Conor McGregor on Sunday issued a statement of resolve, looking forward to a Dustin Poirier trilogy bout following his knockout loss at UFC 257 on Saturday.
McGregor returned from a one-year layoff to rematch Poirier in the UFC 257 main event in Abu Dhabi.
He TKO’d Poirier in one minute and 46 seconds in their first match-up. The second bout took a little longer and also ended in a much different fashion.
While McGregor’s hands looked sharp in the first round, Poirier was sneakily chopping away at his lead leg with calf kicks. By the beginning of round two, the effect of the kicks was visible.
Having taken away McGregor’s stability, Poirier landed several punches that rocked the Irishman and sent him crashing to the canvas. A couple punches later and the fight was over, Poirier’s hand raised in victory.
Immediately following the fight, McGregor cited inactivity as the primary factor in his loss.
A day later, he was already looking forward to a trilogy fight.
“Thanks for the support everyone! Was not my night/morning in there but a great contest to improve on,” McGregor wrote on Twitter.
“I’m excited at the blockbuster trilogy I now have on my hands. Dustin is a hell of a competitor and I look forward to going again. God bless us all, happy Sunday”
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Any fight that involves McGregor is considered a blockbuster, particularly from the payday aspect. But the potential for a third fight with Poirier is the second trilogy on his superstar radar.
McGregor’s first loss in the Octagon was to Nate Diaz in a last-minute welterweight match-up at UFC 196 in March 2016. They returned for an immediate rematch in August 2016. McGregor evened the score with a majority decision victory, setting up the potential for a third fight between them.
Following UFC 257, McGregor now has two such trilogies in the offing.
UFC 257 recap & highlights: Dustin Poirier KOs Conor McGregor
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Conor McGregor issues statement following UFC 257 KO loss to Dustin Poirier