Midnight Mania! Can Poirier Handle McGregor’s New ‘Extraordinary Level’ Of Power?

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

There is no doubt that Conor McGregor hits very, very hard. He’s stopped 19 of his past opponents via knockout, including his upcoming foe Dustin Poirier. Statistically, McGregor drops his opponents at an unusually high rate. Whether his power is attributed to athleticism, technique, or timing, it’s undeniable.

If he’s hitting harder than ever, that’s a scary idea. Per his coach, John Kavanaugh, that may just be the case. “That power has increased, as it has for Dustin moving up a weight class. But for Conor, it’s really at an extraordinary level,” Kavanagh told reporters on Thursday (transcription via MMAJunkie). “To be honest, I’m really excited to see when I’m not shouting at him, ‘Take it easy, take it easy,’ and he’s wearing 18-ounce gloves and people are still flying across the ring. So to see it with four-ounce gloves, and me without having to worry about the sparring partner, it’s exciting.”

How does an experienced hitter like McGregor improve what is already one of his greatest assets? Kavanaugh credits consistency and dedication, explaining how his pupil was more focused than ever.

“Being focused throughout the camp and not letting distractions get in the way (is what) we’ve done to a different level for this fight,” Kavanagh said. “The ‘Cowboy’ fight was certainly a new level of commitment, love, and enjoyment for the process and that’s being dwarfed by this one because the ‘Cowboy’ one was a couple of months (of preparation). This fight has been a year because nothing stopped after January. The world stopped, but Conor didn’t, we didn’t. Certainly, the intensity dropped for a little while, but it’s been ramping up since the summer.”

Insomnia

In case anyone missed it, the story behind Ottman Azaitar’s removal from UFC 257 is absolutely wild. To misquote Brad Pitt and Se7en, “What’s in the bag?!?”

Get hype.

Dustin Poirier shuts down any rumors of a tough weight cut.

Some Muay Thai technique and expertise:

The memes simply do not stop!

Darren Till has been going absolutely wild on the gram. In addition to feuding with police offers, he’s mocking betting companies and buying Mike Perry cameos. Incredible!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Petrosyan is a smart striker. Wrestling is exhausting, and there’s no better way to capitalize on a tired foe than liver shots. Petrosyan dug three solid liver kicks/knees before the final one put his foe down.

Relive some of McGregor’s best finishes:

The Irishman may be a sniper, but Poirier can pour it on a wounded foe like few others.

A dose of SUMO clips to end the week:

Random Land

A spectacular piece of ice!

Midnight Music: A killer track off Joey Badass’ 2015 debut album, B4Da$$.

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.