He responded with his own submission over Michael Chandler (2022) but is now coming off his most devastating loss to date after eating a head kick from Justin Gaethje (2023) to suffer the third knockout loss of his career.
His dance partner does not quite provide the glamour match-up we are used to, but Benoit Saint Denis (13-1(1)) is just as formidable. The three-round assault he received from Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (2021) up at welterweight seems a distant memory now as he has since reeled off five merciless finishes in a row. He submitted Niklas Stolze (2022), TKO’d Gabriel Miranda (2022), submitted Ismael Bonfim (2023) and knocked out Thiago Moises and Matt Frevola last year.
DUSTIN POIRIER VS BENOIT SAINT DENIS PREDICTION
Poirier has bounced back from submissions and recovered from wars, but he has not come off a head kick knockout like this before. Saint Denis also possesses thunderous kicks and is coming off his own head kick knockout.
This will be on Poirier’s mind, but he is going to have to protect those ribs as well as Saint-Denis will be landing it before he goes up top. That said, Poirier does not fear anyone on the feet and will not see anything he has not seen before.
He will be confident of absorbing anything that comes his way and then proceed to break the Frenchman down with punishing kicks and combinations ending with clubbing hooks He will also be prepared to defend the takedown which will inevitably come.
Poirier does not gain much with a win but Saint-Denis gains everything which makes this a huge risk for the veteran. We expect a back-and-forth war going the distance. Expect a lot of kicks exchanged between the two southpaws and scrambles when Saint-Denis initiates the grappling.
We can see Saint-Denis winning the first round or two with Poirier finishing stronger by pouring on the damage with his jab and calf kicks or we can see Saint-Denis keep up the pressure with his wrestling and grinding out a decision.
We feel Poirier’s championship experience will pay off and will be able to pace himself better. Saint-Denis has great cardio, but he has never gone past three rounds and if Poirier weathers the early storm, we expect him to pour it on in the last two rounds to earn a decision or late finish.
Prediction: Poirier via Decision
Value bet: Saint-Denis to win
