Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will settle their rivalry tonight when they clash in the main event of UFC 264.
The bout marks their third meeting, with McGregor having knocked out Poirier in the first round when they fought at featherweight in 2014, before the American exacted his revenge this January by handing the Irishman the first KO loss of his career. That lightweight contest in Abu Dhabi ended in the second round, with many pundits predicting another early finish as the pair go head-to-head in a sold-out T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
McGregor (22-5) has just one win in the last four-and-a-half years – a 40-second demolition of Donald Cerrone in January 2020 – while Poirier (27-6, 1 no contest) has seven victories and one defeat in that same period of time. The ‘Diamond’ has established himself as the No 1 lightweight contender in the UFC, and – having previously held interim gold – could have fought for the vacant undisputed title at 155lbs this spring. Instead, Poirier opted for a money fight with McGregor, though a crack at Charles Oliveira’s belt awaits the Louisianan if he wins this evening.
Despite McGregor’s patchy recent record, however, his profile likely guarantees him a title shot next if he is to beat Poirier. Follow live updates from UFC 264 below.
