Dustin Poirier Still Thinks He Can Beat Conor McGregor
Ranked at No. 6 in the buzzing UFC featherweight division, Dustin Poirier is having a hard time getting over his disappointing first round loss to No. 5 Conor McGregor at September 27’s UFC 178.
The Louisiana native has largely been quiet since. He appeared on this week’s edition of The MMA Hour to finally speak up about the loss, noting that he may never get over it. At the same time, Poirier insists that he didn’t look past the rising Irish star. “Diamond” still believes he can beat “Notorious”:
“I don’t know if I’m ever going to be over it. It’s a loss on my record, and it hurt me, you know.
I never thought he was going to be an easy fight, or thought that he wasn’t good. I knew that he was a good fighter and he’s here for a reason, but I still think I can beat him.
That night just wasn’t my night, and I didn’t get a chance to fight him. I got hurt early and he put me away quick, and it sucks because I really trained and was prepared to fight and beat him, and I still think I can.”
Poirier may seem to be fixated on the past, which is something a world-class fighter simply cannot do in the ever-evolving fight game. He insists that he is getting over the loss, partly because he believes that he’ll meet up with McGregor again someday:
“Of course I’ve moved past it. But at the same time, he’s still in this weight class with me and we’re both still young, and we’re probably going to fight again one day.”
It may sound like another case of sour grapes this week, with Poirier joining Alistair Overeem as fighters who believe they can defeat foes who recently knocked them out in the first round. But Poirier is a resilient fighter who may have just been caught with a debilitating shot.
All he can do to prove that is win, and he’s got a long road ahead in the stacked 145-pound arena. The next big 145-pound bout will come on November 22 when No. 2-ranked Cub Swanson takes on No. 3 Frankie Edgar for a perceived shot at Jose Aldo’s long-held belt.
Aldo recently defended his title against Chad Mendes in a five round war at October 25’s UFC 179. There’s been a ton of talk about McGregor facing Aldo for the belt soon, and if he gets by Dennis Siver at January 18’s UFC Fight Night 59, he probably will. However, Poirier believes that “Notorious” will have to get “lucky” with another big punch to dethrone Aldo:
“You know, everybody has a chance. [McGregor] can punch, he’s a good puncher, and he has a weird style and a weird timing. It’s a little bit different timing he has, and the angles he throws punches, he can catch anybody, I think.
Will he do it? I don’t think so, I don’t think he’ll beat Aldo. But if Aldo makes a mistake and he lands a good shot, I’m sure Aldo will go down.”
Poirier seems like the only person in MMA not heaping praise on McGregor right now, but it’s easy to understand why. Will he ever get another shot at his Irish foe, and if he does, will it matter?
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