Esther Lin
Looks like Conor McGregor will be exempt from weight cutting again.
If John Kavanagh is to be believed, Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2 will happen 25 lbs heavier than their first meeting.
Contracts have yet to be signed for the January 23 contest, but the SBG head coach spoke about the rematch and brought up how the pair will fight while being “hydrated & healthy” at welterweight. That would be a division higher than where both are currently ranked, and two divisions heavier than their original match up at 145 lbs.
“Watching @TheNotoriousMMA do MMA rounds lately has been a real joy and education. Fluidity of movement with elite level timing and skill,” Kavanagh wrote. “Dustin has improved so much since first meeting, conor has improved much more imo. To see them hydrated & healthy at 170 will be fascinating.
“Enjoy your Christmas Dustin, lash that cranberry sauce on the turkey. See you hydrated, glycogen loaded and healthy at 170 in January. Stick to your guns young man, let’s do something special. Also work on that pull tendency, I’m sure you know what I mean ”
Watching @TheNotoriousMMA do MMA rounds lately has been a real joy and education. Fluidity of movement with elite level timing and skill. Dustin has improved so much since first meeting, conor has improved much more imo. To see them hydrated & healthy at 170 will be fascinating
— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) October 16, 2020
Will be an honour to stand across the cage from you again.
— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) October 16, 2020
Enjoy your Christmas Dustin, lash that cranberry sauce on the turkey. See you hydrated, glycogen loaded and healthy at 170 in January. Stick to your guns young man, let’s do something special. Also work on that pull tendency, I’m sure you know what I mean
— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) October 16, 2020
It’s going to be special!! See you guy’s soon
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) October 16, 2020
The pair originally fought in 2014 at featherweight, with McGregor winning by first round TKO. As Kavanagh notes, a lot has changed in six years, including the divisions they’ve been fighting in.
Poirier, now 31, is currently the number two ranked lightweight, while McGregor, 32, is at five. Interestingly enough, McGregor somehow holds that ranking despite not having an official win at 155 lbs since 2016.
His last win over Donald Cerrone was at welterweight, but it seems like everyone just treated it as a lightweight bout where both just didn’t have to cut much weight. If this rematch indeed pushes through officially as a welterweight contest, it might just be seen the same way, with McGregor again being exempt from cutting weight.
The Irishman has fought career lightweights at welterweight three times already. Poirier has never fought above 155 lbs in the UFC.