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USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Manager explains how Dustin Poirier 'bet on himself' in Conor McGregor rivalry
Dustin Poirier has had many magical moments in his MMA career, but it's hard to overlook his rivalry with Conor McGregor as a definitive portion. Ahead of UFC 318 on Saturday at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+), where Poirier will compete for the final time in his career against Max Holloway in a lightweight trilogy bout for the BMF title, it has been a time of reflection around the career of "The Diamond." There have been many trials and tribulations since his MMA debut in May 2009. When felt his ceiling was hit when he faltered against McGregor in their first meeting at UFC 178 in September 2014 when, after a heated build up, he lost by first-round TKO as "The Notorious" made his assent to superstar status. Years later and in a different division, Poirier got another opportunity. The pair had a rematch at UFC 257 in January 2021, and according to Poirier's longtime manager Rob Roveta, that was an incredibly important and defining moment. "I would say that's the most special fight of his career, and my favorite in terms of the mental mountain he had to climb," Roveta told MMA Junkie. "The hurdle you have to overcome to get one back like that against a guy that has been talking sh*t to you for years and talked sh*t to you back then and still doing it now. It kind of felt the same way with Khabib (Nurmagomedov at UFC 242), not quite as much, but he pulled up on a yacht. I don't think they applied the same COVID rules to him as they did us. It felt a little one-sided to us. But in that fight, I don't think he gave a sh*t. He was going to win." Poirier, 36, had an edge around him going into the UFC 257 rematch with McGregor that only comes out in rare instances. In addition to just wanting to get redemption on a significant loss, Poirier and his team were forced to make a roll of the dice after negotiations. Despite headlining a massive numbered card against the biggest star the sport has ever seen, Poirier was not compensated with pay-per-view points or many extra financial perks. All those were factored in to a trilogy clause, where if Poirier won, he would get a rubber match with McGregor right away and all the upside that came with it. It wasn't the ideal scenario, Roveta said, but one that added even more drive and motivation. "It certainly felt like the bet was against us and they looked at him as a stepping stone to far greater plans (for McGregor) – at least that's the way I looked at it," Roveta said. "The negotiations were tricky and he definitely bet on himself and obviously the back side of that worked out greater than we could've imagined, so it all worked out. But it was far different than you would imagine. "Everyone looking from the outside in, it's always, 'Oh, there's his shot. He's going to fight the biggest superstar and there will be a windfall of money and life is going to change forever.' Well, I can tell you the economics don't look like that. It's not like that for that particular fight. It's like, 'Hey, prove yourself and once you do, you can have the backside and everything you wanted.' But you have to do that, and it's not an easy mountain to climb." Poirier climbed that mountain in remarkable fashion. He knocked out McGregor in the second round at UFC 257, then won the trilogy six months later by first-round TKO at UFC 264 in July 2021 after McGregor broke his leg. It was just one of many high-profile fights and rivalries Poirier had throughout his career. The American achieved great things in his career, and although he went 0-3 in his chances for undisputed UFC titles, he can exit his career on an ultimate high at UFC 318. Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) is already 2-0 against Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC), but will look to extend that further while simultaneously taking the BMF belt from his Hawaiian foe. No matter what happens, though, Roveta said Poirier exceeded all expectations that were mapped up when their working relationship began just a few fights into his MMA career. "When the goal and the vision was set out was one thing, but the reality was bigger," Roveta said. "I think the only thing we did is we shot too low, in hindsight. It's easy to say now, but ultimately the goals we set out, we were thinking too small for a while. He's a much bigger superstar than I think we could've envisioned at the time." To hear Roveta discuss the highs and lows of Poirier's career in more detail, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn in the video above.
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 65: Josh Emmett vs. Lerone Murphy odds, picks and predictions
In a 5-round featherweight bout in the main event, Josh Emmett and Lerone Murphy meet at UFC on ESPN 65 Saturday at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's odds around the UFC on ESPN 65: Emmett vs. Murphy odds, and make our expert picks and predictions. The prelims start at 6 p.m. ET with the main card beginning at 9 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN+). Records: Emmett (19-4-0) | Murphy (15-0-1) The 40-year-old Emmett takes the walk looking to serve Murphy his first career defeat. Outside of experience at the UFC level, Emmett is at a disadvantage in every measurable category. Murphy has a 3-inch reach advantage, while posting a 4.80-to-4.04 significant strikes landed per minute advantage. Murphy is way more accurate on those strikes, too, landing 59.55% to just 37.74% for Emmett. In takedown average, Murphy has a 1.78 mark, to just 0.91 for Emmett, and Murphy has a 54.17% takedown average, to just 37.93% for Emmett. On submission average, Murphy has a 0.55-to-0.08 advantage. Emmett lost in a title fight against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 284 Feb. 11, 2023, and he followed that up with a unanimous-decision loss to Ilia Topuria in a fight night main event in June 2023. He bounced back with a Round 1 KO/TKO win at UFC 296 last time out against Bryce Mitchell. Murphy has won 7 straight fights since a draw against Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC 242 in his company debut. He has 4 consecutive wins via decision, including 3 in a row by way of unanimous decision. That includes a UD victory over Dan Ige last time out at UFC 308. Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here. UFC on ESPN 65: Emmett vs. Murphy odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:10 a.m. ET. Fight result (2-way line) : Emmett +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Murphy -325 (bet $325 to win $100) : Emmett +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Murphy -325 (bet $325 to win $100) Total rounds: 4.5 (Over -190 | Under +145) 4.5 (Over -190 | Under +145) Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -150 | No +110) UFC on ESPN 65: Emmett vs. Murphy picks and predictions The younger fighter Murphy (-325) will set you back more than 3 times your potential return, and that's way too much risk. Even as part of a multi-leg parlay, including Murphy sucks a lot of the value out of your ticket. Murphy has 4 consecutive victories by way of decision, and playing MURPHY BY DECISION (-110) is a strong play for method of victory on the 5-way line. OVER 4.5 ROUNDS (-190) is a little expensive, costing nearly 2 times your potential return. As a straight up wager, it's a little too much. However, if you were to fold it into a same-game parlay (SGP) with Murphy by decision, or as part of a multi-leg parlay with other fights, it would be OK to include. YES (-150): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? has a much better price than playing Over 4.5 Rounds. In addition, FIGHT TO START ROUND 5 (-220) is also an option for those looking to play a multi-leg parlay on this card. Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis. For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.
CBC
31-01-2025
- Sport
- CBC
St. Catharines fighter and opponent to be first women to appear on UFC fight card in Saudi Arabia
Canadian flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius will enter the record book Saturday when she and Brazilian opponent Mayra (Sheetara) Bueno Silva become the first female fighters to appear on a UFC card in Saudi Arabia. "Once I heard about that, I was so inspired," Jasudavicius said. "To be able to be the first to be able to represent women's martial arts in another country like that, it's such an honour. "I don't take it lightly. I really, really am appreciative. I want to make sure I put on a really good show and represent women's martial arts to the Saudi Arabian people." Sarah (Cheesecake) Moras, another Canadian, became the first woman to win a UFC bout in the United Arab Emirates in September 2019 when she stopped Llana Jojua in the third round at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. Jasudavicius has been briefed on local customs by the UFC, and advised to cover up to her elbows and past her knees. And to bring a scarf, to cover her hair. "I'm really looking forward to seeing what the culture's like and experiencing it right then and there," she said. "I feel like it's going to be super-cool." While excited at the prospect of being a trailblazer, Jasudavicius (12-3-0) is more interested in climbing the 125-pound rankings. The 35-year-old from St. Catharines, Ont., who has won three straight and six of eight UFC bouts, is currently ranked 12th among flyweight contenders. Bueno Silva (10-4-1 with one no-contest) is ranked seventh among bantamweight contenders and fought for the vacant 135-pound title at UFC 297 in January 2024 in Toronto where she lost to Raquel (Rocky) Pennington. The Brazilian is moving back down to flyweight after a three-fight winless streak. "She fought for the title before, so I assume they would have to put me up somewhere pretty high (in the rankings with a win)," Jasudavicius said Bueno Silva went 2-2-1 as a flyweight at the start of her UFC career before moving up to bantamweight. Main event features Israel Adesanya fighting Nassourdine Imavov The main event at ANB Arena in Riyadh pits former middleweight champion Israel (The Last Stylebender) Adesanya against France's Nassourdine (The Sniper) Imavov. Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria but fights out of New Zealand, is currently ranked second among 185-pound contenders while Imavov is No. 5. Saturday marks the UFC's second card in Saudi Arabia. The first was a Fight Night card in June when former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker knocked out Ikram Aliskerov. A doctor denied Bueno Silva last time out. Macy Chiasson was awarded a TKO win when a bloody gash over Silva's right eye — courtesy of Chiasson's elbow — was deemed too bad to continue Bueno Silva's luck wasn't much better against Pennington. She suffered a ruptured eardrum early in the second round. Her last win was in February 2023, when she submitted Sweden's Lina (Elbow Queen) Lansberg via kneebar. A July 2023 submission win over former bantamweight champion Holly (The Preachers' Daughter) Holm was changed to a no-contest when the Brazilian failed a post-fight drug test. With seven of her 10 wins coming by submission, Bueno Silva is a prickly opponent. Jasudavicius is well aware, having trained with the Brazilian in Florida some three years ago. "We became friends," said Jasudavicius. "I really like her. I really like her girlfriend Gloria (former UFC fighter Gloria de Paula)." The two spent more time doing drills together than actually sparring, she added. "It's cool to know like a little bit about my opponent before getting in there. But at the same time it's kind of sucky that I have to fight one of my friends. But it's business and we're both professionals." Jasudavicius' trains at the Niagara Top Team martial arts school in St. Catharines Jasudavicius' training base is Niagara Top Team in St. Catharines. She started dating gym co-owner Chris Prickett, an MMA and wrestling coach, and got interested in the sport when she accompanied him to P.E.I. when he went out there to train then-UFC lightweight Jason Saggo. She liked what she saw and got involved in a training session. Turns out she was pretty good at it so, at age 26, she took up the sport. Jasudavicius, now engaged to Prickett, held her training camp in Thailand, based out of Phuket. She left home Dec. 5 for a week in Indonesia, where she helped a teammate prepare for a fight, before shifting to Thailand. Saturday is Jasudavicius' seventh fight in some two years. 'I've said it from the start. I'm not here for a long time, I'm here for a good time," she said. "And I want to fight often... I understand that the window is short." Jasudavicius earned her UFC contract with a September 2021 win over Julia Polastri on "Dana White's Contender Series," becoming the first Canadian woman to earn a contract on the show. She has not lost since September 2023 when she broke an orbital bone 90 seconds into a decision loss to Tracy Cortez. "The whole fight I was seeing two of her," she said. "And so I would shake my head and then I could see one. That's when I knew where my target was. It sucked going through that, but I feel going through tough things hardens you as a person."
