UFC 242 news: Dustin Poirier to hand Khabib Nurmagomedov his first loss?

One of the biggest sporting events this week is the UFC 242 with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier on the main card. With Conor McGregor’s rival having an undefeated record, many fans could be rooting for him to win on Saturday, Sept. 7 in Abu Dhabi. But some believe that Poirier also has an edge.

UFC 242: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier may have an unexpected ending

Nurmagomedov is undeniably one of the most famous names in the UFC right now, especially after handing McGregor a knockout loss in 2018 before the Irish mixed martial artist announced his retirement. But it is important to note that Nurmagomedov’s undefeated record and the sheer power he showed in his first 27 professional fights also merit the popularity he has at this point.

It is then not surprising that many UFC fans are expecting him to emerge victorious in his upcoming fight against Poirier this weekend. But some experts in the sport believe that considering other factors, Nurmagomedov could be having his first defeat at the UFC 242.

UFC 242 predictions: Dustin Poirier more prepared than Khabib Nurmagomedov?

An interesting prediction and pre-fight analysis come from retired MMA fighter Chael Sonnen who believe it is important to consider other factors when predicting who will win between Poirier and Nurmagomedov. Most fans and analysts seem only to take the athletes’ previous matches into account.

Sonnen insisted that how they prepare, especially for Nurmagomedov, should also be considered. The retired mixed martial artist even made some comparisons between Nurmagomedov’s preparations and Mike Tyson’s before losing to Buster Douglas in 1990 via knockout on the 10th round.

“He’s training at the [American Kickboxing Academy] with Javier Mendez but he lives in [Dagestan, Russia] 21 hours away,” Sonnen explained. “I do think it’s a fair question, how much consistent training is he getting in conjunction with the push and pull of travel schedules.”

Fans of the Russian mixed martial artist might want to hear out Sonnen’s arguments. Poirier has won his last four fights, one of which took place earlier this year at the UFC 236 event. Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, last fought in October 2018 against McGregor.