Thiago Alves was a key part in Dustin Poirier’s win over Conor McGregor at UFC 257.
Early on in the fight, McGregor started out strong and landed a big left hand that stunned Poirier. Yet, “The Diamond” kept to his game plan of going after McGregor’s leg and it eventually paid off.
“It was one of the strategies for this fight,” Alves told MMA Junkie. “Dustin is a complete fighter. We know that he can be superior in the standup, in the grappling, and in the wrestling, as well.
“So we came up with a good gameplan – me, Mike Brown and coach Dyah Davis, his boxing coach. The calf kicks, the leg kicks were definitely one of the weapons that Dustin was able to use, but we had a lot of ways to get the job done.”
Alves Absolves Conor McGregor From “Quitter” Stigma
Although some say McGregor quit in there with his leg hurting, Alves says that is not true. Instead, he says it is constantly hurting and you have no control of your leg.
“Your whole leg is completely dead, and when you breathe, it hurts as well,” Alves said. “So it pretty much shoots a pain through out your whole leg and you’re not able to stand still. Every time when you put your foot on the ground, it’s super painful, so it’s very debilitating. It’s hard to move forward. It’s hard to impose your gameplan.”
There is no question if Poirier and McGregor have their trilogy, the Irishman will likely be prepared for the leg kicks. However, it is uncertain if they will end up having a third fight.
Who do you think would win a trilogy fight between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor?
