UFC 264: Will Mcgregor vs Poirier 3 define the King of the Lightweight Division?
In what is set to be a defining moment in both fighter’s careers, Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will meet for the third and likely final time at UFC 264.
The feud between the two rivals is one of the most storied in recent MMA history. It began all the way back in September 2014 when McGregor defeated Poirier by first round TKO at UFC 178. In that bout, the pair met as featherweights and since then a lot has happened.
They finally reconvened rivalries in January 2021, headlining UFC 257. This time, Poirier came out on top with a second-round knockout that shocked the world. The trilogy will be completed in July 2021 when the fighters square off at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
It was not always certain that the fight would take place though, as UFC boss Dana White explained in an interview with TSN (via MMA News).
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“Oh, yeah. Yeah, there were a lot of chances that it was gonna fall apart,” White said. “I saw some conspiracy theorists thinking that that was to help promote the fight. Absolutely none of that was done to help promote the fight. I can assure you of that. But we got it done. We had to go back and forth. Listen, man, we’ve been doing this for 20 years. This is what we do. We get it done.”
If like the rest of the world you are looking for an early preview of one of the summer’s biggest sporting events, you have come to the right place. Below, we detail everything you need to know about the fight, including profiles of each fighter, what it could mean for the lightweight division as a whole and the best Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor odds. It is important to note that McGregor (1.80/1) and Poirier (2.00/1) are seen as a very equal match up, with McGregor coming out as the slight favorite.
Who is Conor McGregor?
McGregor is one of the most controversial sports stars of all time. Never afraid to ruffle feathers he is perhaps better known for his antics outside the octagon then he is for his MMA career. Do not let all the talk fool you into thinking that the Irishman is not an incredible fighter, though.
Since turning professional in 2008 he has won 22 of his 27 MMA matches, clinching a host of accolades and championships. Starting out in the Cage Warriors promotion he won both the Featherweight and Lightweight belts, before progressing to the UFC in April 2013.
It did not take him long to make an impact with McGregor winning his first seven fights in the company before succumbing to a second-round submission loss at the hands of Nate Diaz. His most memorable victory on this winning run came against José Aldo at UFC 194, whom he knocked out in just 13 seconds with the first punch of the bout.
Since defeating Diaz in a rematch and then beating Eddie Alvarez to win the UFC Lightweight Championship, McGregor’s commitment to MMA wavered. He was eventually stripped of the belt for inactivity and in 2017 would box Flloyd Mayweather Jr. in one of the most lucrative fights ever.
He would return to the UFC in 2018, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 – claiming he has retired soon after. He broke this in January 2020 by beating Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds before his most recent fight one year later.
McGregor has claimed he has a chip on his shoulder ahead of the rematch, making him even more dangerous than usual. Another defeat to Poirier would likely spell the end of his career at the top level, making it a career defining bout.
Who is Dustin Poirier?
Dustin Poirier may not have the same international profile as his opponent, but he is one of the best fighters in the world.
The American turned pro one year after McGregor in 2009. Since then, he has tasted just six losses in 34 bouts. Despite consistently being at the top of the card since signing with UFC in 2011, as well as clinching a number of Fight of the Night Awards, he has won just one title – an interim UFC Championship.
The closest he came to adding to this came at UFC 242 where Khabib Nurmagomedov successfully defended his Lightweight Championship, beating Poirier by submission in the third round.
A second victory over McGregor would see him reestablish himself as one of the top names in the company.
What could McGregor vs Poirier 3 mean for UFC?
The victor of this bout would most likely progress to take on the winner of Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler at UFC 262 for the UFC Lightweight Championship. This fight, scheduled to take place on May 15, is tough to call with Oliveira perhaps a slight favourite.
Both McGregor and Poirier will be paying close attention to how the bout turns out. With current Lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov set to retire, the belt will likely be vacated unless he has a sudden change of heart.
At some point later this year the belt will need to be defended and the two winners of the biggest lightweight fights of the year are the obvious contenders for the championship fight. When you think about it in these terms, Poirier is just two wins away from securing his second ever UFC title. Meanwhile, McGregor could be close to proving his doubters wrong by returning to the pinnacle of MMA.
