Kiev. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – January 24, 2021 – Sport
We understood that it could be so, didn’t we? One fighter develops, evolves, gets better. The second fights once a year, or even twice. Goes to veterans, and before that he loses the main battle in life, because he prepares disgustingly.
One wins the tops and loses only to the main boss, and then, almost catching him in his own element. The second one develops business, makes money, lives for pleasure and only makes noise. And how should the duel of the two opposites end?
Conor got off to a good start
If anyone really believed that McGregor would knock out an opponent in 60 seconds, as he promised before the fight, then he was immediately disappointed. The Irishman went straight ahead in the classics, made several punches, missed in response, after which he was transferred.
The next few minutes are an unremarkable positional fight. Clinch by the cage, shoulder strikes from both sides. Both were active, but Conor was active, both standing with his back to the grid and turning his opponent in the other direction.
The last minute and a half of the round is entirely behind McGregor. He went forward, attacked and hit. In such a positional fight, McGregor is one of the best. The Irishman missed lowkiki, but immediately gave accurate shots to the head. Yes, I missed in response, but definitely less and less strongly than my opponent.
What is important – McGregor’s blows did not knock Poirier down for a second. Dustin missed, retreated and went into battle again. It is unpleasant, painful, but without dynamite and dire consequences.
After the first round, nothing was clear. It is absolutely obvious that Poirier is perfectly ready – he managed to translate, initiate a clinch, and be active there. I managed to shoot Conor’s front leg up to the red mark there and counterattacked several times. But otherwise, it was Conor who owned the initiative. Though not unconditional.
The second round put everything in its place.
Poirier worked the way he can – that was it.
In the second round, Dustin bent his line – low kicks were on target, he tried to catch Conor on his forward lunges. Yet McGregor is not at all sinless. Fast, yes. The timing is almost flawless, yes. But lowered hands at the moment of impact and rustiness was felt.
Conor’s attacks often looked monotonous, without fiction. I tried to jerk and catch on small mistakes, but the results of a year’s downtime became obvious. As a result, Poirier turned on in time.
Such attacks are Dustin’s style. Go forward with a series of punches trying to catch your opponent. He got Conor almost immediately, but then a whole scattering of blows went into the milk – the work of the Irishman’s body is very good. It’s strange to praise her, considering what happened a second later.
Poirier still caught the opponent, which is not surprising, given how much Conor played at the invulnerable, dodging with his hands down and moving just along the net. The rival is still Dustin Poirier, not some older man in a pub. Short Hit – McGregor on the floor. The short finish is the first knockout loss in Conor’s career.
Poirier worked perfectly. I looked closely at one round, tried to translate, tried to work on my neighbor. He beat off his leg, beat him towards. And then he closed all the questions with his classic activity. The knockout is great, and the debt has been paid – now they have 1-1. Once upon a time, Conor effectively dealt with Dustin.
Now what?
Of course, Dana White dreamed of McGregor’s rematch with Nurmagomedov. At one of the press conferences before this fight, the head of the UFC talked to Khabib. Before the press conference behind closed doors, after – in front of the journalists. And while everyone was sitting down, White told the Russian the following:
“This fight – against Poirier – is already selling better than your fight against Conor on PPV. Now imagine how your rematch with McGregor will sell. I’m just saying. I’m just talking.”
But now it is irrelevant. Who needs revenge with an Irishman who hasn’t fought for a thousand years and then fell into a knockout? Khabib, after all, also did not sit at home all this time, but practiced regularly.
Conor explained his defeat simply and clearly:
“It had an effect that I was out of action for a long time – more than a year. Dustin’s lowkiki also had an impact. He was very good today. But I’ll be back. That’s all I can say now. Of course, you have to be active in this matter, and I will definitely fight again in 2021”.
Of course, McGregor himself is to blame for not being active. The UFC is the first promotion to figure out how to bypass quarantine restrictions without risking the health of its fighters. What prevented you from fighting again or twice? Is it not the absence of hunger and the desire to be like Mayweather, earning on every fight?
Only here Floyd always had a wild regime and preparation every time, as for the last fight.
Poirier did not at all discard the idea of a fight again:
“I’m happy but not surprised that Conor won. I’ve worked hard for this. Respect for him for accepting the result the way a professional should have done. Now we are 1-1 and we can do it again.”
It is understandable. Conor is always money, even when you nailed him before. And Conor is one of the best options right now. Holloway (whom Dustin already beat), Chandler and MacGregor. Moreover, here you can explain everything by the desire to decide who is still stronger and close the trilogy.
The Irish should also consider this option and return in six months, having recovered. There is a chance to close the question with Poirier, and a real chance to win. The third fight won’t be easier in any way. But with the right spin it will still be interesting, and by dropping the rust and becoming more relaxed, plastic and varied in battle, McGregor has a chance.
On the other hand, Holloway vs. Poirier and Chandler vs. McGregor are just as cool. Especially against the background of Michael’s killer hit in the head of Dan Hooker.
Read also: McGregor Fights Again in The UFC!