UFC: Dustin Poirier says Donald Cerrone doesn’t deserve Conor McGregor – ‘rematch makes sense’
- Poirier, who lost to McGregor in 2014, thinks ‘Cowboy’ is on ‘the back end of his career’ after losses in last two fights
- ‘The Diamond’ expects to return to the Octagon in April 2020 after hip surgery
Dustin Poirier thinks the UFC matchmakers are giving Conor McGregor an easy fight if they throw him in against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.
McGregor (professional record 21-4) has not fought in MMA since losing to lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018. The 31-year-old Irishman announced last month he would return to the Octagon on January 18.
“I respect ‘Cowboy’ and everything he’s done but I do think he’s on the back end of his career,” Poirier told MMA Fighting. “Fight a guy who’s been KO’d or TKO’d twice in his past two fights. I’m not a matchmaker. I think me and [McGregor] makes more sense.”
Cerrone is on a two-fight losing streak having lost to Tony Ferguson via doctor’s stoppage in July and Justin Gaethje by first-round TKO in September.
“It’s ‘Cowboy’ [so] he can show up and submit or knock out Conor as well. I’m not counting the guy out completely but I do think that is a more favourable fight for his return.”
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Poirier (25-6) lost to Dagestani wrestler Khabib in a title unification fight in September and is recovering from hip surgery. The 30-year-old American expects to be back in April next year.
But having defeated lightweight contenders Anthony Pettis, Eddie Alvarez, Gaethje and Max Holloway on the way to Khabib, “The Diamond” thinks he deserves another big-name fight next.
“When they offer me a name that gets me excited, then that will be the right one,” he said. “A Conor, a Nate Diaz, a Khabib, a Tony – those kinds of fights get me excited.”
Poirier previously faced McGregor in 2014, with “The Notorious” winning by TKO in the first round amid his rise to superstardom on his way to capturing the featherweight title.
But McGregor lost to Khabib in similar fashion as Poirier did, getting submitted in the fourth round.
“It would make more sense if [McGregor is] trying to get back to the top,” Poirier said. “I was the former interim world champion, Conor is the former undisputed world champion. We fought years ago, both had our separate paths and done great things. I’m No 2, I think he’s No 3, it makes a lot of sense.”
