UFC 264 live updates, results: Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier

“Dustin Poirier exposed Conor McGregor in his second fight when he understood something about ‘Notorious’. The statistic is that 70% of the UFC trilogies go in favor of the winner of the second fight, but if there’s anyone who can challenge those numbers, it’s McGregor. He is an exciting fighter and a prodigious businessman and beating Poirier is always a possibility even if his recent numbers do not support this claim. McGregor has remained busy outside the Octagon where his popularity demands his presence but his credibility inside the cage is fading. Beating Poirier would be a great booster, but I don’t expect that to happen. Poirier will win it again by TKO in the fourth round.

РJad El Reda, sports editor of LA Times en Espa̱ol

“Dustin Poirier has become an incredible fighter, and he’s on a Khabib Nurmagomedov level run, beating five current or former champions in the past four plus years. Conor McGregor has heavy hands and kicks, and will likely use his moves and kicks more than he did in the January rematch. But Poirier is the most diverse striker, and if he weather the storm that looms, it’s his fight to win. Poirier by decision.

– Kevin Iole, Combat Sports Writer for Yahoo! Sports

“Conor McGregor’s trip to the top in weight hasn’t gone so well. He’s 3-3 as a lightweight and welterweight after going 7-0 with 6 knockouts at 145 pounds. didn’t necessarily travel with him as Dustin Poirier acclimated to the division with wins over some of the best 155 pounds in the world. Poirier’s January knockout victory over McGregor was no fluke and amplified the fact that McGregor is a favorite that often runs out of gas. Poirier will likely deploy calf kicks again to slow McGregor down before resuming activity and finishing work in the third or fourth round. “

– Andreas Hale, Combat Sports Editor for Sporting News

Conor McGregor injured Dustin Poirier in the rematch, but this time he’ll stop him by knockout.

– Mike Coppinger, combat sports reporter for ESPN

“Conor McGregor could absolutely make the adjustments necessary to beat Dustin Poirier in the trilogy fight. McGregor looked good in the first round in January; he shook Poirier with a left hand at one point. But despite that, Poirier performed perfectly and some of that mystique seems to have come from McGregor. The fights aren’t exactly won by the mystique, however. They are won by higher skills. Poirier has more ways to come out victorious here than McGregor. I think McGregor is going to put him through hell for the first 10 minutes. But ultimately, I will take Poirier by submission in the fourth round.

– Marc Raimondi, combat sports reporter for ESPN

“Will we see a more focused Conor McGregor just six months after suffering his first TKO loss to Dustin Poirier?” Without a doubt, that’s why he kept a low profile during training camp and largely avoided interviews. While an even more inspired McGregor might outlast his January loss, the bigger issue is that he faces a battle-tested version of Poirier who may well be better than him in every facet of the game. will always be a dangerous threat to reach his opponent’s chin early on, but the longer this fight lasts, especially if Poirier uses his wrestling, the idea of ​​an exhausted McGregor becomes more likely.

– Brian Campbell, CBS Sports insider

“Dustin Poirier is a better mixed martial artist than Conor McGregor. We saw it in their second fight. Poirier typically outshines his enemies in sustained bursts, and that factor might be too difficult for McGregor to overcome, even as the Irishman keeps “The Diamond” within reach of his left hand. It’s up to McGregor to make defensive and tactical adjustments. During this time, he still has to deal with precise punches and threats of submission. Poirier remains calm under the pressure of winning the trilogy by TKO in the fourth round. “

– Josh Gross, Editor-in-Chief of Sherdog.com

“A lot of people, myself included, wrote Dustin Poirier at the expense of a Conor McGregor win ahead of their rematch on Fight Island earlier this year. Not yet. While McGregor hasn’t had a significant win since finishing Eddie Alvarez five years ago, Poirier has had plenty – including that second-round shellacking in which he threw McGregor through hell. Everything we’ve seen lately, including this light fight in January, suggests that Poirier has clear advantages in form, technique, athleticism, power and strategy. Above all, he may have also won the mental game. McGregor this week opened up about corpses and tried to get Poirier’s wife Jolie into his pre-fight shenanigans in an attempt to get into Poirier’s mind. As Poirier only laughed, the only person whose mind seems affected right now is McGregor’s. For me, this is clearly a case of repetition. Same winner, same result – Poirier in the second round.

– Alan Dawson, Combat Sports Correspondent for Business Insider

“Dustin Poirier is in Conor McGregor’s head. Poirier posed McGregor with his hands. They may be 1-1 in the trilogy, but Poirier has proven to be the most advanced mixed martial artist in 2021. I don’t think McGregor can gain enough ground in the sport he has let pass. due to his inactivity and an affair with boxing. It will be another pleasure, but the best always wins. Poirier by a finish in the middle.

– Scott Fontana, MMA reporter and editor of the New York Post

“Not enough time has passed for me to face Dustin Poirier. I think Poirier outlasts Conor McGregor in a slower paced fight and turns up the volume late for a third or fourth round.

– Aaron Bronsteter, MMA reporter and content editor for TSN Sports

“I expect Conor McGregor to fight better than he did in the second fight. He will adapt to Dustin Poirier’s calf blows and will try not to be satisfied with boxing for the most part. But ultimately, I think it won’t matter unless he takes Poirier out quickly. The rematch showed Poirier to be a better forward, and truly at this point in his career, a better MMA fighter than McGregor. I think Poirier will weather the first storm again, break McGregor with his precise boxing and grueling pace, and then arce will choke him when he’s injured. Poirier by submission in the third round.

– Mookie Alexander, Associate Editor of BloodyElbow.com

“The only thing I’m semi-confident about this game is that it won’t last long. The rubber matches in MMA’s best trilogies all seem to end in a knockout, and I expect Poirier-McGregor III to follow suit. These two hitters obviously know each other pretty well at this point, and I think they’re ready to trade leather and crack up a few times at UFC 264. So who’s the last man standing? Based on height, cardio and heart, “Diamond” is my choice. I got Poirier via TKO in round two in what should be a slugfest crackerjack.

– Dann Stupp, writer for PlayVirginia.com