CONOR MCGREGOR ADMITTED he was โheartbrokenโ after a shock UFC knockout by underdog Dustin Poirier left the superstarโs future in the cage uncertain.
โItโs hard to take,โ the Irishman told a post-fight news conference. โ(Itโs) the highest highs and the lowest lows in this game. I donโt know where Iโm at, at the minute, to be honest.โ
The 32-year-old had been an overwhelming favourite to register a winning return after a year away from the octagon. But Poirier (27-6), who lost in 109 seconds to McGregor (22-5) in their first fight in 2014, used a lower leg kicking strategy to negate his opponentโs stand-up style.
The American then launched a sustained barrage of blows to the head, culminating in a straight right dropping McGregor to the floor moments before the fight was stopped at two minutes 32 seconds of the second round.
โI have no excuse. It was a phenomenal performance from Dustin. Itโs a bitter pill to swallow,โ said McGregor, who hobbled onto to the stage with the help of a crutch and revealed his calf had blown up โlike an American football.โ
Thanks for the support everyone! Was not my night/morning in there but a great contest to improve on. Iโm excited at the blockbuster trilogy I now have on my hands. Dustin is a hell of a competitor and I look forward to going again. God bless us all, happy Sunday โค๏ธ
โ Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 24, 2021
The unexpected defeat left many MMA fans wondering what will be next for McGregor, who will face questions about his future in the sport.
The loss will scupper any possible rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov, the unbeaten UFC lightweight champion who has now retired. Nurmagomedovโs submission victory over McGregor in 2018 set an all-time record for UFC pay-per-view (PPV) with 2.4 million buys.
The Russian was quick to mock McGregor on social media: โThis is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality,โ he tweeted.
UFC boss Dana White said Sundayโs UFC 257 card was tracking to be among the top three PPVs in history, with all featuring the wildly popular McGregor.
But the defeat may mean McGregor now explores other avenues, such as a money-spinning boxing match against the Philippinesโ great Manny Pacquiao. McGregor fought retired unbeaten boxing great Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
This is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality.
โ khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 24, 2021
McGregor deflected questions about the possibility of a fight against the eight-weight world champion, saying he was more concerned with healing his damaged right leg.
โIโll regroup,โ he said. โIโll pick myself up, get up off the floor and go again. Iโll keep my head high.โ
Pacquiao had wished McGregor luck on social media ahead of the fight, and tweeted afterwards: โBeautiful thing about the fight game, anything can happen! Congrats to Dustin Poirier Huge win!โ
There was still time though for one last flash of McGregorโs old brashness, before he limped away when he was told of Nurmagomedovโs mocking social media posts.
โThatโs the character of the man for sure, behind the mask,โ McGregor snapped back. โIf he wants to have his disrespectful comments, come back and letโs go again.โ
Only 6 McGregor retirements till Christmas folks
@Brendan Byrne: Iโve no idea so asking-does Conor get tipped off that testers are on the way and announcing retirement means they canโt go near him? Might help keep him out of trouble. Then out of retirement some time later
@Baz: nope. His โretirementsโ have never involved leaving the testing pool.
Tony McGregor will back back wearing Remus Ono suits like the rest of us soon enough by the look of it
All the โbegrudgery of the Irishโ comments last night and this morning are incorrect. Many many Irish people dislike Conor McGregor due to his actions in the past (assaulting that man in the bar) and his attitude (when he abandoned his car and waltzed into court in his tracksuit for example) He just comes across as an obnoxious yoke.
@Mike Kennedy: well said. Heโs a gouger with money.
@Mike Kennedy: exactly. As i said in a previous article, i donโt see Padraig Harrington getting abuse despite being super rich and successful
@Brian Dunne: donโt get me started on Harrington haha! Ah everyone is entitled to their opinions. I get a buzz watching his fights but certainly believe how he has handled fame and fortune has been unacceptable. The later greatly outweighing the former from my perspective but clearly doesnโt for others defending him who likely compartmentalise the 2 or rationalise his actions against more extreme anti social behavior.
Too much money and has gone soft, need that hunger to succeed, he should go back on the 188 euro a week.
@Al Byrne: itโs 350 now. Wouldnโt give him the same edge
Hope he comes back stronger, he fought well, and hurt Dustin a couple of times.
@Seosamh: fought Dustin a few times. Never โhurtโ him
@Seosamh: only saw the highlights but from what I saw he looked like a bit reserved like his heart wasnโt in it
@Seosamh: he most definitely did not fight well. He stood in front of Dustin, wide stance, never checked the leg kicks, ate kicks and punches. Had no answer for it. McGregor is hugely overrated. Heโs naturally a 165-175 pound fighter. He dropped an unhealthy amount of weight to make 145 and then fought at 170. Was handed the 155 title shot against a poor Alvarez. When heโs been up against good fighters his size like Diaz, Khabib, Poirier heโs been found out
He was beaten Good.
Conor who?