Poirier on game plan for McGregor: I want us both bleeding within a minute

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Dustin Poirier reveals part of his strategy heading into his UFC 257 headliner against Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor already revealed what his plan is for his UFC 257 rematch against Dusti…


UFC Fight Night: Poirier v Hooker
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Dustin Poirier reveals part of his strategy heading into his UFC 257 headliner against Conor McGregor.

Conor McGregor already revealed what his plan is for his UFC 257 rematch against Dustin Poirier. As “Mystic Mac” had recently predicted, the fight will be over inside 60 seconds as he walks away with another early knockout victory.

But if you ask Poirier, he plans to take on a more prolonged approach.

“If you’re talking about game plan, what I want is for both of us to be dripping blood and hurting and suffering early in the fight, then we can find out who’s the real fighter,” Poirier told comedian Theo Von in the latter’s This Past Weekend podcast (transcript by BJPenn.com). “That’s what I want. I want to be bleeding with a minute off the first round clock.”

Unlike McGregor, Poirier knows he cannot afford to rest on his laurels and take things easy. That lack of a “safety net” is what fires him up to turn it into a dog fight.

“I want us both to be bleeding and really have to dig down and see who’s the better fighter, and see who really wants to be in there,” he said. “Because I don’t have a safety net.

“I want to be in there, and I know that. I know that, and I’d like to find out if he does.”

McGregor’s never really been bloodied up in any of his fights, so it would be interesting to see how things play out if it happens this time around.

Poirier vs. McGregor 2 headlines UFC 257 on January 23. It takes place at the Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.