ESPN 98.1 FM / 850 AM WRUF ESPN 98.1 FM / 850 AM WRUF
Connor McGregor is the biggest name in UFC, and his future is up in the air. After Saturday night’s TKO loss to Dustin Poirier, McGregor has some decisions to make.
McGregor and Poirier open to Trilogy
SCORE: EQUALED.
[ #UFC257 | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/V7sOcRy1Uh— UFC (@ufc) January 24, 2021
They are 1-1 after two fights. McGregor gave Poirier a rematch, and it may be his time to return the favor.
“You probably have to do it again, right?” Dustin Poirier said after the fight.
Poirier got the best of McGregor in the second round. He landed several brutal leg kicks that left McGregor immobile. After the fight, McGregor was in crutches and said his leg was “completely dead.” The legendary Irish fighter was caught off guard by the number of kicks landed on him and wants to take a different approach if they meet again.
The leg kicks that McGregor suffered is something he had not dealt with in the past. If he gets the rematch, preventing Poirier to land those has to be a priority. In this fight, Poirier landed 18 to McGregor’s two attempts.
Thanks for the support everyone! Was not my night/morning in there but a great contest to improve on. I’m excited at the blockbuster trilogy I now have on my hands. Dustin is a hell of a competitor and I look forward to going again. God bless us all, happy Sunday ❤️
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 24, 2021
McGregor confident despite the loss
Even with the TKO in the second, “The Notorious” knows what he is capable of. At 32 years old, he has to take time to heal from this fight and regroup. He has accepted that this fight was not his and Poirier deserved the win. His sights are set on a rematch.
However, if he does not get the rematch he desires, there are other options.
Trilogy with Diaz a possibility
McGregor is not in title contention following this loss, but that doesn’t mean the level of competition has to drop. A rematch with Diaz could be the most realistic next step as it would garner plenty of attention. The two last fought in August of 2016. McGregor won in a majority decision, while Diaz won their first fight in a submission.
While this matchup is desirable from a fan’s perspective, Poirier’s next fight will have a big impact as both of these fighters could be his next opponent.
