Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor spoke to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith ahead of his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 this Saturday.
Their last fight against one another at UFC 257 was extremely amicable. McGregor explained the reason for his civility toward Poirier was pity.
“I feel almost pity for some people in the game to be honest, I had a little bit of pity for Dustin,” McGregor said. “He’s been around many years, it’s not a pretty game for a lot of people in this business. And I just came back and wanted to be respectful and give the jewels and you know, f–k that this time.”
Reflecting on the last fight, McGregor said the reason he did not follow up on the instances where he wobbled Poirier with shots was because he wanted to stay in the octagon longer.
Colby Covington makes his prediction for McGregor-Poirier 3
“I was trying to get the rounds. I wanted to get rounds in. But then I realized, I’m not paid for the f—–g hour here. There’s none of that going on this time. Trust me on that,” McGregor said. “I sent electric bolts through his entire body from his head to his toes. You can see him rattle in the octagon in the first round and in the second round. He was out on his feet. So he knows that as well as I know.
“It’s gonna be a butchering.”
While the Conor McGregor of old is certainly difficult to replicate, it appears the fire in McGregor is here for his trilogy bout with Poirier.
Conor McGregor on trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier: “It’s gonna be a butchering.”
