Dustin Poirier is significantly higher ranked than Benoit Saint-Denis, but the oddsmakers see “The Diamond” having his hands full at UFC 299 – so much so, in fact, that he’s opened as a slight betting underdog.
Poirier, No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings, and No. 13 Saint-Denis are scheduled to meet in a five-round co-main event March 9 at Keysa Center in Miami.
According to DraftKings, Poirier (29-8 MMA, 21-7 UFC) has opened as a +124 underdog, with Saint-Denis (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) coming back as a -148 favorite. This means a $100 bet on Poirier would yield a payout of $124; a bettor would have to wager $148 on Saint-Denis to win $100. It’s an interesting opening line given both fighters’ experience and stature within the UFC lightweight division.
