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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Donagh Corby

Conor McGregor has already set date and venue for UFC lightweight title shot

Conor McGregor has already put a lightweight title shot in his diary.

McGregor must first face Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 this weekend, with a shot at Charles Oliveira's belt up for grabs for the winner.

But the Irishman is already plotting a fight for the world title in December at the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

"That Allegiant Stadium is where we're heading," McGregor told The MacLife. "I feel maybe Christmas time in December.

"That world title will be contested at the Allegiant Stadium here in Las Vegas, I'd imagine so, I like the look of it, it's called the Death Star as well and that's what I'm feeling like right now, a death star.

"I'll be the twelfth lightweight title holder and this is my 12th UFC main event this Saturday and I'm aiming for my 20th mixed martial arts knockout."

Conor McGregor is a former featherweight and lightweight champion (Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

The Irishman admitted that he overlooked his opponent when they fought for a second time at UFC 257 in January, but is now laser focused on stopping Poirier again.

He has locked himself away in a secluded California training camp with a select few training partners, including long-time coaches Owen Roddy and John Kavanagh, as well as close friend and top Bellator lightweight Peter Queally.

McGregor had drafted in Crumlin Boxing Club head coach Phil Sutcliffe for his previous two camps, with an eye towards fighting Manny Pacquiao this year.

But he has left the boxing trainers at home so he can focus 'fully on martial arts', adding: “[We] just focused on mixed martial arts, first of all.

"It was an 85 per cent camp for boxing [in his last fight], for Manny Pacquiao, that’s how the fight came about.

"It was going to be a charity event, not even under the UFC banner. It was just because he was a southpaw and I felt a bit of pity for him and whatnot, so I’d help him out.

"And that’s it. It went the way it went and I got a setback in there, but setbacks are a beautiful thing. Defeat is the secret ingredient to success, I say, and it’s put me right where I need to be."

And he has vowed to 'kill' Poirier when they fight on Saturday night, calling the American a 'scared kid' ahead of the massive trilogy bout, which is expected to break UFC records.

"Every shot I have thrown in this camp is a kill shot, so that’s it. I’m going to kill this man.

"[It's going to be] just a slaughter and a play with a scared little boy - he’s fighting scared like he always does, like they always do against me.

"So now I’m going to play with the little boy, play with me food, and then just devour it."

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