VIDEO | Watch These Intense Staredowns From the Three Title Fights on UFC 217

As much as combat sports throws unexpected curve balls and whole cards can change in an instant, the one common denominator is the fight game moves fast. The arena for UFC 216 tonight is still empty, while yesterday a press conference kicked off the hype for UFC 217. It’s a New York card much like the blockbuster last year at Madison Sqaure Garden. Three huge title fights sit perched atop the stacked event, right after a crazy scrap wtih Jorge Masvidal and Stephen Thompson opens the main card. At the presser yesterday, each pair squared off and they were all equally intense.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas | UFC Strawweight Title

.@joannamma and @rosenamajunas share an incredibly tense staredown at the #UFC217 Press Conference. How do you see this one going? pic.twitter.com/dXb5V5ZgNj

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) October 6, 2017

If you listened to what she said to the media yesterday, Joanna Jedrzejczyk announced she had beaten everyone in her division from top to bottom. Rose Namajunas has been inching closer to the title shot, as Joanna ‘Champion’ was digging herself down, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake. Every staredown that Jedrzejczyk participates in is chilling. Her violent aura is still pretty shocking and is a startling juxtaposition from her smiling and playing with sock puppets on Instagram. However, Namajunas would not be intimidated. Her 1,000 yard stare burned through the dominant strawweight champion, even as she kissed her fist and brought it ever so close to her face.

Did Joanna just tell Rose straight up “I’m going to fuck you up” before she kissed her own fist and motioned a punch to her face?

— Simon Samano (@SJSamano) October 6, 2017

Cody Garbrandt vs. TJ Dillashaw | UFC Bantamweight Title

Former teammates @Cody_Nolove and @TJDillashaw face off at the #UFC217 Press Conference. Will it be “and still” or “and new”? pic.twitter.com/QPDLDiJvqg

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) October 6, 2017

The term ‘bad blood’ was invented for fights like this. You could write a whole book about Team Alpha Male, their saga with former coach Duane Ludwig, and the gym triangle of Urijah Faber, Cody Garbrandt, and TJ Dillashaw. They based an entire season of The Ultimate Fighter about it. Finally, after a back injury slightly delayed the much anticipated fight, it’s on for November 4th. Regardless of the outcome and who walks away the new or still UFC bantamweight champion, there is still yet another triumvirate of that always waits to heat back up involving former title holder Dominick Cruz.

Garbrandt to Dillashaw:: You're like a prostitute on a street corner bumping around gyms. #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/9uGrvR331o

— Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) October 6, 2017

Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre | UFC Middleweight Title

Things got a little heated between UFC middleweight champ @Bisping and @GeorgesStPierre. Who wins at #UFC217? https://t.co/yUFyyqi39B pic.twitter.com/WvxJkPaq62

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) October 6, 2017

Cue dramatic music and shine a spotlight down, because this is the fight that ‘greatest of all time’ candidate Georges St-Pierre comes out of retirement for. Once the undisputed king of the UFC’s welterweight division, St-Pierre will perhaps come face-to-face with the greatest threat he’s ever known. Not only is Michael Bisping’s trash talk just as burning as former rival Nick Diaz, but Bisping is the champion of a larger weight division. Not just a champ, but a fighter who has been at this game for a long time, beating legends and contenders that no one believed he’d beat. In respect to St-Pierre’s incredible ability, he is swimming in very dangerous waters at UFC 217. Either we will watch him drown, or once again prove why he was the alpha predator of a bygone era.

“Water is wet, fire burns and I will beat Michael Bisping. I’m going to do whatever I want, when I want to do it.” – GSP #UFC217

— Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) October 6, 2017

Main Card

Michael Bisping (c) vs. Georges St-Pierre 

Cody Garbrandt (c) vs. T.J. Dillashaw 

Joanna Jedrzejczyk (c) vs. Rose Namajunas

Stephen Thompson vs. Jorge Masvidal

Undercard

James Vick vs. Joseph Duffy

Johny Hendricks vs. Paulo Borrachinha

Gadzhimurad Antigulov vs. Ion Cutelaba

Mickey Gall vs. Randy Brown

Fight Pass Prelims

Alexey Oleinik vs. Curtis Blaydes

Corey Anderson vs. Patrick Cummins

Aiemann Zahabi vs. Ricardo Lucas Ramos

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 10/7/2017.