Former UFC fighter and analyst Dan Hardy believes Conor McGregor is a better martial artist than Dustin Poirier.
McGregor and Poirier will mix things up a third time this Saturday night (July 10). The two will receive top billing on the UFC 264 card. It’ll be held inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The score is even between McGregor and Poirier at 1-1. McGregor picked up the first-round TKO win in their 2014 meeting. Poirier nabbed a second-round TKO finish in their rematch back in January.
Ahead of Poirier vs. McGregor 3, Hardy joined the folks at Submission Radio to share his views on the keys to victory. First, Hardy feels as a martial artist McGregor has the advantage (h/t Sportskeeda.com).
“I do think he’s a better martial artist just generally than Poirier. I think he’s got a better mastery of range and striking, a better understanding of the application of martial arts and how to work somebody over psychologically as well.”
Of course, Hardy doesn’t believe skills alone will carry McGregor to a victory in the trilogy.
“You’ve got to earn it as well. You can’t just get in there with the skills that you’ve earned in your early career and expect it to carry you all the way, especially when you’ve got a dog in front of you like Poirier who’ll just take you into deep waters and see what you’re made of.”
Poirier vs. McGregor 3 could have title implications. The winner may set himself up for a showdown with UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira. The man they call “do Bronx” captured the 155-pound gold back in May when he stopped Michael Chandler.
