Watch: Dan Hardy demonstrates Conor McGregor's paths to victory against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264

Dan Hardy has demonstrated Conor McGregor’s paths to victory against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

The former UFC welterweight title challenger and longtime MMA analyst has consistently asserted that Conor McGregor needs to disguise his famed left-hand strike with other weapons in order to land it.

In an edition of BT Sport’s Dan Hardy Breakdown Show, Hardy and UFC women’s bantamweight and flyweight fighter Veronica Macedo demonstrated how the Poirier-McGregor trilogy fight could possibly play out.

Hardy played the role of Dustin Poirier whereas Macedo played the role of Conor McGregor in the demonstration. Hardy emphasized that it’s paramount for Conor McGregor to take control of the center of the octagon right from the get-go.

‘The Outlaw’ noted that Conor McGregor can utilize his taekwondo kicks and his usual assertive frame to establish his dominance. Hardy stated:

“So once McGregor has taken control of the center of the octagon, this is where the rest of his game really starts. And this is the dangerous part of his game. So, of course, as Poirier is being backed up against the fence here and he’s being cut off with these big kicks, he finds himself here – where, obviously, the hop side kick to the leg and to the body are very valuable.”

“But in the Nate Diaz fight, the key to landing the left hand for McGregor was to beat that lead leg up first. And there’s a reason for this. Obviously, we’ve seen the calf kick used numerous times in mixed martial arts, and McGregor learnt about it in his last fight against Poirier. So, it’s going to be in his mind. And he’s going to use it against him. The benefit to attacking the calf is that there’s a tibial nerve that runs right down the center, and one clean shot to that and the lower leg is dead for a good period of time.”

“And the benefit for that with McGregor is that once this leg’s been kicked a couple of times and buckled, whenever his opponent steps heavy, they’re gonna be vulnerable for that overhand left. And the more damaged this leg is, the more they’re gonna commit and the harder it’s gonna be to retract to get away from that counter punch. So, once McGregor’s got him backed up against the fence, he starts digging that lead leg, Bang! And he (Poirier) is gonna commit. There’s the knockout punch right over the lead hand.” (*Video courtesy: BT Sport; H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)

Dan Hardy notably spoke about the tibial nerve in the calf and pointed out how a good strike to it can prove to be detrimental to the fighter on the receiving end of the strike.

Hardy also suggested that countering Poirier’s lead hand (his right jab) with the overhand left would be the likely path to a knockout victory for Conor McGregor.

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Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 3 is a high-stakes fight with a potential title shot on the line

The trilogy fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier is incredibly significant for both fighters in regards to their respective legacies in the sport. Furthermore, a potential shot at UFC gold is also at stake at UFC 264.

The winner of the upcoming lightweight bout between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will likely receive the next shot at the UFC lightweight title. The title is currently held by Charles Oliveira. The Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier trilogy fight will headline this weekend's July 10 PPV.