The rivalry between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor will be settled on July 10 at UFC 264.
The event is set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a live audience of over 20,000 fans.
It is the third meeting between the two. In 2014 at UFC 178, they competed at featherweight and McGregor finished Poirier in the first round by way of TKO.
The fighters rematched over six years later, headlining January’s UFC 257 in a lightweight contest. “The Diamond” got the upper hand in that fight, defeating McGregor via second-round TKO.
The trilogy fight is scheduled to take place at 155 pounds again as both men are ranked in the division. Poirier is No. 1 and “Notorious” is No. 6. There are major divisional stakes as the winner will likely receive a title shot against either UFC 262’s Charles Oliveira or Michael Chandler.
However, Poirier is willing to meet at welterweight to settle the rivalry.
“Lets do it at 170lbs,” Poirier tweeted Sunday morning. “3 fights 3 different weight classes.”
Lets do it at 170lbs. 3 fights 3 different weight classes
McGregor has fought at welterweight three times in the UFC. Poirier has never competed at 170 pounds in his professional career. A little while later, McGregor responded to Poirier, shooting down his challenge. “No,” McGregor wrote.
Poirier likely made the dare because of McGregor’s earlier comment about welterweight champ Kamaru Usman. Usman defended his 170-pound belt against Jorge Masvidal during UFC 261 on Saturday night.
“Usman even copying my shots now,” McGregor wrote. “Am I to fight this guy at some stage? I think so. Can’t be copying my words and my shots and not get a smack for it. I like 170. It’s mine soon.”
“The crowd has me salivating like a dog,” he continued.
Then, McGregor said he would move up to welterweight next year to earn his third divisional belt. “I’m a block at 170 guys. Give me till end of year at this 155 weight. I’ll get the strap and then I’ll go up again. After green fungus panties hahaha ‘cos any one of these fools can get it’ – usman.”
I’m a block at 170 guys. Give me till end of year at this 155 weight. I’ll get the strap and then I’ll go up again. After green fungus panties hahaha “cos any one of these fools can get it” – usman 😂
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McGregor Is 2-1 at Welterweight, Fighting Nate Diaz & Donald Cerrone
McGregor made his welterweight debut in 2016 when he moved up two weight divisions from featherweight. He was supposed to fight then-lightweight champ for the 155-pound belt, however the Brazilian pulled out due to injury and McGregor ended up fighting Nate Diaz at 170 pounds. McGregor lost the fight by second-round rear-naked choke.
He rematched Diaz a few months later at welterweight and won the fight by majority decision. He would then leave the division and fight two times in the UFC’s lightweight division. Notorious won the lightweight belt by dethroning Eddie Alvarez. He was then stripped of the title due to inactivity. McGregor boxed Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
He made his return to the Octagon to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 for the lightweight belt he never lost. McGregor was finished by fourth-round neck crank.
In January 2020, McGregor moved back up to 170 pounds to meet Donald Cerrone. In one of his most impressive performances of his UFC career, Notorious bludgeoned “Cowboy,” defeating him by TKO, 40 seconds into the opening frame.
A year later, Notorious dropped back down to lightweight and lost to Poirier.
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Poirier Has Never Fought Above 155 Pounds in the UFC
Considering experience, Notorious is the much more tested welterweight.
In 2011, Poirier debuted in the UFC as a featherweight, fighting his first 11 fights in the promotion at 145 pounds. He would then move up to lightweight after losing to McGregor in 2014. The Diamond has fought 14 times at 155 pounds, going 11-2 with one no contest.
He won the interim lightweight belt in 2019 by defeating then-featherweight champ Max Holloway. However, Poirier lost the unification fight with Nurmagomedov by third-round rear-naked choke.
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Dustin Poirier Dares Conor McGregor: ‘Let’s Do It’