Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
The recent UFC title challenger is making no bones about who the biggest hitter he’s faced during his 8 years in the Octagon is.
In a UFC career that stretches all the way back to 2011 (or 2010, including the Zuffa owned WEC), Dustin Poirier has fought a who’s who of MMA talent. He’s had notable battles with Chan Sung Jung, Cub Swanson, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, and even Max Holloway. However, the recent UFC lightweight title challenger says former featherweight-turned-lightweight Conor McGregor is the biggest puncher he’s ever faced.
McGregor and Poirier met back at UFC 178 in September 2014. The fight was just McGregor’s fourth for the promotion, but he made quick work of Poirier—KOing the “Diamond” in the first-round. The win was McGregor’s third knockout finish in just four UFC bouts at the time.
Replying to a question on Twitter asking who the hardest hitter he’s faced has been, Poirier said it was McGregor ‘by far.’
Conor by far https://t.co/l2stAIVFXu
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) November 24, 2019
The pair have not crossed paths since their first fight, but Poirier has recently said all signs point towards a rematch with McGregor in March or April of next year.
McGregor (21-4) hasn’t fought since suffering a fourth-round submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018 at UFC 229. The former lightweight and featherweight champion announced last month he plans for his next fight to be on January 18th, with rumors of Donald Cerrone being talked about as the opponent.
Much like McGregor, Poirier (26-5, 1NC) is also coming off a loss to Nurmagomedov by submission in his last fight—having failed to claim the UFC lightweight title in the process. The 30-year-old had won the interim UFC lightweight title against Max Holloway earlier this year, besting “Blessed” by way of a one-sized decision at UFC 236 in April.