Copyright Athlon Sports
The rivalry between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier is etched in UFC history as one of the sport’s most personal and dramatic sagas. It began in 2014 with a budding McGregor’s trash talk towards an equally green Poirier, which was backed up by a brutal first-round knockout at UFC 178. The rivalry was reignited in 2020, when Poirier got his revenge, knocking out McGregor in scintillating fashion. It then culminated in a brutal trilogy in 2021 where Poirier emerged victorious, the final chapter ending with McGregor suffering a severe leg break. The animosity between the two deepened with personal attacks, including McGregor’s derogatory comments about Poirier’s wife and Poirier commenting on McGregor’s character. Despite the fierce competition within and outside the Octagon, Dustin Poirier, now retired, recently expressed unexpected support for his former adversary. In an interview with D.J. Siddiqi from CasinoBeats, Poirier shared his thoughts on McGregor’s role in the sport, especially with the possibility of the Irish knockout artist returning to the Octagon for the UFC White House event next year. “We’ve never seen a star of that magnitude in the UFC, who would back up what he says he’s going to do,” Poirier said. “Who would call his shots, the mic skills, the fighter he was. It was just a perfect storm. He did it. Two-division world champion.” Even though the two fighters had a heated rivalry in their heyday, it is clear that Poirier understands McGregor’s unprecedented ability to cross over into mainstream culture, making MMA and the UFC more popular than ever when he was at his peak. Poirier believes McGregor’s impact is so profound that it may never be replicated, adding, “Even if there is somebody who comes along and can do that, and follow up with what they say, I don’t know if we’re ever going to see another star that big in the UFC again.” A big part of McGregor’s appeal in his early career was his ability to not only talk trash but also back it up with his performance in the Octagon. Poirier acknowledged that McGregor’s polarizing persona made both his fans and his haters eager to watch the outcome of his fights. “A lot of times, he did what he said he was going to do. Had the gift of gab, was great on the mic, made people want to tune in to watch him fight,” Poirier explained. “Whether you were buying the Pay-Per-View to watch him win, or you were against him and you bought it to watch him lose. You bought it anyway. He knew what he was doing.” With McGregor looking to return to competition for the UFC White House card next year, rumblings of his next opponent have emerged. McGregor recently made a bold and confident declaration that his next opponent would be Michael Chandler. Poirier, who has been in the cage with both fighters, believes McGregor has what it takes to easily beat Chandler using his signature knockout ability. “That’s a layup for Conor,” Poirier told CasinoBeats. “That’s a great matchup stylistically. A fight is a fight, so anything can happen. But I do believe that Conor is going to knock Chandler out if they fight. I think it’s just a very bad matchup for Michael Chandler.” Poirier believes that McGregor, despite his long layoff, retains the skills and style to handle a powerful fighter like Chandler. Poirier’s own victory over Chandler at UFC 281 gives him a unique and credible viewpoint to assess the matchup. While the UFC is planning a landmark event at the White House next year, it’s still unclear whether or not McGregor will be a part of that celebration. McGregor is currently serving a retroactive 18-month suspension from the UFC for failing to show up to a drug test, and UFC President Dana White claims that the White House card will not have any fight bookings until February 2026. Whether or not the card gets the UFC’s most recognizable star, Poirier still believes the event itself will be a historic accomplishment for the organization and the sport. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event,” Poirier said. “I don’t think it’s ever going to be done again. If they go through and crush this first one, it’s history. This is a sport we’re talking about that was banned in certain states not that long ago, a few years ago. Now we’re talking about the lawn of the White House, the UFC setting up an octagon. It’s crazy to think about”
