ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: (L-R) UFC President Dana White places the interim lightweight championship belt on Dustin Poirier after defeating Max Holloway in their interim lightweight championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The UFC has finally confirmed Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor 2. The two will most likely main even the UFC 257 card, although the location of the event has yet to be disclosed. Dana White however has suggested that it would be the UFC’s third stay at Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
The fight odd-makers and fans alike, has Conor McGregor going in as the favorite. However, former UFC champion Daniel Cormier is shocked at how the MMA community is dismissing Poirier’s chances.
Whilst on his weekly show on ESPN ‘DC & Helwani’, DC said, “Dustin’s a dog man, he’s a full-on Lafayette yard pit bull, sit in the middle of the yard, you put a pole in the middle yard and you put a chain on your dog so he can’t breakaway. That’s Dustin Poirier.”
“Dustin Poirier is not going to Abu Dhabi to get beat by Conor McGregor. He’s so powerful, he hits so hard, and he’s so much more durable. Part of the reason I think that he got knocked out so quickly last time was because he was draining himself all the way down to 145.”
Both Poirier and McGregor now fight at lightweight. DC believes this has only been better for Dustin’s performance. “Now at 155 he’s more full he’s big he’s strong his skills have improved tenfold he’s become a champion.”
Dustin Poirier has already been a UFC champion, although Interim. DC believes that Dustin has already seen how good he can be. “This guy has a championship mindset as he goes into this rematch and feels like the first fight was a bit of a fluke because he got caught got knocked out quickly it wasn’t even a shot where he got hit on the chin right kind of hit him on the side of the head and he kind of slumped over.”
‘The Diamond’ has always been looking to avenge that loss, and DC is astonished at how the MMA community can be so dismissive. “So imagine getting knocked out in that way and going ‘I can still beat this dude’. I mean, I cannot believe how disrespectful it’s been around the sports world in regards to Dustin Poirier.”
Dustin Poirier, ranked #2 in the UFC lightweight division, will now face #4 ranked Conor McGregor. UFC president Dana White has said that this fight will not be for a title. Nevertheless, the winner will have positioned himself at the top of the queue for a title fight.
Continue the conversation on the app, join other MMA fans on MMA Fans App