BY MARCEL MARIAK
The stage is set for what is sure to be one of the top fights of 2021. On January 23rd, Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will face off in the octagon for the second time. Their last fight took place in front of thousands of cheering fans at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. This time, the battle will take place behind closed doors at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. Despite the event being restricted to UFC personnel only, thousands of fans and fight fanatics will be tuning in on their TVs to see if the second fight will be just as spectacular as the first.
The First Battle – September 27th, 2014
In their first showdown, it was clear that there wasn’t any love lost between the two fighters. Both competitors had been trash-talking and throwing around insults for months before the fight. As usual most of the smack-talk came from the uber-confident McGregor, with the Irishman calling Poirier everything from “hillbilly” to giving him a new nickname: “Pea-Head Poirier.” Poirier, a more kindly spoken gentleman, had little to say in response to Conor’s remarks other than commenting that, “I have never disliked anyone that I have ever fought as much as I dislike him.”
While trash talk is a fun part of the sport, fight fans know that when the octagon doors close, it’s time to get serious. There were some critics in the MMA community that doubted Conor’s ability to back up his trash-talk in the cage. Walking into the cage, both fighters looked focused, fearless, and ready to go. Unfortunately for Dustin, his high hopes for the fight were destined to come crashing down. McGregor’s powerful strikes found their way through Dustin’s guard and began connecting hard. Less than two minutes into the first round, McGregor ended the fight after connecting with a brutal left straight that sent Dustin to the canvas. This was the first knockout of what would become a streak of impressive finishes for McGregor that eventually lead him to become the first two-division UFC champion.
Now, with the UFC looking to start 2021 off with a bang, McGregor and Poirier will step back into the cage for a notorious revenge fight. Let’s look at how these two warriors match up:
Conor McGregor’s Advantages
- Unorthodox fighting style from a southpaw stance makes McGregor a tricky opponent to deal with
- Killer boxing skills and left arm that can end a fight in the blink of an eye
- All-around skillful striking that incorporates punches, kicks, and clinch-work
- Great movement and flexibility make him a difficult opponent to takedown or hit
- Intermediate grappling ability – has a brown belt in BJJ
- Already won a fight against Poirier
McGregor’s Keys to Success
- Go aggressive from the first bell and look to finish the fight early
- Keep moving, don’t get pinned to the cage
- Use range and agility to his advantage
- Looking for precise shots rather than a streetfight
- Avoid going to the ground
Dustin Poirier’s Advantages
- More pro MMA experience and wins
- Poirier is a powerful striker who isn’t afraid to get into a brawl
- Has great endurance that he can use to exhaust McGregor and take him into deep waters (McGregor tends to run out of gas early in fights due to his explosive style)
- Advanced grappler – a black belt in BJJ
Poirier’s Keys to Success
- Start a prolonged brawl and try to get the fight to the late rounds or even to a decision
- Exhaust McGregor with standup wrestling and clinch-fighting against the cage
- Use cage-cutting to restrict Conor’s movement
- Stay away from McGregor’s dangerous left hand
- Use takedowns and grappling to tire McGregor out and break his striking momentum
- DO NOT get pushed back to the cage at all costs. McGregor is notorious for finishing fights with his opponents to the cage (Cerrone, Mendes, Siver, and Brandao)
Fight Prediction
McGregor wins by knockout in the first round! He has an amazing track record of finishing fights in the first round and he’s done it to Poirier before. McGregor’s power and speed in the first minutes of a fight are unmatched in the UFC and Poirier won’t be able to withstand the assault.
