Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2: The World Has Now Changed

Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2: The World Has Now Changed

With Dana White hinting that Dustin Poirier might be the next opponent for Conor McGregor, I think its worth having a look at this potential rematch.

McGregor is facing possible sanctions for his involvement in the post-fight brawl at UFC 229, so any potential match-ups are pure speculation at this moment of course.

The two first met at UFC 178 in 2014 at featherweight, at the time McGregor was seemingly an unstoppable force on his way to superstar status. McGregor continued his surge to Jose Aldo by stopping his man at 1:46 of the opening round.

But as we head to 2019 things are very different, both now compete at lightweight and both are at very different points in their careers. Poirier 29, hasn’t lost since 2016. In 5 fights since a loss to Michael Johnson his only defeat since the McGregor setback, Poirier has won 4 out of 5, with the 1 no contest with Eddie Alvarez.

But things are very different for McGregor. Amazingly McGregor hasn’t won a fight since he beat Alvarez in 2016. A predictable loss to Floyd Mayweather in the ‘circus’ fight before his return to MMA ended in a mauling by the new king Khabib Nurmagomedov in October.

McGregor 30, is now more businessman than someone who is obsessed with the hurt business. This version of McGregor is completely different to the fighter from 2014. While McGregor is making money from his whiskey venture and in other multiple avenues, and while there is certainly nothing wrong with that, but it is bound to take something from his day job.

Like Ronda Rousey discovered, MMA is not a part-time sport, you can take time away and expect to compete in an ever-evolving sport. McGregor might be earning, but others are learning.

The McGregor era is almost certainly coming to an end, and if he does indeed face Poirier again next year, that end might be sooner rather than later.