UFC 269: Conor McGregor rivalry ‘is going to be forever’ says Dustin Poirier – ‘we can fight five more times’
- Top UFC lightweight contender holds two wins over Irish superstar, but feels a fourth fight – and beyond – could be on the cards
- ‘I don’t think it’s ever going to be settled,’ says Poirier, who challenges for 155-pound title at UFC 269 this weekend
Dustin Poirier’s rivalry with Conor McGregor is alive and well.
The American, who will challenge Brazil’s Charles Oliveira for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 269 this Saturday in Las Vegas, has battled “The Notorious” three times previously.
Poirier lost his first fight, a 2014 featherweight contest, by first-round knockout. However, the American exacted his revenge earlier this year, scoring first-round stoppage wins over McGregor in back-to-back lightweight contests, the second of which left the Irishman with a broken leg.
MMA rivalries rarely extend beyond a third fight, but in the case of Poirier and McGregor, it sounds like there could be multiple acts still unwritten.
“We can fight five more times, I don’t think it’s ever going to be settled,” Poirier told former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping on BT Sport. “It’s just one of those rivalries that is going to be forever.”
Poirier and McGregor have swapped plenty of trash talk over the course of their rivalry, but their war of words took an ugly turn after their third fight, when McGregor made several unsavoury remarks about Poirier’s family.
While there’s still plenty of animosity festering between the pair as a result, Poirier says he has not heard from his rival since the fight.
“We have no relationship,” he said.
If Poirier wins the lightweight title this weekend, however, it sounds like the rematch will be out of reach for McGregor. UFC president Dana White recently revealed Justin Gaethje is most likely the next man in line for a lightweight title shot. Poirier has beaten Gaethje befpre, knocking his countryman out in 2018, but does not seem to have any objections to White’s plan.
“Dana said Gaethje’s next,” he said. “Dana said Gaethje so I have to say Gaethje [is next], if we’re going off what the boss says.”
UFC 269: Poirier believes beating Oliveira will guarantee him MMA immortality
The first objective for Poirier, of course, is swiping the lightweight title from Oliveira at UFC 269 this weekend. He believes the Brazilian champion has some bad habits, and plans to expose them on the night.
“I take advantage of mistakes that this guy makes,” he said. “Overreaching on shots, trying to throw too much power.
“I see him being overconfident sometimes. The alarm’s not going off when he’s standing in front of guys. His head’s up, he’s trying to put them away, but he’s not worried about his defence. If he does that in front of me, I’ll knock him out.”
