Former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor wants longtime rival Dustin Poirier to stop celebrating his “illegitimate win” at UFC 264 earlier this month is Las Vegas, because “Notorious” was actually winning the fight — from his back — and would have turned the tables in the second stanza.
Unfortunately a broken leg brought an end to their headlining affair.
It didn’t take long for McGregor to start firing off the excuses, the bulk of which came from his alleged pre-fight ankle injury. But medical professionals in the know — as well as the folks at the state athletic commission — recently debunked “Mystic Mac’s” claims.
“Right off the bat, mentally, I just feel like it’s weak,” Poirier said on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas (transcribed by MMA Junkie). “It’s weak, it’s excuses, but I’m trying not to read too far into it or go down these days of reading what videos are out and what people are saying, because I’m back home with my family. It’s a win on my record. I know I did what I needed to do in the fight, pre-fight, in my training camp.”
Poirier stopped McGregor in the UFC 257 main event back in January, a hastily-assembled rematch that “Notorious” was using to help prepare for a potential Manny Pacquiao boxing match in Abu Dhabi.
Too bad “The Diamond” didn’t stick to the script.
“There were a lot of excuses in the last one, too,” Poirier continued. “He was getting ready to box, he wasn’t focusing on mixed martial arts, he was getting ready to fight Manny Pacquiao, and a lot of reasons. A lot of excuses. If you’re training for a fight, you’re going to go into fight week with something going on. Whether it’s an elbow, a wrist, a hand, an ankle, something’s gonna be busted up.”
McGregor’s broken leg is expected to keep him out of action until late 2022. As for Poirier, he’ll move on to challenge Charles Oliveira for the 155-pound strap in December.