If Dustin Poirier is going to book a trilogy fight with Conor McGregor then “Diamond” needs to get paid. It’s as simple as that.
Poirier is coming off a second-round TKO finish over McGregor at UFC 257 that produced roughly 1.6 million PPV buys. The main event rematch was a smashing success and Poirier is making out like a bandit. “Diamond” not only banked a $1 million payday to spoil McGregor’s lightweight return, but he’s in the driver’s seat for 2021.
Luckily, Poirier is willing to play ball. McGregor is lobbying for a trilogy bout against Poirier and “Diamond” is already on board. Seeing as “Notorious” knocked Poirier out back in 2014 there needs to be a definitive end to this rivalry.
“Conor wants the trilogy, and I do too,” Poirier said during a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. “If they want to do it, let’s do it.”
While Poirier is ready to book a third fight with McGregor the lightweight veteran isn’t willing to lay down and take the same deal he did last time. Instead, Poirier will utilize the momentum from his knockout win over McGregor and get the best deal possible. It would be foolish for UFC not to entertain this considering UFC 257 did so well on PPV.
“We’re just trying to get the right deal structured,” Poirier said. “This is going to be a big fight. He knocked me out, (and) I knocked him out. The trilogy. For sure one of the biggest fights this year, but maybe of all time. … I don’t directly talk to them. They talk to my manager, Rob Roveta. We try to put ourselves in the best position to sit at the table with them and have a legit conversation about getting this fight booked. We’re trying to structure the right deal, and when that happens, the fight will be on. Until then, we’ll see.
“I think the trilogy makes a lot of sense and a lot of money. So we’re just trying to get the right deal structured and see what the timeframe is. For a guy like Conor, you want fans in there, even if it’s limited. Right now at the Apex where they’re set up in America, there’s obviously no fans. So where do you do that? And what’s the timeframe?”
Poirier was a sizeable underdog for his rematch with McGregor due mostly to the fact that “Notorious” beat him the first time around. In reality, Poirier was the more prepared fighter having competed several times over the past few years compared to McGregor’s two appearances since 2016. Poirier was able to use his improved skillset to pick McGregor apart with leg kicks early on and then punches to finish him in the second. It was a tactical breakdown.
If a trilogy bout does get booked Poirier doesn’t believe McGregor will have enough time to adjust to his evolving game. Poirier acknowledges that a third fight will produce different moments in action, but they all end with “Diamond” getting his hand raised.
“It’s not a lot of time to adjust or work on what he needs to work on for the calf kick, or whatever I want to switch up,” Poirier said. “Getting right back in camp without really evolving outside of training camp. For me, I learn things inside of training camp because it’s just constantly under pressure, but it’s outside of training camps, times like right now where I’m in the gym having fun rolling and doing light kickboxing drills with my friends, where I feel like the big gains are made. When I’m having fun.
“It’s fighting. I don’t think you ever really (have someone’s number). He’ll make adjustments. It’ll be a completely different fight like the first one, and the second was different. The third one is going to be different, as well. Because I’m going to make adjustments, as well. I’ve got to switch it up and keeps things fresh and keep him guessing.”
At the end of the day, both lightweights want a trilogy, most fans are calling for a trilogy, and UFC is presumably salivating over a trilogy based on the monetary gain alone. All signs point to Poirier and McGregor locking horns one more time in 2021, but it will not be for the UFC lightweight title.
That stipulation has been handed down by UFC president Dana White and Poirier will be the first one to agree. “Diamond” doesn’t believe McGregor is in a position just yet to be fighting for another UFC title.
“No, I don’t think (he should fight for a title),” Poirier said. “Conor’s been away so long. His last two fights at 155, he’s lost. So you can’t put him in there for a title fight. How could you justify doing that when you have guys like [Charles] Oliveira?”