Dustin Poirier has chosen to distance himself from his longstanding rivalry with Conor McGregor. The two prominent UFC fighters have faced off in three highly publicized matches over the years, with McGregor coming out victorious in their initial encounter in 2014 at UFC 178. However, Poirier has since claimed victory in their most recent clashes at UFC 257 and UFC 264.
Despite McGregor’s eagerness for a rematch, Poirier has set his sights on challenging Islam Makhachev for the lightweight championship at UFC 302 on June 1. McGregor is scheduled to make his comeback at UFC 303, making the prospect of another showdown between them unlikely, a situation that suits Poirier just fine.
In his recent fights, Poirier has experienced a mix of wins and losses in significant matchups. Following his second win against McGregor, he fell short in his attempt to dethrone the reigning lightweight king Charles Oliveira but rebounded with a victory over Chandler. Subsequently, he suffered a loss in a rematch against Justin Gaethje before defeating Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 to secure a chance to face Makhachev.
McGregor’s defeat at UFC 264 was especially damaging as he sustained a leg injury and has been inactive since then. His upcoming bout against Chandler at UFC 303 will mark almost a three-year gap since his last fight.
McGregor’s post-injury conduct at UFC 264 was far from gracious, including making threatening comments towards Poirier and his spouse. Such behavior has likely diminished the possibility of a fourth encounter between the two fighters.
Poirier has made it explicit that he is uninterested in going up against McGregor once more, emphasizing that he wants to avoid any negative influences in his life.
