3 fights to look forward to and 2 fights that will likely disappoint at UFC 264

UFC 264 is expected to be the biggest pay-per-view event of the year, with the octagon's most prominent star, Conor McGregor, returning to action in a high-stakes trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier. Despite its obvious lack of championship fights, UFC 264 will go down as one of the most stacked cards of late, with several high-profile fighters slated to fight.

In the co-main event, Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson and Gilbert Burns will jockey for position as they make their case for a shot at Kamaru Usman's welterweight title. Knockout specialists Greg Hardy and Tai Tuivasa will also duke it out in the main card as they attempt to make their way into the heavyweight division's top 15.

Needless to say, a huge segment of MMA fans will tune in to UFC 264 on Saturday. While it's shaping up to be one of the most exciting PPVs in recent memory, we don't expect it to be flawless. With that in mind, here are three fights to look forward to and two that will likely disappoint at UFC 264.

Fight to look forward to at UFC 264: Sean O'Malley vs. Kris Moutinho

Sean O'Malley will fight UFC newcomer Kris Moutinho at #UFC264, Moutinho's manager told @marc_raimondi.O'Malley first mentioned Moutinho as his new opponent on Twitch. pic.twitter.com/gJN84DMP5a

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 30, 2021

Rising star Sean O'Malley will take on newcomer Kris Moutinho, who stepped in on short notice for Louis Smolka. 'Da Last Samurai' was forced to pull out of UFC 264 after reportedly suffering a staph infection.

After suffering his first loss against Marlon 'Chito' Vera in August 2020, O'Malley returned earlier this year, scoring a rebound win against Thomas Almeida at UFC 260. On Saturday, 'Sugar' will look for another spectacular knockout to add to his ever-growing highlight reel.

Moutinho, meanwhile, is coming off back-to-back stoppage wins in the minor leagues. Not much is expected from the 28-year-old action fighter, as it will be the first time he appears inside the octagon.

When news broke that Smolka was withdrawing from his showdown with O'Malley, several fighters volunteered to step in as a replacement. But the UFC's decision to book O'Malley against a relative unknown indicates that they want 'The Sugar Show' to keep going.

Nonetheless, an O'Malley showcase is just the right fight to raise the hype level of the crowd in attendance. Though the outcome is predictable, this bantamweight fight is definitely one to look forward to.

Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC 264: Ryan Hall vs. Ilia Topuria

Former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner Ryan Hall will return to action after a two-year absence at UFC 264. 'The Wizard' has emerged as one of the most beloved cult heroes in MMA thanks to his breathtaking Imanari roll-heel hook combo.

Hall has strung together four consecutive wins in the UFC with a notable victory over Hall-of-Famer BJ Penn. He proved he isn't a one-trick pony in his recent fight, beating Darren Elkins via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 155.

At UFC 264, Hall will face an equally talented grappler in Ilia Topuria. The Spanish fighter went from being a short-notice replacement to a rising star in the 145-pound division with wins over Youssef Zalal and Damon Jackson in his first two outings.

Although the bout is expected to be a showdown between two Brazilian jiu-jitsu aces, the fight might not be decided on the mat. There's a possibility that Hall and Topuria might reach an uneventful deadlock at UFC 264, with both competitors having a high mastery of BJJ.

Fight to look forward to at UFC 264: Stephen Thompson vs. Gilbert Burns

Top welterweight contenders Stephen Thompson and Gilbert Burns will try to return to title contention as they square off in the co-main event of UFC 264. While Colby Covington and Leon Edwards are waiting in the wings to challenge Kamaru Usman, the winner between Thompson and Burns will likely earn a date with 'The Nigerian Nightmare' in the future.

After compiling six straight wins, Burns was given the opportunity to dethrone his former teammate Usman in February. He came close to snatching the victory when he rocked the champion early in the fight. Once Usman recovered, though, he dominated and ultimately ended the fight in round three.

Meanwhile, Thompson has had two cracks at the UFC welterweight title. Both times, however, he failed to claim gold against Tyron Woodley. He faded to the background after back-to-back losses to Darren Till and Anthony Pettis, but two straight victories over Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal put him back in a power position.

With both men in dire need of a victory at this point in their respective careers, Thompson vs. Burns should be a very competitive matchup. That said, this fight could easily be Saturday night's show-stealer.

Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC 264: Jennifer Maia vs. Jessica Eye

Two former flyweight contenders will try to get back to their winning ways as Jennifer Maia and Jessica Eye collide in an early preliminary card bout at UFC 264. Both are coming off losses; one of them will find redemption while the other will slide further.

Maia earned the opportunity to challenge UFC women's flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko after securing a surprise win over top contender Joanne Calderwood. However, the Brazilian ran into a brick wall as she found herself on the wrong side of a lopsided decision against the reigning champion.

Eye, meanwhile, seemingly found her second wind, enjoying a 4-1 run after moving into the flyweight division. Her success was short-lived, however, after she dropped back-to-back fights against Cynthia Calvillo and Calderwood.

With both women having a lot to lose, there's a possibility that they're going to be overly cautious when they meet in the octagon. This fight could easily go to a split decision after three lackluster rounds.

Fight to look forward to at UFC 264: Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor

Dustin Poirier will meet Conor McGregor in the octagon for a third time at UFC 264

Two of the UFC's biggest stars, Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier, will write the final chapter of their rivalry as they engage in a trilogy bout for the ages in the main event of UFC 264.

Boasting knockout wins over one another, McGregor and 'The Diamond' will prove once and for all who the better fighter is as they settle the score Saturday night. To sweeten the pot, UFC president Dana White has announced that the winner of UFC 264's main event will earn a title shot against lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.

Poirier has momentum after handing McGregor his first defeat by TKO the last time they met at UFC 257. He was criticized for taking the "money fight" over the championship opportunity, but Poirier seems intent on shutting the door on McGregor for good.

However, the Irishman will be coming into UFC 264 with a newfound motivation. McGregor has been eerily quiet as of late, which could indicate that he's more focused on training than ever before.