Khabib: Poirier Showed Weakness By Giving Conor What He Wants

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While a proposed fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier has yet-to-be finalized, the rumblings have the fight going down in the Welterweight division on January 23, 2021, though it won’t be happening at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Current Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, previosuly stated that the next man to defeat Poirier would get a shot at the strap, even if it is McGregor, a man he vowed to never give another opportunity to. Still, when asked by TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter whether or not he’d stick to his word, Khabib said he would … as long as the winner beats “Diamond” at 155 pounds.

“I still feel this but you have to fight at 155. If you fight at 170 or 185 this is not a Lightweight contender fight. If you want to fight in Lightweight division for the belt, then you have to fight in Lightweight,” said Khabib before adding that if that’s the game to be played then perhaps he and Gaethje should weight in at 170 pounds for their fight this Saturday (Oct. 17, 2020) at UFC 254.

“What is this? I am champion in 155 but give me fight at 170? Okay, then let’s make weight with Justin Gaethje at 170. It’s the same thing, if you want to fight for the title at 155 you have to make weight at 155.”

While Nurmagomedov respects Poirier — which was evident after their fight at UFC 242 — “The Eagle” is a bit puzzled as to why he agreed to give Conor the pleasure of fighting at 170 pounds just because he started waving money around.

“I don’t understand why Dustin show his weakness. This is just my opinion. You have to say something, and this is my opinion. He have to do something, too. They ask him to fight and Conor said I am going to donate you money and he say ‘yes, yes, yes.’

“But Dustin is a Lightweight fighter, he’s not a Welterweight fighter. Why are you going to fight at 170? If you want to fight for the title then you have to make 155,” continued the 155-pound champion before taking one last parting dig.

“So we will see. This Saturday the two best Lightweights in the world are going to compete, and they are not Dustin and Conor.”

Of course, should Gaethje dethrone Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 then it will only increase the odds of McGregor or Poirier getting the next shot at his strap, as it’s safe to assume that “Highlight” won’t put forth the same conditions as Khabib.

Or will he?