Dustin Poirier shut the critics and shocked the fans as he dismantled Conor McGregor with a second-round stoppage win over the former dual champion. On what was a day for the underdog, Poirier became the first fighter to get a knockout win over arguably the greatest striker in the history of UFC Conor McGregor.
Poirier started slow but came with a game plan. He mixed his game well and checked the leg kicks. When everything was said and done, it was the calf kick that made the difference on the night of the fight.
Despite a solid assault from McGregor in the first round where he landed several left hands and counter punches, it was the barrage of punches and a slick combination that ended McGregor in the latter half of the second round. Twitter reacted wildly to McGregor in his return fight and hailed Dustin Poirier’s performance against the “Notorious.”
Manny Pacquiao wishes Conor McGregor
Philippines boxer Manny Pacquiao wished the former champion Conor McGregor as he walked down to the Octagon to take on Dustin Poirier. Former light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones, Jorge Masvidal, Aljamain Sterling, and Ben Askren also reacted to the highly-entertaining UFC 257.
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— BONY (@JonnyBones) January 24, 2021
Where do we go from here? #UFC257 pic.twitter.com/172XKHnw0c
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) January 24, 2021
THE DIAMOND!!!! @DustinPoirier gets it done in emphatic fashion! Congrats to a damn legend of the game #WECForever
— Megan Olivi (@MeganOlivi) January 24, 2021
2014 ➡️ 2021#UFC257 @espnmma pic.twitter.com/GlyD7kn315
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 24, 2021
This is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality.
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 24, 2021
Poirier reminding the world who he is!! Very impressive performance from Dustin, especially utilizing those calf kicks. I don’t think Conor realized what those felt like. #UFC257
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) January 24, 2021
What’s next for Notorious McGregor?
There are so many interesting options for Conor McGregor. While the loss against Poirier will go down as an upset, Poirier is the #1 contender in the division for a reason. There’s an argument to be made that Poirier vs Chandler will likely main-event UFC PPV for the UFC’s lightweight championship.
Conor could be looking at Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, and also a trilogy bout with Nate Diaz up for grabs. UFC President Dana White earlier revealed that they are looking at a possible opponent for Nate Diaz in the lightweight division.
Also Read: Michael Chandler Destroys Dan Hooker in His UFC Debut, Issues Challenge to Khabib Nurmagomedov
Conor McGregor could also be looking at a grudge match against Tony Ferguson. El Cucuy is coming off back-to-back losses at the hands of Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira. Conor McGregor vs Tony Ferguson is an interesting match-up and one that is bound to get the fan’s attention.
Additionally, it’s a great fight for both the opponents who have already etched their legacy as the greatest lightweight fighter of all time.