UFC 291 live stream: How to watch Poirier vs Gaethje 2 online right now, match card, start time

(l, r) Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje will face off at the UFC 291 live stream main event in a rematch.
(Image credit: Jeff Bottari / Getty Images)

It’s time to watch the UFC 291 live stream online to see who really is UFC's BMF. If you don't know what that means, well, have you seen Pulp Fiction recently? This match, which will decide who the "baddest" man in UFC is, doesn't lead to any matchmaking, nor does it have any noted value. It's all about reputation.

UFC 291 time and date

Date and Time: UFC 291 is Saturday (July 29)
UFC 291 main card:
The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT / 3 a.m. BST / 2 p.m. AEDT
Early prelims begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, main prelims are at 8 p.m. ET.
UFC 291 main event time: Ring-walks are estimated for 12 a.m. ET / 9 p.m. PT / 5 a.m. BST / 4 p.m. AEDT — but they could always go on earlier.
Watch in the US — ESPN Plus
Watch in the UK — BT Sport Box Office

And it's fitting that the UFC 291 main event is for the BMF title, since it's a rematch of Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje's 2018 Fight of the Year. In that previous outing, Poirier in the fourth round, via TKO. 

The retired Jorge Masvidal, the original BMF champ, will be in the house to strap up the winner. 

The card will also show the future of the UFC Light Heavyweight championship contention, with Jan Blachowicz (29-9-1) taking on Alex Pereira (7-2-0). Most recently, Blachowicz took Magomed Ankalaev to a draw, which caused some to sour/cool on his chances.

DraftKings has Poirier (-150) favored for the main event, but not by a whole lot. Justin Gathje (+130) is an even slimmer underdog. Both numbers grew slightly overnight. The semi main event's odds put Blachowicz (-105) as the slightest of underdogs and Pereira (-115) as the slightest of favorites.

Here's everything you need to know about UFC 291 live streams:

UFC 291 live streams: Get the PPV and a whole year of ESPN Plus

You're going to need ESPN Plus to watch UFC 291 live streams — and all the upcoming numbered UFC PPVs — so let's talk about the best deal to make this happen. 

You can get UFC 291 plus a year of ESPN Plus for $124.98, which is savings of $55 (ESPN Plus costs $99.99 per year and UFC 291 costs $79.99). This is one way to avoid that $5 price hike for UFC PPVs, which used to cost $74.99, at least for this fight.

The main prelim fights are on ABC, ESPN and ESPN Plus. 

UFC 291 Early Prelim fights start at 6 p.m. ET on UFC FightPass, which is $9.99 per month.

ESPN Plus for UFC 291save $55 by getting UFC 291 and the annual ESPN Plus subscription for $124.98.

You're gonna need ESPN Plus for UFC 291. While UFC 291 live streams cost $79.99 (on top of ESPN Plus), new subscribers and those on current monthly plans can save $55 by getting UFC 291 and the annual ESPN Plus subscription for $124.98. That subscription will renew at $99.99 for your second year.

Need ABC or ESPN? If you've already cut the cord and don't have a cable package? With the right pick from our best cable TV alternatives, you'll be able to watch all the prelims you want. ESPN and ABC are on two of the best streaming services: Fubo and Sling TV 

ESPN is on Sling Orange, and ABC is on Sling Blue for select markets. Sling is $25 off for the first month. Fubo has ABC and ESPN in its entry-level package, which has a 7-day free trial.

Of course, you can also watch ESPN and ABC on the more expensive services, such as YouTube TV ($73 per month), Hulu + Live TV ($70 per month) and DirecTV Stream ($75 per month).

ABC, depending on your location, can be pulled down with some of the best TV antennas.

Sling TV:50% on your first month!

Sling TV: You can get ESPN3 in the Sling Orange package, and ABC in select regions via Sling Blue. The 30-plus channels in the lineup include AMC, CNN, Food Network, AMC, Comedy Central, HGTV and many more. And you can save 50% on your first month!

Fubo:a 7-day free trial

Fubo: One of the best streaming services for sports, Fubo may not have had TNT, but it does offer ABC. It's got a 7-day free trial so you don't need to pay up front.

How to watch UFC 291 in the UK and Australia

UFC 291 is up late for fight fans in the U.K. and mid-day down under.

In the U.K., you'll start the main card at 3 a.m. BST, with Volkanovski vs. Rodríguez going on around 5 a.m. BST. It's live on BT Sport Box Office, where it costs £19.95. Prelims are on UFC Fight Pass.

Just a heads up, though, the UFC 291 live stream is not available via a web browser, but through apps on Now TV devices, PlayStations, Xbox, Apple TV and some Smart TVs.

In Australia, UFC 291's main card will go live on Sunday at 2 p.m. AEDT on Kayo, where it costs AU$54.95.

How to watch UFC 291 live streams in Canada

Our neighbors in the great white north will watch the early prelims on UFC Fight Pass, while the prelims are on TSN and RDS. UFC 291's main card is available on various providers, including BELL and Rogers.

UFC 291 fight card

Early prelims (6:30 p.m. ET) on ESPN Plus and UFC FightPass

  • C.J. Vergara vs. Vinicius Salvador - Catchweight (128.5 lb)
  • Matthew Semelsberger vs. Uroš Medić - Welterweight
  • Miranda Maverick vs. Priscila Cachoeira - Women's Flyweight

Prelims (8 p.m. ET) on ABC, ESPN Plus and ESPN

  • Gabriel Bonfim vs. Trevin Giles - Welterweight
  • Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogério de Lima - Heavyweight
  • Roman Kopylov vs. Claudio Ribeiro - Middleweight
  • Jake Matthews vs. Darrius Flowers - Welterweight

Main Card (10 p.m. ET) on ESPN Plus

  • Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje - Lightweight, for the symbolic BMF title
  • Jan Błachowicz vs. Alex Pereira - Light Heavyweight
  • Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira - Welterweight
  • Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green - Lightweight
  • Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland - Welterweight

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Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.