McGregor vs. Poirier 2 live stream: How to watch UFC 257 right now

Ufc 257 Hero (Image credit: UFC)

Conor McGregor is returning to the octagon for a rematch with Dustin Poirier that has been in the making for six years and we have all the details on how you can watch McGregor vs Poirier 2 online or on TV at UFC 257.

The last time Connor "The Notorious" McGregor and Daniel "The Diamond" Poirier met in the octagon was back in 2014 at UFC 178 in Las Vegas when both fighters were still rising stars. McGregor managed to win the Featherweight Bout by total knockout in the first round with just one minute and forty six seconds on the clock.

While McGregor originally planned on fighting multiple times last year, he ended up staying on the sidelines after defeating Donald Cerrone by TKO during the first round in under a minute at UFC 246. Poirier also only had one fight last year when he took on Dan Hooker at a UFC Fight Night in June. Poirier won by decision during the fifth round and like McGregor, he took the rest of the year off. Will taking time off benefit Poirier and McGregor during tonight's Lightweight Bout?

As for the lineup of the rest of UFC 257's Main Card, Dan Hooker will go up against Michael Chandler in a lightweight bout, Jessica Eye will take on Joanne Calderwood in a Women's flyweight bout, Matt Frevola will face off against Ottman Azaitar in a lightweight bout and Marina Rodriquez and Amanda Ribas will meet in the octagon for a Women's strawweight bout.

Whether you're rooting for Poirier, McGregor or don't want to miss UFC's first pay-per-view event of the year, we'll show you exactly how to watch UFC 257 from anywhere in the world.

UFC 257 - When and where?

UFC 257 will be held at the promotion's Etihad Arena on its Fight Island facility on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, January 23. The Early Prelims will kick off at 6pm ET / 3pm PT, the Prelims will follow after at 8pm ET / 5pm PT and the Main Card will start at 10pm ET / 7pm PT.

How to watch UFC 257 from anywhere

We have all the details on how you can watch UFC 257 in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia further down in this guide. However, if you're currently traveling or live in a country without an official broadcast option you won't be able to watch Poirier vs McGregor live.

That's where a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can really come in handy. They allow you to virtually change the IP address of your laptop, tablet or mobile to one that's back in your home country which will let you watch as if you were back there.

VPNs are incredibly easy to use and have the added benefit of providing you with an additional layer of security when surfing the web. There are also a lot of options but we recommend ExpressVPN as our top pick due to its speed, security and ease of use. The service can even be used on a wide array of operating systems and devices (e.g. iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Fire TV Stick, Roku, game consoles, etc). Sign up for ExpressVPN now and enjoy a 49% discount and 3 months FREE with an annual subscription. You can even test it out for yourself thanks to the service's 30-day money back guarantee. Looking for more options?

Here are some other VPNs that are on sale right now.

How to watch UFC 257 in the U.S.

As the UFC has entered into an exclusive agreement with ESPN until 2025, the network's streaming service ESPN+ is the only place where you'll be able to watch the UFC 257 PPV in the U.S. If you already have an ESPN+ subscription though, you can purchase access to the PPV for $65 whether you're a monthly or annual subscriber. However, if you haven't signed up for ESPN+ yet, the network is running a promotion where you can get the UFC 257 PPV and an annual subscription to the streaming service for just $84.98. While this may seem expensive at first, an annual ESPN+ subscription normally costs $50 on its own.

How to watch ESPN+ on your TV, phone & more

MMA fans with a cable subscription will be able to watch the Prelims at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. However, you will need to purchase the PPV and have an ESPN+ subscription to watch the Main Card at 10pm ET / 7pm PT. You can also watch the Early Prelims on ESPN+ at 6pm ET / 3pm PT.

Don't want to sign up for cable just to watch the Prelims on ESPN? Don't worry as there are now a number of streaming services, all at different price points, which will give you access to the network so you can watch all the action before the Main Card online. We've listed a few of our favorites below to make things easier for you.

Hulu with Live TV - $54.99 per month - As well as giving you access to ESPN, the service also includes its own Hulu Originals and supports a wide variety of streaming devices.
Sling TV - $30 per month - In order to get access to ESPN, you'll have to sign up for Sling TV's Sling Orange package. The service also lets you watch on three screens simultaneously and record live TV with its Cloud DVR.
YouTube TV - $65 per month - YouTube TV gives you access to ESPN as well as over 70 other TV channels and a free 14-day trial available.
AT&T TV Now - $55 per month - AT&T TV Now's plus plan gives you access to ESPN as well as over 45 other live TV channels and you can also record up to 20 hours of content using its cloud DVR.

Live stream UFC 257 in Canada

Unlike in the US, Canadian UFC fans have plenty of options to watch this Saturday's UFC 257 PPV as Bell, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus , Eastlink and UFC Fight Pass will all show the Main Card at 10pm ET / 7pm PT for $64.99.

The Prelims will begin two hours earlier at 8pm ET / 5pm PT and you can watch them on either TSN or RDS. You can also watch the Early Prelims in Canada at 6pm ET / 3pm PT on either UFC Fight Pass.

If you have a cable subscription, then ordering the PPV from your cable provider might be the easiest way to watch it. However, if you've already cut the cord, then UFC Fight Pass makes a great deal of sense as it will give you access to both the Early Prelims and the Main Card.

How to watch UFC 257 in the UK

Just like with previous UFC events, UFC 257 will be available exclusively through BT Sport in the UK. If you're already a BT Sport subscriber, you'll be able to watch the Main Card for free beginning at 3am GMT early Sunday morning on BT Sport Box Office. If that's a bit late for you don't worry as the network has a spoiler-free replay page so you can watch UFC 257's Main Card at your convenience. You can also stream UFC 257 on your smartphone using the BT Sport app and on your computer via the network's website. If you're not interested in signing up for a lengthy contract with BT, you can always purchase a BT Sport Monthly Pass for just £25.

The Early Prelims will begin at 11:30pm GMT and you can watch them on UFC Fight Pass while the Prelims will be shown on both BT Sport 1 and UFC Fight Pass at 1am GMT.

Watch UFC 257 in Australia

Australian UFC fans also have several options to watch UFC 257's Main Card as it will be shown on Main Event, Fetch TV, Kayo and on UFC Fight Pass at 2pm AEDT / 11am AWST on Sunday, January 24.

The PPV itself costs $54.95 but you will need a subscription to UFC Fight Pass to watch the Early Prelims at 10:30am AEDT / 7:30am AWST and the Prelims at 12pm AEDT / 9am AWST. Cable subscribers will also be able to watch the Prelims on ESPN in Australia.