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UFC and MMA icon Conor McGregor returns to the octagon at UFC 264 on July 10th, 2021. There is no UFC fight card scheduled for 3rd July 2021.
On his return, McGregor will take on Dustin Poirier in a highly-anticipated trilogy bout. The two fighters have squared off against each other twice, with one win apiece.
Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier first met at UFC 178 when they competed in the featherweight division. The Irishman knocked out the Louisiana native in the first round to walk away with the victory. They faced off for a second time at UFC 257, where 'The Diamond' beat McGregor via TKO in round two. The trilogy will decisively determine who emerges as the better fighter between the two.
Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier have had vastly different journeys between their two bouts
Beating Dustin Poirier at UFC 178 made Conor McGregor a force to reckon with. 'Notorious' went on to beat Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight title and then successfully unified the belts by knocking Jose Aldo out in 13 seconds.
Conor McGregor subsequently faced Nate Diaz at UFC 196 and suffered his first defeat in the promotion. He bounced back with a win against the Stockton native at UFC 202 in August 2016. The Irishman proceeded to fight Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title at UFC 205 in November 2016 and became the first champ-champ in the company's history.
Conor McGregor became a combat sports superstar, transcending the sport of mixed martial arts. He made his professional boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather in August 2017. Even though the Irishman lost, he walked away with almost $100 million in earnings.
Owing to his octagon inactivity, Conor McGregor was stripped of both his belts. He returned to the UFC to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight belt at UFC 229. 'The Eagle' dominated McGregor for the majority of four rounds before securing a submission victory.
Conor McGregor took a hiatus of over a year once again, returning in January 2020 to fight Donald Cerrone in a welterweight bout at UFC 246. 'Notorious' beat 'Cowboy' inside the first minute of round one, announcing his return in a thumping fashion.
The UFC decreed that a rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier at lightweight would be a good next outing for the Irishman. Dustin Poirier was the number one-ranked lightweight, so a win over him would immediately throw 'Notorious' into title contention.
At UFC 257 in January 2021, Dustin Poirier shocked the world when he became the first man to knock Conor McGregor out. Poirier chipped away at McGregor's legs and finished the job in round two. A big reason for Poirier's victory was his constant octagon activity in the years that McGregor spent away.
Also Read: 5 most devastating knockouts by Dustin Poirier in the UFC
Dustin Poirier beat the who's who of the lightweight division before earning an interim title shot against Max Holloway. 'The Diamond' beat 'Blessed' in a fascinating, violent war that left fans extremely satisfied. Poirier faced Khabib Nurmagomedov for the undisputed lightweight title at UFC 242 and came up short, falling prey to a rear-naked choke.
However, that is the only loss on Dustin Poirier's record since 2016. He currently holds a record of 27-6-1NC and will look to better it to 28 wins at UFC 264.
Who do you see winning between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier at UFC 264? Tell us in the comments!
