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Javier Mendez Gives Edge To Conor McGregor Over Dustin Poirier

American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez favors Conor McGregor to come out on top against Dustin Poirier. The pair are set to collide in a rematch that will take place at lightweight in the UFC 257 headliner on January 23 in Abu Dhabi’s Fight Island. McGregor, of course, already defeated Poirier in the past […]

American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez favors Conor McGregor to come out on top against Dustin Poirier.

The pair are set to collide in a rematch that will take place at lightweight in the UFC 257 headliner on January 23 in Abu Dhabi’s Fight Island.

McGregor, of course, already defeated Poirier in the past when he knocked him out during their 2014 featherweight clash.

And having prepared pupil Khabib Nurmagomedov for both fighters in recent years, Mendez is giving the edge to McGregor due to his striking ability.

That said, he’s not counting Poirier out entirely.

“I favor Conor because he’s the better precision striker, and taking Conor to the ground is going to be no easy task for Dustin,” Mendez said on “The Schmozone Podcast” (via MMA Junkie). “So Dustin is going to have to grit it out, get inside and grind it out if he’s able to.

“Anything is possible, they’re both world class athletes, but I definitely favor Conor because of the striking aspect. He’s the master striker in the lightweight division. So I favor Conor, but I’m not counting out Dustin by any means.”

Should Nurmagomedov remain retired, it’s possible the winner of McGregor vs. Poirier could get the next title shot at the very least — assuming the fight isn’t already changed to a vacant title fight.

And Mendez has no problem with that given that Poirier is in the mix.

“If in fact (Nurmagomedov is) not coming back, then the rightful person that should be fighting for the title is Dustin against anybody,” Mendez added. “So, to me, they got one of the right persons in there, and Conor would be the second right one. Justin Gaethje could be the next guy, or it could be Michael Chandler. It doesn’t matter, or Oliveira.

“What matters is that Dustin is in the title hunt because he’s the one, in my opinion, that’s most deserving of a title shot.”

Do you agree with Mendez?

UFC Pay-Per-View Price To Increase Beginning With UFC 257 on Jan. 23

Another year, another price hike for the UFC, as the cost of UFC pay-per-views will increase beginning with UFC 257. The UFC’s pay-per-views will enter 2021 with a New Year’s resolution to continue to grow financially. ESPN has confirmed that the price…

John Kavanagh Doesn’t Get Why Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier Isn’t For The Title

As far as John Kavanagh is concerned, Conor McGregor should be fighting Dustin Poirier for the lightweight title. McGregor takes on Poirier in a lightweight bout that headlines the UFC 257 pay-per-view event taking place January 23 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. And despite Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement at UFC 254 in October, McGregor vs. Poirier […]

As far as John Kavanagh is concerned, Conor McGregor should be fighting Dustin Poirier for the lightweight title.

McGregor takes on Poirier in a lightweight bout that headlines the UFC 257 pay-per-view event taking place January 23 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

And despite Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement at UFC 254 in October, McGregor vs. Poirier won’t be for an interim belt, let alone the seemingly vacant lightweight strap.

That’s because UFC president Dana White is still hoping to persuade Nurmagomedov out of retirement when they meet next month in Abu Dhabi. Should White be successful, Nurmagomedov — who currently holds 29 wins — will look to go 30-0 before likely retiring for good.

In that scenario, the lightweight title would be vacant again which is why McGregor’s head coach in Kavanagh wonders why a title isn’t on the line at UFC 257.

“I don’t really get why this one isn’t for the title, if I’m being 100 percent honest.” Kavanagh told The Mac Life (via MMA Fighting). “Maybe it’s Dana, this is a little carrot towards Khabib ‘do you really want this guy [to have it?].’ I don’t know. I know there’s stuff, the games that go on, I don’t involve myself in it.

“But this to me feels like it’s for the belt. But I guess at the very least the winner of this will be offered a title fight but who would that be against? It’s a bit of a strange scene we have in front of us, which makes it interesting.”

As for Nurmagomedov facing McGregor again to potentially go to 30-0? Kavanagh would love to see it as he believes they are the two best lightweights in the world.

That said, it’s all down to Nurmagomedov who has repeatedly expressed no interest in facing the Irishman again. Not to mention the fact that almost everyone in the combat sports world believes he’s a man of his word when it comes to retirement.

“I think Conor and Khabib are the two best lightweights,” Kavanagh said. “It would be for me from a coaching perspective, phenomenal to see that contest again. Will he come back? You’re asking the wrong guy. That’s Khabib.

“He seems the type of guy if he says something, that’s it, but like Dana has hinted, there might be some wiggle room in those promises made. Time will tell.”

Do you agree with Kavanagh that a belt should be on the line?

John Kavanagh: Dustin Poirier Knows Conor McGregor Can ‘Shut His Lights Off’

John Kavanagh believes Dustin Poirier faces an uphill battle against Conor McGregor. Poirier faces McGregor in a lightweight bout that will headline the upcoming UFC 257 pay-per-view event taking place January 23 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. It is notably a rematch of their 2014 featherweight clash that saw McGregor use mind games as well […]

John Kavanagh believes Dustin Poirier faces an uphill battle against Conor McGregor.

Poirier faces McGregor in a lightweight bout that will headline the upcoming UFC 257 pay-per-view event taking place January 23 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

It is notably a rematch of their 2014 featherweight clash that saw McGregor use mind games as well as his superior striking to comfortably knock out Poirier in the first round.

While Poirier has improved tenfold since as he’s become one of the best lightweights in the world, Kavanagh believes the manner of how the first fight went will not be something “The Diamond” can easily get past.

“I think you can spend a lifetime going to sports psychologists and talking to this person and that person; that’s not going to have been erased from his mind,” Kavanagh told TheMacLife (via MMA Junkie). “He knows that he is facing somebody who can shut off his lights very, very rapidly and now is a lot more powerful and a lot more experienced than he was even then, so it’s a tough, uphill battle for Dustin.”

That said, Kavanagh acknowledges Poirier is a better and much more experienced fighter than the first time he collided with McGregor.

However, it’s a different story when considering the knockout power of McGregor.

“I think (Poirier) has definitely gotten better,” Kavanagh said. “There’s a few more takedown attempts now in his fights. I hadn’t seen it before – he has a good guillotine. We can see that. Then his volume and his conditioning is looking on point.

“You can see in his fights he has an ability to take a lot of punishment and still come forward. Pick any of last few fights to see that quality. However, he’s fighting a different animal than any of those guys: somebody with true, one-punch knockout power that he’s already felt.”

Do you agree with Kavanagh?

Dustin Poirier Believes Conor McGregor Fight Could Be For Lightweight Title

Dustin Poirier believes his upcoming fight with Conor McGregor could be for the lightweight title. Poirier meets McGregor in a lightweight rematch that will take place at the UFC 257 headliner on January 23 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. When current lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement in October, many expected the Poirier vs. […]

Dustin Poirier believes his upcoming fight with Conor McGregor could be for the lightweight title.

Poirier meets McGregor in a lightweight rematch that will take place at the UFC 257 headliner on January 23 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. When current lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement in October, many expected the Poirier vs. McGregor fight to be for the vacant lightweight title.

However, UFC president Dana White had other ideas as he refused to rule out Nurmagomedov returning to action and has a meeting planned with “The Eagle” next month to discuss his future.

While White is confident in his persuasion skills, Poirier believes it will be redundant effort as Nurmagomedov is a man of his word when it comes to retirement. If that is the case, that could potentially open the door to him and McGregor battling for a belt.

“I feel like Khabib’s a guy of his word,” Poirier told BT Sport (via BJ Penn). “If he says he’s retired, he’s most likely retired. I feel like me and Conor could potentially be for the belt, you know?

“He’s a former champion. I’m a former interim champ looking to get some gold back around my waist. Conor’s a former undisputed world champion in the lightweight division. Both of our last defeats were to the current, retired champion. So I don’t know, but there’s a storyline you can draw with a lot of these fights. But I try not to pay too much attention to it because on January 23 I’m fighting one of the best guys in the world.”

While some observers would point to Charles Oliveira’s recent win over Tony Ferguson and state that the winner of the UFC 257 headliner should face him for a vacant title, not many would complain if Poirier and McGregor did end up battling for the belt themselves.

For now, we’ll just have to see how White’s meeting with Nurmagomedov goes.

Do you think Poirier vs. McGregor should be for the vacant title?

Poirier Shares Argument For Why UFC 257 Main Event Should Be For Title

Dustin Poirier has no idea what the future holds for the lightweight title picture, but what is clear as day to him is why it would make sense for his UFC 257 fight against Conor McGregor to be for the championship. Khabib Nurmagomedov’s sudden r…