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Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler reviews hist first official UFC fight week now that he’s just hours away from promotional debut.
Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler reviews hist first official UFC fight week now that he’s just hours away from promotional debut.
UFC 257 fight week heats up as the four featured lightweights give their thoughts in the press conference.
The UFC returns Saturday night with its first pay-per-view offering of 2021, UFC 257, and the return of the promotion’s biggest star.
UFC 257 takes place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+
In the main event, former two-division champion [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] makes his highly anticipated return after one year off to rematch former interim lightweight champ [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag]. And in the co-headliner, former Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] finally makes his UFC debut looking to make a strong first impression against [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] in a pivotal fight at 155 pounds.
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The fifth episode of “Embedded” follows the big-name stars and more. Here’s the UFC’s description from YouTube:
Michael Chandler and Dan Hooker watch fights and stay sharp. Amanda Ribas downplays her singing skills. Dana White oversees a presser of bad dads where Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier come face to face.
Miss an episode? We’ve got them here for you:
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Check out our staff members’ picks for UFC 257’s main card, featuring Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler vs. Dan Hooker.
| Poirier vs. McGregor |
Chandler vs. Hooker |
Calderwood vs. Eye |
Ribas vs. Rodriguez |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 5-6 |
 McGregor (62%) |
 Hooker (57%) |
 Calderwood (58%) |
 Ribas (94%) |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 8-3  2014 Champion |
 Poirier |
Hooker |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 7-4 |
Poirier |
Hooker |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 7-4 2020 Champion |
McGregor |
 Chandler |
 Eye |
Ribas |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 7-4 2018 Champion |
McGregor |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 6-6 |
Poirier |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 6-5 |
McGregor |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 6-5 |
McGregor |
Hooker |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 6-5 2017 Champion |
McGregor |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2021: 5-6 |
McGregor |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 5-6 |
Poirier |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Simon Head @simonhead 2021: 5-6 2019 Champion* |
McGregor |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 5-6 |
McGregor |
Hooker |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 4-7 |
McGregor |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 4-7 |
McGregor |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
(Editor’s note: The main card fight between Ottman Azaitar and Matt Frevola was canceled Friday during weigh-ins. The new main card fight between Makhmud Muradov and Andrew Sanchez was added too late for our picks deadline.)
The UFC wraps up its three-event stint over eight days on “Fight Island” with its biggest draw.
UFC 257 takes place Saturday at Etihad Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, former interim lightweight champion [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) meets ex-lightweight and featherweight champ [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in a rematch from a 2014 fight won by McGregor. McGregor is a 3-1 favorite at BetMGM, and he’s got a sizable 10-4 lead from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.
In the co-feature, former Bellator lightweight champ [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his promotional debut against [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] (20-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC). Hooker is just a slight favorite at -130, but it’s Chandler with a big 10-4 picks lead.
[autotag]Joanne Calderwood[/autotag] (14-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) may have the slimmest betting odds in her favor on the main card at -120 for her women’s flyweight bout against former title challenger [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag] (15-8 MMA, 5-7 UFC), but the picks are a blowout at 13-1 for Calderwood.
And [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is a -350 favorite in her women’s strawweight fight against [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] (12-1-2 MMA, 2-1-2 UFC). Ribas is our only unanimous pick, and she’s also our readers’ biggest favorite at a whopping 94 percent.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, McGregor (62 percent), Hooker (57 percent), Calderwood (58 percent) and Ribas (94 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
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Check out the faceoffs for all 11 fights at UFC 257, including Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler vs. Dan Hooker.
ABU DHABI – Ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 257 are now complete following Friday’s festivites.
Saturday’s card, which takes place at Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” and streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+, is headlined by a rematch between [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC UFC) and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who meet in a high-stakes lightweight contender matchup. Another pivotal 155-pound bout serves as the co-main event as former Bellator champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his promotional debut against [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] (20-9 MMA, 9-6 UFC).
Check out the faceoff highlights for all 11 fights in the video above, as well as a complete photo gallery below.
[vertical-gallery id=583009]
MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn and staff reporter Farah Hannoun preview the top storylines around UFC 257 with Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor and Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler.
MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn and staff reporter Farah Hannoun preview the top storylines around UFC 257 with Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor and Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler.
MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the UFC 257 co-main event between Michael Chandler and Dan Hooker.
[jwplayer MfV8i8ED-FLu19iir]
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the co-main event for UFC 257.
UFC 257 takes place Saturday at Etihad Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Go behind the scenes as Conor McGregor flips the switch during UFC 257 fight week.
The UFC returns Saturday night with its first pay-per-view offering of 2021, UFC 257, and the return of the promotion’s biggest star.
UFC 257 takes place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+
In the main event, former two-division champion [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] makes his highly anticipated return after one year off to rematch former interim lightweight champ [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag]. And in the co-headliner, former Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] finally makes his UFC debut looking to make a strong first impression against [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] in a pivotal fight at 155 pounds.
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The fourth episode of “Embedded” follows the big-name stars and more. Here’s the UFC’s description from YouTube:
Michael Chandler and Dan Hooker train for their co-main bout. Joanne Calderwood tries fighting as the video game version of herself. Dustin Poirier gets a high-energy workout in, and Conor McGregor switches into fight mode.
Miss an episode? We’ve got them here for you:
[listicle id=582678]
Conor McGregor at UFC 257: How will a win or a loss change his trajectory?
Conor McGregor at UFC 257: How will a win or a loss change his trajectory?
Dan Hooker is official set to welcome Michael Chandler to the octagon at UFC 257 after both men made weight on Friday.
ABU DHABI – The UFC 257 co-main event is official after [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] made weight.
At Friday’s official weigh-ins, Hooker (20-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) and Chandler (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) had no issues on the scale as they successfully hit the lightweight limit for their co-headlining matchup.
Hooker tipped the scale at 156 pounds, while Chandler was the same at 156 pounds.
#UFC257 weigh-in results: Dan Hooker (@DanTheHangman) – (156) https://t.co/fJK4MN4EPj pic.twitter.com/wSrZFknwFA
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) January 22, 2021
#UFC257 weigh-in results: @MikeChandlerMMA – (156) https://t.co/fJK4MN4EPj pic.twitter.com/vYYt9I9wP9
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) January 22, 2021
UFC 257 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Watch the above video to see Hooker and Chandler make weight.
Check out the results from the official UFC 257 weigh-ins featuring Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor.
ABU DHABI – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official UFC 257 fighter weigh-ins, which kick off at 6 a.m. ET (3 a.m. PT).
The weigh-ins take place at the W hotel in Abu Dhabi ahead of Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins at Etihad Arena. The same venue hosts Saturday’s event, which has a main card on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Among those weighing in are former interim lightweight champion [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) and ex-lightweight and featherweight champ [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who meet in the main event rematch. Plus, former Bellator lightweight champ [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his promotional debut against [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] (20-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in another key fight at 155 pounds.
The full UFC 257 weigh-in results include:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET)
