UFC 264 on July 10 is sure to be one of the biggest events of the year in combat sports. The main event features the third fight between UFC superstar Conor McGregor and former interim champion Dustin Poirier, and it seems like all the eyes are already on that lightweight showdown as fight week rolls on. UFC commentator Joe Rogan shared his thoughts about Poirier vs. McGregor 3 with the UFC’s television partner in the U.K., BT Sport.
“Dustin said there was a moment in the first round when he was in trouble,” Rogan said.
Poirier was able to rebound from that moment to score the stunning second-round stoppage against McGregor at UFC 257 in January.
Now, the world waits to see what happens in the upcoming third fight.
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Rogan: ‘Dustin Is F****** Good’
Like many who plan to watch the fight later this week in Las Vegas, Rogan wonders if McGregor can get back to top fighting form or whether being rich, famous and out of the UFC for long periods of time has done him in.
“I don’t think necessarily it’s a rich thing. I do think it’s inactivity, and I do think Dustin has gotten a lot better. Dustin is f****** good, man. He’s f****** good,” Rogan said.
Rogan also commented on the calf-kicks that Poirier used to change the complexion of the last fight.
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McGregor seemed to be beating or at least on par with Poirier in the second fight until the American’s devastating calf kicks began to take their toll on the Irishman.
“That low calf kick changes your whole approach. Once Conor’s leg is getting chewed up, it’s not that he has that option that he can fight just as good from orthodox,” Rogan said.
So where some MMA fighters can switch stances with ease, McGregor’s best work is accomplished only when he remains in the southpaw stance.
Most pundits expect Poirier to bring the calf kicks back into the fold for the third fight, but most also predict both McGregor and Poirier to have new offenses and defenses built around those kicks.
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Rogan: ‘Imagine If Conor Connects Again’
Regardless, Rogan said he’s not picking the American to score the victory in the third fight.
“I would never say ‘hands down,’ [Poirier will win again]. Conor did have moments in that fight. Imagine if Conor connects again. That’s how fights are. Weird things happen,” Rogan said.
McGregor knocked Poirier out in the first round of the first fight back in 2014.
Where a look at the stats heading into UFC 264 suggests Poirier has the edge in most categories, the one area in which McGregor stands out the most is his power.
He’s one of the hardest punchers in the UFC, and he’s capable of turning fights around in the blink of an eye.
UFC 264 on July 10
UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3 takes place on July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Poirier defeated McGregor by second-round stoppage at UFC 257 in January 2021, and McGregor stopped Poirier in the first round in a featherweight contest in 2014. Now the two UFC stars are headed into an important rubbermatch.
The final chapter is upon us! 📚
We’ve issued a special edition to recap the two epic fights so far before @DustinPoirier and @TheNotoriousMMA throw down for the third and final time on Saturday night!
Who will be the hero and who will be the villain at #UFC264?
The card also includes a welterweight battle between popular contenders Gilbert Burns and Stephen Thompson, as well as several other high-profile UFC fighters competing in important battles.
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Joe Rogan Warns About UFC 264: ‘Dustin Is F****** Good’