How old is Conor McGregor: Is former UFC double champion past his prime?
MMA legend and UFC star Conor McGregor is all set to return to the Octagon at UFC 257 on January 23rd, 2021, against Dustin Poirier in a Lightweight bout.
Conor McGregor set to fight Dustin Poirier in a pivotal UFC lightweight matchup
Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier fought one another back in September of 2014 in a Featherweight bout. The matchup witnessed The Notorious One secure a spectacular first-round TKO victory over Poirier.
In the years that ensued, both McGregor and Poirier have scaled great heights of success in the sport of MMA. The Notorious One also went on to garner millions of dollars in his professional boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Meanwhile, Poirier has established himself as one of the top Lightweights in the MMA world today.
Conor McGregor has previously held the UFC Featherweight and Lightweight belts, whereas Dustin Poirier is a former interim champion at 155 pounds.
The Notorious One’s last fight was a 40-second TKO win against Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone in a Welterweight bout that transpired in January of this year. McGregor hasn’t competed in the Lightweight division since his submission loss to archrival Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018.
On the contrary, Dustin Poirier’s last fight was a unanimous decision win against Dan Hooker in a Lightweight bout that took place in June of this year.
Considering the variables at play in the upcoming rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier, certain sections of the MMA world believe that The Notorious One may be past his prime.
Besides, UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from MMA this October but is yet to be stripped of his title by UFC. There is speculation that this could change at UFC 257 and the Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier matchup could eventually be promoted as a lightweight title or interim lightweight title fight.
How old is Conor McGregor: Is The Notorious One past his prime?
Conor McGregor was born on July 14th, 1988, and is relatively young at 32 years of age. His UFC 257 opponent, Dustin Poirier, was born on January 19th, 1989, and is 31.
However, the caveat with regard to both these talented Mixed Martial Arts competitors is that they compete in the Lightweight division. Even if one were to factor in McGregor’s fights at 170 pounds, it’s a matter of fact that both men are not heavyweights. One of the unwritten norms of combat sports – be it boxing, MMA, kickboxing, etc – is that older fighters thrive mainly in the bigger weight classes, such as light heavyweight and particularly at heavyweight.
Needless to say, this unwritten norm of the fight game has led many to express their concerns about Conor McGregor’s current standing as a contender in the Lightweight division.
As of this time, irrespective of people claiming that Conor McGregor’s best days are behind him, the numbers clearly indicate that The Notorious One isn’t giving up a significant age disadvantage to his UFC 257 opponent Dustin Poirier.
With that being said, whether or not The Irishman can replicate their first encounter’s success in the rematch against Poirier will only be clear when they go to war against one another at UFC 257.