UFC legend Dustin Poirier trashed Conor McGregor after he lost by first-round injury TKO to Max Holloway at UFC 329, calling him a “dirtbag.”
McGregor lost against Holloway in the first round of their UFC 329 welterweight main event when he suffered a knee injury early in the first round. The fight lasted just 69 seconds, as McGregor was unable to continue, with Holloway being declared the winner via injury TKO.
Following the fight, Poirier has criticized himself for the way he started off the match, throwing kicks, which is atypical of the way he normally fights, and which may have led to the injury.
But he also ripped his longtime rival for being what he calls a “dirtbag,” suggesting the injury was karma for the way McGregor has acted in his life and career.
Dustin Poirier Rips Conor McGregor
During his return to the “Deep Waters” podcast following his recent arrest for public drunkenness, Poirier took McGregor to task following his loss to Holloway at UFC 329.
“I thought it couldn’t have happened to a better guy. That injury couldn’t happen to a better guy. I saw earlier this week, he said, ‘Karma’s a mirror,’ and it definitely is, man. This guy’s a dirtbag, and I don’t know if it was nervous energy, I don’t know why you would start a fight like that, they’re saying this was planned to start the fight like that. There’s footage of him training to open the fight with this jump kick, but I just don’t understand why you would do that. That’s like a Hail Mary. You’re throwing a Hail Mary to start a fight, start a 25-minute fight. I don’t understand what was going on with that,” Poirier said.
Why do you think Conor McGregor opened with the flying kick to start off the fight? 👇
Could Dustin Poirier Fight Conor McGregor a Fourth Time?
Poirier and McGregor have already fought three times in the UFC, but could they potentially meet for a fourth time? It’s certainly possible.
After all, Poirier is a retired fighter right now, but he has made it clear that he is open to a return for the right fight. Could that be a grudge match with McGregor, with the two finally getting the chance to settle the score for once and for all after their trilogy bout five years ago ended with McGregor suffering a broken leg? Don’t write this off as a possibility.
McGregor has said that he wants to fight at least one more time and fulfill the final fight on his UFC contract when he presumably returns in 2027. Although his aura has certainly faded following yet another loss, especially one via injury, there will still be plenty of fighters who want to step into the cage with him and make a bag. Perhaps Poirier is one of them, and these comments were designed to poke the bear and egg him on.
Ultimately, we’ll see what the UFC decides to do with McGregor for his final fight. But don’t be surprised at all if Poirier comes out of retirement and he’s the one who steps into the Octagon to fight McGregor.
Dustin Poirier Trashes ‘Dirtbag’ Conor McGregor After UFC 329