Australia’s Jake Matthews Returns to the Octagon in UFC 291 Prelims

When to watch upcoming UFC fights only on ESPN.

Australia’s Jake Matthews, UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis and UFC prodigy Gabriel Bonfim headline the UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Prelims LIVE on ESPN this Sunday July 30.

ESPN will have live coverage of the UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Prelims from 10am AEST.

Sunday’s feature bout on the UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Prelim card will see Brazilian prodigy Gabriel Bonfim tackle tough American Trevin Giles.
 
Bonfim has a perfect 14-0 career record and seven first round finishes, having impressed many since joining the UFC.
 
Giles has claimed back-to-back decision victories over Louis Cosce and Preston Parsons, and will hope to add Bonfim to his list of victims, and halt the impressive run of the Brazilian Welterweight.  
 
#11 rated heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis is also looking to turn his UFC career around this Sunday, as he faces Brazil’s Marcos Rogerio De Lima in the co-feature on the prelim card.
 
Lewis fought for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship just two years ago but arrives at a career crossroads this Sunday having lost his last three fights inside the Octagon.
 
The American’s last defeat was in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Spivak, falling to a submission in the opening round.
 
De Lima was victorious last time out back in April and has his own ambitions of a climb up the heavyweight rankings.
 
Australia also has a presence on the UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Prelims, with Jake Matthews fighting for the first time in 2023.
 
Matthews meets Welterweight Darrius Flowers in his return to the Octagon. The Australian is looking to bounce back from a defeat in December 2022, dropping a unanimous decision to Matthew
Semelsberger. 
 
Flowers is riding a four-fight winning run in his MMA career. He earnt his UFC appearance after an impressive performance on the Dana White Contender Series.
 
UFC 291 is one of the most highly anticipated events on the 2023 MMA calendar, and ESPN will have UFC fans primed for the stacked fight card.
 
#2 ranked lightweight Dustin Poirier faces #3 ranked Justin Gaethje in the main event of Sunday’s UFC 291 pay-per-view.
 
SC: UFC Fight Camp (Premieres, 4pm AEST Thursday on ESPN) will set the stage for Sunday and will bring exclusive access, interviews and features, as well as in-depth analysis from ESPN’s UFC expert team on the ground in Salt Lake City, Utah.

UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 on ESPN

 Thursday July 27
 
4pm AEST, SC: UFC Fight Camp, ESPN (Premiere)
 
Sunday July 30
 
7am AEST, The Ultimate Fighter – Episode 9, ESPN
 
9am AEST, UFC Live, ESPN
 
10am AEST, UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Prelims, ESPN

*The UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Main Card is available on pay-per-view

UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 Prelims LIVE on ESPN this SUNDAY.

ESPN and ESPN2 are available on Foxtel, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV and SKY NZ.