Dustin Poirier didn’t hold back on Conor McGregor after his old rival’s UFC 329 injury, but he also refused to buy the theory that McGregor faked or fought through a bad knee.
McGregor’s first fight in five years ended with a leg injury 69 seconds into his loss to Max Holloway. Asked about it on the Deep Waters podcast, Poirier, who has fought McGregor three times and won the last two, took his shots.
It couldn’t have happened to a better guy. That injury couldn’t happen to a better guy. I saw earlier this week, he said, ‘Karma’s a mirror’ and it definitely is. This guy’s a dirtbag.
That “karma” jab was a return shot at McGregor, who had recently taken aim at Poirier over an arrest. Poirier was just as puzzled by the opening sequence that ended the night.
That’s like a Hail Mary. You’re starting a Hail Mary to start a 25-minute fight. I don’t understand what was going on with that.
On THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas, though, Poirier struck a different tone, defending McGregor against the idea that he chose a reckless opening to mask a pre-existing injury.
Wouldn’t you do it with punches? Why would you do it with an injured weapon?
I’ve just had a lot of time with Conor over the past 12 years and I just don’t think he’s a quitter like that.
Poirier did question McGregor’s conditioning, noting his face “looked bloated,” and said he’d hate to see his rival’s career fade into exhibition novelty.
I would just hate to see him be a freakshow fighter like that and only come out for these exhibitions.
Before his five-year layoff, McGregor’s last two outings were both losses to Poirier, a second-round knockout at UFC 257 in January 2021 and the broken-leg stoppage in their UFC 264 rematch that July.
