When Conor McGregor dropped a simple “Congrats bro” in the comments of Dustin Poirier’s picture with his newborn son, it felt like a rare pause in one of the UFC’s most combustible rivalries. A peace offering, maybe? Or at least an olive branch from a feud that once burned the sport to the ground.

But if anyone thought time, distance, and fatherhood had softened everything, ‘The Diamond’ shut that door fast. Because when Ariel Helwani asked directly whether the beef was finally dead, his answer wasn’t reflective or diplomatic.

“So would you say the beef has been squashed? All is good?” Poirier didn’t blink, “F— no man, f— Conor.” That was it, no long explanation, no nostalgia. Just a hard stop.

When Helwani tried to soften it with, “I thought that was a nice message”, Poirier shook his head. The moment passed, but the message lingered. Whatever chapter Poirier is in now, reconciliation with McGregor isn’t part of it.

To understand why, you have to rewind. Their rivalry wasn’t just built on wins and losses. It evolved. ‘The Notorious’ dominated their first meeting at UFC 178. Years later, Poirier evened the score at UFC 257, and for a brief moment, mutual respect surfaced.

Then came UFC 264. The trilogy fight ended with McGregor breaking his leg and unloading a barrage of insults that crossed the line from competitive to personal. That night changed the tone forever.

Almost five years have passed since then, but scars don’t fade on a schedule. Poirier has moved on from fighting, retiring last year at UFC 318 after a loss to Max Holloway and leaving his gloves in the cage at home in Louisiana. McGregor, meanwhile, remains tethered to the spotlight despite not having stepped back into the Octagon since breaking his leg.

So why reject the peace now? Maybe because social media respect doesn’t erase memory. And fatherhood, while grounding, doesn’t rewrite history. Dustin Poirier’s reaction wasn’t about Instagram comments; it was about boundaries. But while that rivalry appears frozen in place, Conor McGregor has already turned his attention elsewhere. And not just anywhere, to the biggest crossover opponent of his life, Floyd Mayweather.

Conor McGregor calls on Floyd Mayweather to step into the bare-knuckle ring

Nearly nine years after their spectacle in August 2017, Conor McGregor still hasn’t let that night go. During a recent gaming stream with his eldest son and Caylus, McGregor was asked a simple question: would he ever box again? His answer was direct. “For sure, a boxing fight,” the 37-year-old said. Naturally, that opened the door to Floyd Mayweather’s name resurfacing almost immediately.

But McGregor wasn’t interested in replaying history on the same terms. Instead, he pushed for something far messier and far more on-brand. He suggested the rematch happen in a sport neither man truly owns, bare-knuckle boxing.

“To be honest with you, I’d love to bare-knuckle fight him,” McGregor said, floating the idea casually, as if it wouldn’t send shockwaves through combat sports. As a part-owner of BKFC, the angle makes sense. It’s risk, spectacle, and business wrapped together.

Top Stories

Conor McGregor Confirms New UFC Contract Negotiations While Making Bold Statement on His Physique

Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC White House Dreams at Risk After “Russian” Rule Revealed

Dana White Couldn’t Care Less About Alex Pereira and Tracy Cortez News

“Ref Wanted Him Dead”: Calls Mount to Ban MMA Referee for Late Stoppage After Bodyslam KO

“That Must Hurt”: Francis Ngannou Drops IShowSpeed With Vicious Body Shot Leaving Fans in Awe

Their first bout ended with him stopped in the 10th round, but financially, it was a landslide. The fight reportedly sold 4.3 million pay-per-views, with both men earning north of $100 million. Loss or not, that kind of outcome has a way of lingering.

As such, the contrast couldn’t be clearer. Dustin Poirier is closing doors, choosing peace on his own terms, even if that peace comes with hard lines and unfinished feelings. His five-word response wasn’t about bitterness; it was about finality.

Conor McGregor, on the other hand, is still chasing echoes, looking to reopen old chapters in new arenas, whether that’s bare-knuckle boxing or another crossover spectacle with Floyd Mayweather. One man is protecting what he’s built outside the cage. The other is still searching for the next spark.