Conor McGregor is confident he’s made the necessary adjustments to defeat Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
McGregor (22-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) suffered his first career knockout loss in January when he succumbed to Poirier’s (27-6 MMA, 19-5 UFC) power in a second-round TKO at UFC 257. Fast forward to Saturday, and the pair are set to run it back again in a defining trilogy bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Poirier’s calf kicks and boxing proved to be the difference when the pair shared the octagon less than six months ago. McGregor has insisted since the moment the fight was over that he knows what went wrong and how he needs to adjust in order to get his hand raised against “The Diamond.”
He’ll have the chance to back up those claims at UFC 264, and he thinks it’ll be an eye-opening performance.
“I’m going to knock him out,” McGregor told Rolling Stone. “Without question. I’m the most dangerous I’ve ever been. I’m the most focused I’ve ever been. And I’m going to take him out. He won’t have any way to deal with what I’m bringing on Saturday, and that’s it.”
Although he did take damage in the rematch, McGregor was eager to get back in the octagon as soon as possible after the loss. “The Notorious” has preached the importance of activity throughout his career, and he’s now preparing to have a second fight inside a calendar year for the first time since 2016.
Repetition is the key to thriving, and McGregor is confident the relatively quick turnaround will be to his benefit.
“I’m always better when I’m busy,” McGregor said. “I always say that. So, it’s going to help. When I’m active, I’m fresh, I’m dangerous, and I’m hyper-focused.”
If McGregor is able to successfully right the wrongs of his previous encounter with Poirier, a plethora of options open up for him going forward. UFC president Dana White told MMA Junkie that a victory “probably” puts him in line to challenge reigning lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, but that depends on if McGregor wants it.
McGregor’s star power is such that he can pick and choose his spots. If he desires the fight with Oliveira, he’ll almost certainly get it. If he wants to go another direction, the UFC will surely be open to listening.
At this stage, however, McGregor’s not overthinking his next play. Poirier is a major obstacle in the way, but McGregor said he’ll be ready to talk about the future once he emerges on top from the trilogy.
“Any man that fights me three times, God bless them,” McGregor said. “After I steamroll my opponent, I’ll decide what I want next.”
Conor McGregor: Dustin Poirier ‘won’t have any way to deal with what I’m bringing’ at UFC 264