Michael Bisping: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier lacks hype

Michael Bisping doesn’t see UFC 242, which will be headlined by Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier, bringing in high pay-per-view numbers.

On Sept. 7, Nurmagomedov will take on Poirier in a lightweight title unification bout. “The Eagle” holds the lightweight title, while Poirier is recognized as the interim champion.

Something’s got to give and we’ll find out who the true 155-pound ruler is at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi.

During a new edition of his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping said that Nurmagomedov vs. Poirier doesn’t have much momentum in terms of mainstream appeal.

“No drama, no pointing, no shouting, no swearing,” Bisping said. “Just respect, which is great to see but it’s not getting the hype. It’s not getting nowhere near the hype. As big as a star as what Khabib is, cause he is a huge star he’s got a massive social media following now, he’s all over the world he’s world famous, but I just don’t think that’s gonna deliver as much. Just simply because fireworks sell. Simple as that. It does, it’s fighting and it does help sell the fight.”

When it comes to the fight itself, Bisping believes Poirier is a live underdog against the champ Nurmagomedov.

“When I saw Dustin and Khabib square up incidentally, I did notice they’re very similar in stature and size but Khabib looked a lot thicker,” Bisping continued. “I think Dustin’s got a tough fight. In fact, everybody knows that. But the Dustin Poirier that showed up against Max Holloway, [Poirier] definitely has a chance in that fight. You’ve gotta lean towards Khabib, but [Poirier] has a chance.”

The UFC 242 pay-per-view can be purchased exclusively through ESPN+ for those in the United States. If you need a breakdown of how to watch the fights, head over here.

Do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier lacks hype?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 8/29/2019.