SBG Ireland coach Owen Roddy thinks Conor McGregor will once again be too much for Dustin Poirier when they rematch at UFC 257.
In their first outing in 2014, McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) knocked out Poirier in the first round, en route to becoming the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold two championships.
More than six years later, the pair will run things back Jan. 23 in a pivotal lightweight clash. After McGregor failed to recapture the 155-pound title in a submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, he rebounded in emphatic fashion with a 40-second finish of Donald Cerrone this past January at UFC 246.
Although McGregor hasn’t competed since then, Roddy likes the way his star pupil has looked and the sharp mindset that he’s carried into training camp.
“A killer,” Roddy told “The Bash MMA” podcast of McGregor. “Honest to God just a stone-cold killer. Coming off the Cerrone camp, he was in great form, he was motivated, he was in a good place, and then he wanted to go on this run throughout the year, and then COVID messed it all up for everybody, but he didn’t stop training.
“He hasn’t stopped. He’s been very active, working all areas of mixed martial arts, and you can see that now. He’s in the best shape I’ve ever seen him in my entire life. The doc and Collin have just been working tirelessly and Tristan Kennedy with the nutrition, (McGregor) is just like a very finely tuned machine, and you could see it.”
Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) also has found massive success since his first fight with McGregor, winning 10 of his past 12. That includes capturing the interim lightweight title in April 2019 with a dominant performance against Max Holloway.
Despite the marked advancements Poirier has made in his game, Roddy thinks McGrgor’s style poses too many threats.
“I think Poirier has improved an awful lot since that first fight,” Roddy said. “I think Conor has improved more since then, as well. They’re definitely two better fighters than they were when they first met, but I still think Conor is just the better fighter. I think he’s too precise. Poirier’s skills have definitely improved. His hands are very good. He’s tough, he’s durable, he sets a good pace, but I just don’t see where he beats Conor. Conor’s just too good everywhere, too precise and too clinical with his striking.”
Owen Roddy: ‘Stone-cold killer’ Conor McGregor will be too much for Dustin Poirier again
