Conor McGregor and Dustin Porier’s upcoming trilogy finisher could be the UFC fight to end all UFC fights, according to Poirier’s Head Coach, Mike Brown.
On July 10th 2021 at UFC 264, McGregor (22-5) and Poirier (27-6) will go toe-to-toe for the third time, bringing to an end a trilogy that has gripped the fandom for over half a decade.
With both fighters carrying a win apiece, there’ll be a lot at stake in the Octagon come the summer, and Brown thinks it could turn out to be the biggest event the promotion has ever staged.
The “Biggest PPV of All-Time"
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Brown gave us some insights into Camp Poirier in the run-up to the event and shared his thoughts on both the American fighter’s decision to rematch the Notorious Irishman and the market potential of the fight itself.
After knocking out McGregor during their first rematch at UFC 257 back in January, Poirier effectively cemented his position as the top contender for the belt in the UFC lightweight division.
The division itself has been in disarray since Khabib Nurmagomedov officially retired from the promotion and the sport in spring 2021. However, rather than taking on Michael Chandler or Charles Oliveira for the belt, Porier chose instead to have one more fight with his long-term rival to settle the score once and for all.
It was a decision that Brown thinks was the “right choice” to make, both in terms of securing Poirier’s MMA legacy and in enhancing his career. For all his questionable decisions in recent years. the fact remains that McGregor is still a huge draw, potentially “the biggest” draw in MMA and the numbers back that theory up too.
UFC 257 still ranks among the best-selling UFC PPV events of all time, having pulled in 1.6 million buys globally. UFC 264 looks set to top that, possessing what Brown has deemed the capability to potentially be “the biggest pay-per-view of all time.”
Role Reversal
Back in 2014, Conor McGregor was an ascending star in White’s MMA promotion. Poirier, meanwhile, was ploughing away in the Featherweight division, never quite managing to break into the big league despite racking up a substantial number of wins.
The duo’s first fight proved to be instrumental in the careers of both men. From there, McGregor’s star continued to rise and he would soon be on the path to world championship domination. While Poirier made the decision to move up a weight class to Lightweight, knuckled down, and got to work.
Fast forward to 2021 and it’s a very different picture for both fighters. Undeniably one of the key fighters in the UFC to have shaped the featherweight division, McGregor's rise to MMA superstardom epitomised the American Dream. But, after riding the wave of celebrity for a few years, McGregor’s antics outside the octagon have had a detrimental effect on his ranking within the industry.
Having now fallen outside the UFC pound for pound rankings, Conor McGregor has become better known for his serial retirements and million-dollar boxing paychecks than he has for any notable achievements in the UFC in recent years.
Poirier, on the other hand, now stands where McGregor once stood; the top contender for the lightweight belt but with a solid record behind him. “The Diamond” has consistently ploughed away at his game, learning from his losses and refining his technique and strategy. If McGregor represented the UFC during the 2010s, Porier is a potential champion for a new decade – one that’s tirelessly committed and much respected by his fellow fighters and coaches.
Whoever wins the rematch will go on to face current UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the belt in a title fight that could be scheduled for later 2021. Although the bookies still have McGregor earmarked as the victor in the fight, many within the industry believe that he needs to make some major changes to his game in order to win.
Brown, meanwhile, has every faith in his Diamond fighter, believing he has “a lot” of weapons at his disposal in the cage.