The notorious knock on Conor McGregor has been he can run out of steam after seven or eight minutes of fighting.
On Sunday at Fight Island, the Irishman gave that belief more fuel as Dustin Poirier weathered the early storm from McGregor’s punches to secure a TKO at 2:32 of the second round in the UFC 257 pay-per-view headliner, avenging a 2014 loss to the Irishman at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“I’m happy, man, but I’m not surprised,” Poirier said in the octagon following the victory. “I put in the work.”
The win for Poirier (27-6, 20 finishes) comes at a time of uncertainty for the UFC lightweight division. Unbeaten champion Khabib Nurmagomedov ostensibly retired after his latest title defense in October. His victory over McGregor (22-5, 20 finishes) positions him for a potential title fight against either Nurmagomedov or, more likely, a different opponent to crown a new champion.
The Guy Report 