Dustin Poirier will not be out for retribution for his 2014 loss to Conor McGregor when the two meet again at UFC 257, but he will be looking to make a massive career step at McGregor’s expense.
Dustin Poirier is at peace with the outcome of his first fight against Conor McGregor, mostly because he is aware that he is not the same fighter. Aside from the fact that this fight will take place in Poirier’s new home at lightweight, where Poirier has turned in his best work and become a title contender, he also is more experienced and mentally developed. As a consequence of this growth, Poirier expects viewers to witness a different result at UFC 257 to match the different fighter he has become.
“He was obviously a great fighter in finishing a bunch of guys before me in his UFC career, but at this point we’re both so much more established and have so much more experience, just more mature fighters, and I think you get a completely different fight here,” Poirier told MMA Junkie earlier this week. “I was emotional in the first one. I wanted to hurt the guy. This time I just want to outsmart him, just want to beat him. This is business. This isn’t any ill will towards the guy.
“When I was younger, I used to fight with a lot of emotion,” Poirier continued. “This isn’t the same thing for me. This isn’t about getting even for me. This isn’t like a revenge type of thing for me. This is about moving my career forward, about putting my family in a better spot. It’s not trying to get back a guy who got me. This is just business.”
Dustin Poirier hoped that with Khabib Nurmagomedov retiring, part of the business transaction would be making this bout against McGregor for the world championship. Unfortunately for Poirier and McGregor, Dana White is holding out hope that Nurmagomedov will return for one more fight in an effort to reach 30-0. With a win over McGregor, though, business will certainly be booming for Poirier Inc., with many lucrative opportunities awaiting him that he will be much more mature to encounter than he would have been six years ago.
Do you think the Poirier/McGregor rematch will look much different than their first encounter in 2014?
