U.F.C. 264 Presents a Crossroads for McGregor

In the fight, McGregor landed clean shots, but Poirier held up well, something he did not do in the first contest. He attacked McGregor’s lead leg frequently with kicks to the calf, which bruised and reddened as the first round ended.

McGregor’s base could no longer support his body when Poirier landed a punch to his nose, which sent him to the ground next to the fencing in the second round. Poirier delivered finishing punches.

At their news conference on Thursday, Poirier said the trash talking affected him in 2014, but McGregor’s aura dwindled in January. He feels the same ahead of U.F.C. 264, he said.

“There’s a very dangerous fighter sitting here, no doubt, but I see a man that I’ve defeated and I know I can defeat again,” Poirier said.

After the previous fight, the two men traded barbs on social media, and McGregor donated $500,000 to the Boys Girls Clubs of Acadiana instead of Poirier’s the Good Fight Foundation.

Some questioned why McGregor would even continue in the U.F.C., given the amount of money he has made in his career. McGregor, who had predicted that he would become a billionaire by age 35, said he does it for legacy.

“I’m not relishing in my past accomplishments,” McGregor said, adding: “I don’t care about that.”

Still, McGregor faces pressure to perform well on Saturday, even if he does not admit it. A loss would be the his fourth defeat in his last seven fights.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/sports/ufc-mcgregor-poirier-fight.html