Conor McGregor will face Dustin Poirier for the third and final time this Saturday night. The fight is shaping up to be one of the biggest in UFC history, with both men one win apiece against one another. McGregor, fresh off the back of the first TKO loss of his MMA career, is confident that he will not only defeat Poirier, but that he will do so early.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, McGregor was brimming with his usual confidence: “He talks some amount lately which he will pay for; it’s not going to be nice. I’m going through my opponent on July 10th.
McGregor plans to “steamroll” Poirier in trilogy fight
“I’m going to knock him out. Without question. I’m the most dangerous I’ve ever been, I’m the most focused I’ve ever been. And I’m going to take him out. He won’t have any way to deal with what I’m bringing on Saturday, and that’s it. After I steamroll my opponent, I’ll decide what I want next.”
McGregor is at something of a crossroads heading into UFC 264. He is the UFC’s biggest star. Arguably, he is MMA’s only superstar, a man whose fame and reputation eclipses the sport. His pulling power certainly eclipses the petty matters of winning or losing. Despite only winning one fight in any sport since defeating Nate Diaz in their rematch, McGregor’s bouts still break records for pay-per-view purchases.
Should Conor win on Saturday, as he believes he will, he will go on to challenge Charles Oliveira for the Lightweight title. McGregor’s original meteoric rise to UFC stardom took place in the featherweight division, and at lightweight his only victory thus far was in the title fight against Eddie Alvarez. A second era of Conor McGregor’s dominance would cement his already impressive legacy in the sport.
Should Conor lose on Saturday night, he must reckon with the spectre of his own retirement, threatened thrice thus far. He may still have the fire and passion necessary for competition, but if he loses there will be no doubt that the UFC’s talent pool has moved beyond his capabilities.
Conor McGregor won’t take on challengers from lower down the UFC’s rankings. Should he keep competing, he’ll only take money fights, such as a trilogy bout against Nate Diaz, or a return to boxing.
Either way, the world is watching. Do you agree with McGregor? Will he steamroll Dustin Poirier, or is “the Diamond” too powerful at 155 pounds for the Irishman to stop him? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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