Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier Set the Stage for Epic Trilogy Fight at UFC 264
Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier each had a victory against the other. It's now time to settle the score in a UFC 264 trilogy fight.
McGregor knocked out Poirier in 106 seconds in his fourth UFC bout in September 2014, launching a spectacular run that went all the way to two-division title triumph.
But, in their long-awaited rematch in January, Poirier turned the tables on the Irishman with a second-round TKO stoppage to even the score.
Now the two will square off for the third time, with both men eager to claim bragging rights and walk away from their trilogy as the winner.
The two will square off in a trilogy fight in the main event of UFC 264 Live Stream, which will take place in front of a sold-out crowd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
And, in advance of the fight, the UFC has produced its first promotional film to generate excitement for the pair's third meeting.
The video included soundbites from Poirier and McGregor, as well as UFC president Dana White, as the three set the scene for the massive fight on July 10.
White remembered meeting McGregor for the first time in an old soundbite from earlier in his career.
"I went to Dublin a few years back, and everyone was raving about Conor McGregor," he added.
"And the second I saw this child, I thought, 'I don't know whether this kid can fight, but if he can even throw a punch, he's going to be a big celebrity.'"
That remark proved prophetic, as McGregor – who could definitely throw a punch – became the sport's biggest celebrity.
The Irishman's larger-than-life attitude, boisterous fans, and proclivity for predicting his victories made his bouts must-see TV as he progressed from promising prospect to genuine star to world champion in only two and a half years.
After just six bouts, he has already headlined two UFC Fight Night Events and a UFC pay-per-view event, the latter of which saw him earn the interim UFC featherweight championship against Chad Mendes at UFC 189.
Five months later, he elevated that belt to the undisputed championship when he starched Jose Aldo in 13 seconds in one of the most jaw-dropping moments in UFC history at UFC 194.
McGregor skyrocketed to heights of superstardom never before seen in the sport of mixed martial arts.
After a spectacular pair of welterweight bouts with Nate Diaz, McGregor became a two-division champion when he downed Eddie Alvarez five times on way to winning the UFC lightweight title at UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden.
That battle propelled McGregor to even greater fame, and he earned the largest payout of his fighting career when he traded the octagon for the boxing ring to face Floyd Mayweather.
His 10th-round TKO defeat cost him a loss in his professional boxing debut, but also ensured his financial future and cemented his position as one of the world's most recognizable sports figures.
McGregor, on the other hand, has failed to replicate his previous success in MMA since his comeback.
McGregor was submitted in the fourth round of his UFC lightweight championship battle against unbeaten Russian champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October 2018.
He subsequently returned to action in January 2020, defeating UFC fan favorite Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone in only 40 seconds at UFC 246 before the COVID-19 epidemic ended the Irishman's "McGregor Season" before it had ever started.
He subsequently faced Poirier for the second time in the main event of UFC 257, in a battle that many expected would push the winner into a fight for Khabib's vacant lightweight championship after Khabib's retirement.
Despite being the pre-fight favorite, Poirier triumphed, finishing the Irishman in the second round in Abu Dhabi and avenging his loss to the Dubliner six and a half years ago.
A championship opportunity seemed to be in Poirier's future, but "The Diamond" instead chose a trilogy fight with McGregor, and the two will now square off for the third time on July 10.
Poirier explains how we got to the trilogy bout in the fight's hype video.
"The first time I fought Conor, it was his first major test in the UFC," he said.
"He got into my mind because of where I was at the time. All that discussion and stuff throughout the months simply sat in my mind.
"When the bell sounded (at UFC 178), I was like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Even back then, he had a lot of buzz, but he didn't have that game-changing victory.
"And then there was a chance it was the one. After that, he simply began knocking people out.
"Isn't he done everything? But you may have all the money in the world, but you can't purchase heart. And I've got it.
"Every time I lose, I come back stronger. That's why, in my second bout with Conor, I knocked his a$$ out.
"Conor and I need to do this a third time.
"Both of them knocked each other out. We owe it to each other to go back in there and see what's going on.
McGregor also provided a short evaluation in the video, emphasizing his drive ahead of the fight.
"That night, I failed miserably. It hurt, and I need to get it back "he said.
"Now I have a chance to avenge myself."
