Conor. McGregor. Is. Back. In what is set to be one of the biggest bouts in recent months.
After a long break on the sidelines, McGregor returns to the Octagon in hopes of a victory over Dustin Poirier. McGregor stopped Poirier in a round when they first met six years ago in the featherweight category, but more than 12 months since his last fight in a victory over Donald Cerrone, McGregor is back in action and raring to go.
One of, if not, the biggest name in UFC, McGregor announced his retirement in June of this year, after becoming frustrated at problems arranging bouts due to the Covid-19 pandemic clashes with the UFC. But it seems the excitement machine is back in action and ready to take on the current interim champion.
“I am very grateful to be about to return and get to do what I love again,” McGregor said earlier this month about a possible fight between the two. “I look forward to the fresh test Dustin will bring since our first bout, while also showcasing my own incredibly deep cache of weaponry. Whatever tool is needed on the night will be pulled from the duffel.”
Dustin Poirier doesn’t need any more motivation to win this fight, after the loss to McGregor six years ago. He’ll be out for blood, determined to not rewrite the past, and to hang onto his interim lightweight title ever since Khabib’s retirement.
In the six years since the two men faced off in the Octagon, Poirier has firming entrenched himself as one of the top lightweights in UFC, claiming the interim title and recording a number of wins under his belt. On the upcoming bout, Poirier had this to say.
“He was obviously a great fighter in finishing a bunch of guys before me in his UFC career, but at this point we’re both so much more established and have so much more experience, just more mature fighters, and I think you get a completely different fight here,” Poirier told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I was emotional in the first one. I wanted to hurt the guy. This time I just want to outsmart him, just want to beat him. This is business. This isn’t any ill will towards the guy.
“When I was younger, I used to fight with a lot of emotion. This isn’t the same thing for me. This isn’t about getting even for me. This isn’t like a revenge type of thing for me. This is about moving my career forward, about putting my family in a better spot. It’s not trying to get back a guy who got me. This is just business.”
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MAIN CARD
Lightweight Bout
Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor
UNDER CARD
Women’s Flyweight Bout
Jessica Eye vs Joanne Calderwood
Light Heavyweight Bout
Khalil Roundtree Jr vs Marcin Prachnio
Women’s Strawweight Bout
Marina Rodriguez vs Amanda Ribas
Middleweight Bout
Brad Tavares vs Antonio Carlos Junior