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Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje will serve as headliners in a guaranteed Fight of the Night at UFC 291 on July 29. It marks one of the most entertaining bouts of the year on paper, especially given the explosive nature of their previous matchup, which remains one of their most high-profile bouts to date.
Not only will their bout be a rematch of their Fight of the Year winner from 2018, but their long-awaited clash will also be contested for the symbolic 'BMF' title, which has left countless fans engulfed by a wave of excitement. Many took to Twitter to express their approval over Dana White's decision.
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With Jorge Masvidal, the title's former claimant, now retired, the platinum-plated crown is in need of a new owner. Fans are eager to see who, between 'The Diamond' and 'The Highlight', will enthrone themselves as the 'Baddest Motherf*cker' in the promotion.
The reactions to Dana White's announcement are as follows:
UFC 291 will also feature a strong supporting cast of bouts as former middleweight king Alex Pereira will make his 205-pound debut against former light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz in the co-main event. Meanwhile, Paulo Costa will make his return against four-time World Combat Sambo champion Ikram Aliskerov.
Dustin Poirier's past with Justin Gaethje and former BMF champion Jorge Masvidal
Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje have both achieved greatness in their careers. The two men both managed to capture the UFC interim lightweight title once, respectively. While they ultimately failed to claim undisputed UFC gold, they remained top-three fixtures in the 155-pound division.
While this is the first time that either man will compete for the symbolic 'BMF' title, 'The Diamond' has a past connection to previous 'BMF' champion Jorge Masvidal. The two men were former training partners at American Top Team, with Masvidal having once spoken fondly of Poirier in the past.
Gaethje, however, has no such connection to the 'BMF' title or its former owner. Curiously, while Dustin Poirier is a former training partner of Jorge Masvidal, Justin Gaethje is a training partner of Kamaru Usman, who handed 'Gamebred' his first-ever UFC knockout loss.
