# UFC 291
**UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2** was a [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) pay-per-view mixed martial arts event held on July 29, 2023 at the Delta Center in [Salt Lake City](https://www.edgepedia.org/salt-lake-city), Utah, headlined by a lightweight rematch between [Dustin Poirier](https://www.edgepedia.org/dustin-poirier) and Justin Gaethje for the vacant BMF title.[1](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-291) • [2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/26/23808479/no-bets-barred-will-dustin-poirier-or-justin-gaethje-claim-the-vacant-bmf-title-at-ufc-291) Gaethje won the main event by head-kick knockout 1:00 into the second round, avenging his 2018 loss to Poirier and becoming the second fighter to hold the BMF championship.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620) • [4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeGds9VRLVU)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | Saturday, July 29, 2023, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah[1](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-291) |
| Main event | Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje 2, a lightweight bout for the vacant UFC "BMF" Title Belt[5](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/101214-ufc-291) |
| Result | Gaethje won by KO/TKO (head kick) at 1:00 of Round 2[1](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-291) |
| Records entering | Gaethje 25-4 (8-4 UFC); Poirier 29-8 (21-7 UFC)[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620) |
| Co-main event | Alex Pereira def. Jan Blachowicz by split decision (29-28 on all three scorecards) at light heavyweight[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620) |
## Background and the BMF title
The BMF ("baddest motherfucker") belt is a ceremonial UFC championship rather than a divisional title. It was created for [Jorge Masvidal](https://www.edgepedia.org/jorge-masvidal)'s November 2019 fight against [Nate Diaz](https://www.edgepedia.org/nate-diaz) at [UFC 244](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-244), and Masvidal vacated it when he retired from mixed martial arts after a loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/13/23784976/jorge-masvidal-on-vacant-bmf-title-at-ufc-291-they-picked-the-right-two-candidates) • [7](https://as.com/masdeporte/que-es-el-bmf-el-cinturon-no-oficial-de-ufc-que-posee-holloway-y-que-pondra-en-juego-ante-poirier-n/) UFC president Dana White defended resurrecting the belt for UFC 291, saying "these are the two right guys for that."[8](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/5/22/23732669/dana-white-defends-decision-resurrect-bmf-belt-ufc-291-these-are-two-right-guys-mma)
**The rematch.** Poirier and Gaethje had first met in 2018 in a fight widely treated as the Fight of the Year, in which Poirier outlasted Gaethje and stopped him in the fourth round.[9](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/29/23809915/paths-to-victory-how-dustin-poirier-and-justin-gaethje-can-win-the-bmf-title-at-ufc-291) Bookmakers made Poirier a modest favorite at -145 to Gaethje's +125.[1](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-291) The event sold out, with Salt Lake City restaurants and bars hosting watch parties around the Delta Center.[10](https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2023/07/28/where-to-watch-salt-lake-city-ufc-291-bar-restaurant)
## Main event: Gaethje vs. Poirier 2
Gaethje fought with more patience than in the first meeting, resisting the urge to trade freely with Poirier and instead mixing leg kicks and power punching combinations.[11](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/30/23812907/justin-gaethje-flattens-dustin-poirier-vicious-head-kick-knockout-claim-bmf-title-ufc-291-main-event) In a competitive first round, Poirier cut Gaethje near his left eye with a clean one-two, while Gaethje invested in leg kicks; Gaethje also attempted a head kick late in the round that Poirier blocked.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620) • [11](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/30/23812907/justin-gaethje-flattens-dustin-poirier-vicious-head-kick-knockout-claim-bmf-title-ufc-291-main-event)
Early in the second round, Gaethje feinted with a punch, drawing Poirier into throwing a combination, and then landed a right head kick that wrapped around Poirier's defense and detonated behind his ear. Poirier collapsed to the canvas, absorbed a hammerfist, and referee [Herb Dean](https://www.edgepedia.org/herb-dean) stopped the contest at 1:00 of Round 2.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620) • [11](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/30/23812907/justin-gaethje-flattens-dustin-poirier-vicious-head-kick-knockout-claim-bmf-title-ufc-291-main-event) It was Poirier's first knockout loss since 2016, when he fell to Michael Johnson.[11](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/30/23812907/justin-gaethje-flattens-dustin-poirier-vicious-head-kick-knockout-claim-bmf-title-ufc-291-main-event)
Masvidal placed the BMF title on Gaethje's shoulder after the victory, and Gaethje called for a shot at the UFC lightweight championship held by [Islam Makhachev](https://www.edgepedia.org/islam-makhachev).[11](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/30/23812907/justin-gaethje-flattens-dustin-poirier-vicious-head-kick-knockout-claim-bmf-title-ufc-291-main-event) • [14](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-280-oliveira-vs-makhachev-results-winner-interviews-abu-dhabi) Sherdog described the win as establishing Gaethje as the No. 1 contender for the lightweight crown.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620)
## Rest of the card
**Pereira moves to light heavyweight.** In the co-main event, [Alex Pereira](https://www.edgepedia.org/alex-pereira) made a successful move to 205 pounds, edging former champion Jan Blachowicz by split decision. All three judges scored the fight 29-28, with Junichiro Kamijo for Blachowicz and Derek Cleary and Ron McCarthy for Pereira. Blachowicz controlled much of the first round with a takedown and rear-naked choke attempts, but fatigue set in and Pereira's kickboxing, including low kicks to Blachowicz's lead leg, carried the final two rounds.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620)
**Other main-card results.** [Derrick Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/derrick-lewis), entering on a three-fight losing streak, knocked out Marcos Rogerio de Lima in 33 seconds with a flying knee and follow-up punches, only the second sub-minute finish of Lewis's career.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620) Bobby Green submitted [Tony Ferguson](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-ferguson) with an arm-triangle choke at 4:54 of Round 3, Ferguson's sixth consecutive defeat and Green's first submission win since February 2013.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620) [Kevin Holland](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-holland) tapped Michael Chiesa with a brabo choke at 2:39 of Round 1 in a welterweight bout.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620)
## Aftermath
The event produced nine finishes and only two decisions, with the head kick judged by reviewers as a knockout worthy of winning the BMF title.[12](https://www.kristianlovstad.com/mma/ufc-291-review-dj-vu) Gaethje later lost the BMF title to [Max Holloway](https://www.edgepedia.org/max-holloway), who defended it against Poirier in Poirier's July 2025 retirement fight at UFC 318, where Poirier closed his career with a 30-10 record.[13](https://apnews.com/article/5d0414cfcde8672e1c788c07f1a58696)
## References
1. [UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-291)
2. [No Bets Barred: Will Dustin Poirier or Justin Gaethje claim the vacant BMF Title at UFC 291?, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/26/23808479/no-bets-barred-will-dustin-poirier-or-justin-gaethje-claim-the-vacant-bmf-title-at-ufc-291)
3. [Justin Gaethje Head Kick Shuts Down Dustin Poirier in UFC 291 Headliner, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Justin-Gaethje-Head-Kick-Shuts-Down-Dustin-Poirier-in-UFC-291-Headliner-190620)
4. [UFC 291 Fight Recap! Justin Gaethje vs Dustin Poirier Knockout, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeGds9VRLVU)
5. [UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2, Tapology](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/101214-ufc-291)
6. [Jorge Masvidal on vacant BMF Title at UFC 291: 'They picked the right two candidates', MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/13/23784976/jorge-masvidal-on-vacant-bmf-title-at-ufc-291-they-picked-the-right-two-candidates)
7. [Qué es el BMF, el cinturón no oficial de UFC, Diario AS](https://as.com/masdeporte/que-es-el-bmf-el-cinturon-no-oficial-de-ufc-que-posee-holloway-y-que-pondra-en-juego-ante-poirier-n/)
8. [Dana White defends decision to resurrect BMF belt for UFC 291, MMA Mania](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/5/22/23732669/dana-white-defends-decision-resurrect-bmf-belt-ufc-291-these-are-two-right-guys-mma)
9. [Paths to Victory: How Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje can win the BMF title at UFC 291, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/29/23809915/paths-to-victory-how-dustin-poirier-and-justin-gaethje-can-win-the-bmf-title-at-ufc-291)
10. [Where to watch Salt Lake City's sold-out UFC 291, Axios](https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2023/07/28/where-to-watch-salt-lake-city-ufc-291-bar-restaurant)
11. [Justin Gaethje flattens Dustin Poirier with vicious head kick knockout to claim 'BMF' title in UFC 291 main event, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/7/30/23812907/justin-gaethje-flattens-dustin-poirier-vicious-head-kick-knockout-claim-bmf-title-ufc-291-main-event)
12. [UFC 291 review - Déjà vu, Kristian Løvstad](https://www.kristianlovstad.com/mma/ufc-291-review-dj-vu)
13. [Max Holloway retains UFC BMF title, spoils Dustin Poirier's retirement fight, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/5d0414cfcde8672e1c788c07f1a58696)
14. [UFC 280: Oliveira vs Makhachev Results](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-280-oliveira-vs-makhachev-results-winner-interviews-abu-dhabi)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › UFC numbered events 201–300*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license