The time has finally come and UFC 291 will finally conclude with it's Main Event of the evening. We're set to bring you a prediction and pick for this bout in the Lightweight (155 lb) Division for the BMF belt. No. 2 ranked Dustin Poirier will take on No. 3 ranked Justin Gaethje as they try to crown the baddest man in the UFC. Check out our UFC odds series for our Poirier-Gaethje prediction and pick.

Dustin Poirier is 29-7 as a fighter and has gone 21-6-1 in his time with the UFC. He's one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world and arguably has the best boxing in the UFC. He's 8-2 in his last 10 fights with his only losses coming against Charles Oliveira and Khabib. During that stretch, Poirier beat Justin Gaethje and will look to be victorious a second time. Poirier stands 5'9″ with a 72-inch reach.

Justin Gaethje is 24-4 as a mixed martial artist and has gone 7-4 during his UFC stint. Gaethje's also gone 6-2 over his last eight with losses to only Oliveira and Nurmagomedov. Aside from that, his last loss came to Dustin Poirier. Since, Gaethje has improved by leaps and bounds and looked his best-ever in his last fight against Rafael Fiziev. He'll look for another title opportunity with a win here. Gaethje stands 5'11” with a 70-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC 291 Odds: Dustin Poirier-Justin Gaethje Odds

Dustin Poirier: -158

Justin Gaethje: +124

Over (2.5) rounds: -126

Under (2.5) rounds: -102

How to Watch Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje

TV: ESPN+ Pay-Per-View

Stream: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass

Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Dustin Poirier Will Win

Coming into this fight, Dustin Poirier can be confidently seen as the best boxer in the UFC. He's got the perfect blend of speed and power and when he's landing on the target, it's hard to stop him. Poirier will mix up his shots and go to the body, freeing up shots to the head. If he gets on a roll, he'll rip off fast combinations and usually puts his opponent out. On the ground, Poirier is a BJJ black belt and has a full arsenal of submissions to work with. If the fight hits the ground, look for Poirier to use his jiu-jitsu in trying to set something up.

To win this fight, Poirier will have to be patient and wait for the perfect time to open up his strikes. While he beat Gaethje once before, he face a much more reckless version of him and was able to overwhelm him with accuracy. Gaethje seems like a much more measured fighter this time around, so Poirier will have to be laser-focused if he wants to continue his stay at the top of the division. He's said multiple times that he's ready to go to war, so expect him to give the fans exactly that.

Why Justin Gaethje Will Win

Justin Gaethje, on the other hand, is without a doubt the most violent man in MMA. He's extremely accurate with his shots and will throw them with his entire body behind them. Gaethje has done a tremendous job of becoming more composed and keeping his strikes tighter. He's done a lot to improve his defense and doesn't put himself in danger as much as he used to. During his last bout, we saw the most measured and focused version of Gaethje to date. If he can continue to build upon his last performance, he'll give Dustin Poirier a laundry list of things to worry about.

To win this fight, Gaethje will have to be the one landing the counter shots. Poirier is typically a counter puncher and will do his worst damage when opponents are over-extending. Gaethje will have to keep his guard tight and land on the target when he's swinging big. He's always got his wrestling background to fall back on, but don't be surprised if he fails to use it yet again. Look for his leg kicks to be a big theme as he needs this win more than ever to stay at the top.

Final Dustin Poirier-Justin Gaethje Prediction & Pick

This fight is going to be a completely different story from the first time these two met in 2018. Justin Gaethje has improved greatly and we've saw the best version of him in his most recent fight. He could seriously surprise Poirier with how patient he is in the pocket and could land some counter shots if Poirier isn't ready.

However, Poirier's boxing is as dialed-in as ever during this training camp and he seems very confident in his chances if this turns into an all-out war. Due to the sheer volume of strikes, we'll have to side with Dustin Poirier to get this win in this one. While Gaethje looks like a whole new fighter, he's still going up against the best hands in the UFC. This fight has all the makings of a Fight of the Year contender – you won't want to blink during this one.

Final Dustin Poirier-Justin Gaethje Prediction & Pick: Dustin Poirier (-158); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-126)