Getty UFC lightweights Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor.
UFC superstar Conor McGregor isn’t letting his knockout loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 back in January keep him from predicting a finish over “The Diamond” in the upcoming rematch on July 10. McGregor posted an early and stunning prediction for the fight via Instagram on Friday and suggested the fans who hope to see him return to a more karate-based style over his more recent boxing-centric tactics will be pleased.
McGregor posted, “The prediction is in! I’m going to win the trilogy fight via A Front Kick to the nose. Round number 4. His Nose needs straightenin and I’m Rhinoplasty.”
The day prior, McGregor posted a maniacal laugh on Instagram all by itself, perhaps building up to the return of “Mystic Mac”.
McGregor expects to stop Poirier in the fourth round.
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UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3
UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3 is scheduled for July 10.
The fight has not been officially announced yet by the UFC, but news of the upcoming third contest pay-per-view bout between Poirier and McGregor being a done deal has widely been reported by the likes of the UFC’s television partners ESPN and BT Sport.
Moreover, both Poirier and McGregor have confirmed that they’ve signed contracts for the fight, and the two stars have already started going back and forth about their upcoming battle via social media.
Poirier and McGregor are knotted 1-1 against each other in the rivalry. McGregor defeated Poirier in 2014 in a featherweight bout by first-round knockout, and Poirier returned the favor in the second round of a lightweight bout in January 2021 at UFC 257.
Now, the two lightweights will meet one more time to settle things once and for all. The winner of the bout will be headed toward a shot at UFC gold and the loser will have to regroup among perhaps the best and deepest crop of stars the UFC has to offer in any single division.
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McGregor and Poirier Trade Barbs on Social Media
While the build-up to the last fight was decidedly more tame than the first fight back in 2014, it appears the promotion for the third fight will fall somewhere in the middle of those two extremes.
McGregor and Poirier have already gone at each other a little bit on social media, and there are still three months to go before fight night.
The latest online antics saw McGregor claim he simply needed to work harder for the rematch, with Poirier responding that the American always works hard during training.
McGregor posted, “Double skills work. I also didn’t take rest days unless I absolutely had to. Not one. Not even a Sunday. I will take this approach again for my comeback fight. I didn’t become [UFC ‘champ champ’] with this method but I did become [UFC featherweight champ]. Also the [Cage Warriors] champ champ.”
Poirier responded, “I never slack, I’ll meet you in the middle of the octagon July 10th.”
Things didn’t stop there.
A little later, McGregor posted about meeting in the middle of the Octagon. He posted, “Good to hear Dustin, I hope so. As last time you backed up and shot inside the first 30 seconds. I’ll be in the middle from the very go if you want it. You know that. I’ll be ready for the tactics this time too tho. See you in there.”
UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3 is sure to be one of the most-watched UFC pay-per-view events of 2021.
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