On Jan. 23, 2020 two of the most elite UFC fighters went head to head in the steel cage octagon: Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. A lot of build and hype went into the promotion of this fight because it signified a rematch between the two. The first time these two met in the cage was in 2014 in a featherweight showdown, where McGregor ended up knocking Poirier out for the win. That in mind, all eyes fell on Poirier as a jilted contender looking for revenge.
Watching the fight, McGregor came out with his characteristic blazing speed and ruthless power. Poirier was just taking shots left and right, but hanging in there somehow. Poirier’s game plan appeared to involve simply getting multiple leg kicks in and going after McGregor’s calves. After the fight, McGregor explained how effective the leg kicks were because he was never able to move the way he wanted to. When Poirier saw that, he went on the offensive and ended up knocking McGregor out in the second round. Poirier’s composure during the fight also became a key aspect for him to win. He seemed confident in the ring and never got flustered, even after all the shots he was taking. “I’m happy, but I’m not surprised,” Poirier said after his win, “I put in the work. Conor took this result very professionally over here. He’s a pro, man. Nothing but respect. We’re 1-1; maybe we have to do it again. I’m just happy in the place I am.”
It was a great win for Poirier because Conor McGregor is no joker (they call him Notorious for a reason) and is one of the best fighters in the game. Much of the world may feel shocked at how the fight resulted. With this loss, McGregor now sits at 1-2 in his lightweight match up fights. Yes, UFC fighting is not a skill that just goes away, but McGregor has only fought twice since 2018. Not that that works as an excuse, but such an absence certainly proposes its challenges. A lot of training occurs before a fight, but not having real fights under your belt has to be different. McGregor has promised to be more active when it comes to fighting, and he appears as if he needs to get that bad taste of a loss out of his mouth.
Interestingly enough, after the fight, Jake Paul spoke out in mockery of McGregor, wanting his own chance to fight him. This could honestly be his next fight if he chooses to do it. Conor McGregor is one the greatest UFC fighters we have seen in this generation. His next fight he will come out with a vengeance and show no mercy, so to the fans of UFC and the people who love to watch it for just entertainment — stay tuned.
