You might see that this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 76 card in Dublin is only available to UFC Fight Pass subscribers and immediately write it off as an sub-par card. That would be a mistake. While it’s definitely not an event worthy of pay-per-view, it would be a solid offering on FOX Sports 1. There’s a few compelling storylines that we should be aware of going into the night, so let’s jump right in.
IRELAND VS. THE WORLD
From the prelims to the main event, there are a ton of Irishmen who will be representing their country against a fighters from all over the world. The Dublin crowd is a raucous, frenzied bunch that should create an electric atmosphere, filled with songs and patriotic chants. The U.S. might be the greatest country in the world, but it’s far behind the rest of the world when it comes to nationalistic cheers. All we’ve got is “U-S-A! U-S-A!”. And that gets old really quick.
DUSTIN POIRIER VS. IRELAND
Lightweight-turned-featherweight-turned-lightweight Dustin Poirier knows a thing or two about facing Irish fighters and their loud fans. The Louisiana native was TKO’d but superstar Conor McGregor in Las Vegas, in front of thousands of Irish who had travelled to the U.S. to support their countryman. What’s more, Poirier drew the ire of an entire country as he engaged in a heated pre-fight buildup.
Now, he’ll travel straight into the lion’s den to Dublin, where he faces another hot Irish prospect in Joe Duffy in the headliner. I’m sure beating Duffy at home would exact some measure of revenge for his loss to McGregor. Ireland’s fans would love to rub Poirier’s nose in another loss to a native.
IS THE NEW BEN ROTHWELL LEGIT?
Nobody ever saw Big Ben coming. The paunchy, plodding Rothwell was seen as nothing more than decent heavyweight who could play gatekeeper to the elite. But after three straight wins over Brandon Vera, Allistair Overeem and Matt Mitrione, he’s shockingly just an upset over Stipe Miocic away from having a legitimate argument for a title challenge.
What’s more, his attempt to transform himself into a heel has been simultaneously embarassing and hilarious. From victory dances that are excruciatingly bad even for a doughy 265-pound white guy to cringeworthy evil villain laughs in the middle of post-fight interviews, his antics have become must-see entertainment.
Unfortunately for Rothwell, oddsmakers are predicting his resurgence to come to an end against Miocic, who is the main card’s biggest favorite at -320.
STRAIGHT OUTTA PRISON
If you’re the type of fight fan that’s watched a few Felony Fights or Kimbo Slice’s backyard brawls on YouTube, you might want to tune into the prelims to check out Reza Maddadi vs. Norman Parke. Maddadi went to prison for burglary in 2013, and will be fighting for the first time since getting out of the joint. I’ll admit, I’m fascinated by this. Will Maddadi fight by prison rules? Did he use his MMA experience in prison riots? Did he have to join up with a gang for protection? And if the answer is yes to any of those questions, how will it translate to the octagon?
Bet on UFC Fight Night 76 now!
Sign in to get the latest UFC Fight Night 76 odds. BookMaker Sportsbook offers daily updates to money lines, over/under, prop bets and more, so make sure to lock in your bets should you find a favorable wager. UFC Fight Night 76 takes place on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The entire card will stream on UFC Fight Pass starting 12:45 p.m. ET.
Don’t forget to check in during fight night to get live odds. During each fight, BookMaker Sportsbook updates their odds in real-time, so you can keep betting as each fight unfolds on live television. It’s a great way to hedge your bets should you fall behind. With our mobile platform, it’s never been easier to bet on UFC events.
