'I think he was overlooking Dustin' - Dana White suggests Conor McGregor didn't take the Poirier rematch seriously
UFC president Dana White believes Conor McGregor may have disregarded Dustin Poirier's abilities ahead of their rematch at UFC 257.
Dustin Poirier defeated the former UFC double champion in Abu Dhabi, knocking Conor McGregor out in the bout's second round. Six years earlier, in their first fight, the Irishman had knocked 'The Diamond' out in less than two minutes.
According to the UFC boss, considering the ease with which Conor McGregor had won the previous fight, he might have entered the octagon for the rematch with a feeling of superiority and complacency.
Speaking with BT Sport's Caroline Pierce, Dana White shared his insight on the matter:
"I don't know if this is true. I mean, Conor McGregor is the only one who can answer this question. (But) I think Conor was overlooking Dustin (Poirier), and like, 'let me get through this, so I can work on other things,'" White said.
Even before the fight with Poirier in Abu Dhabi, Conor McGregor was already being linked to a possible second boxing fight on his career, this time against the legendary pugilist Manny Pacquiao.
However, after the negative outcome against the American mixed martial artist whom he had beat so easily the first time, the talk about Conor McGregor's boxing match faded.
Conor McGregor also shifted his attention to a trilogy fight against Poirier, which is deemed to happen soon, as both fighters have already expressed their wish for it.
Even though other lightweight contenders like Charles Olveira and Michael Chandler disapproved of the third fight, the promotion seems determined to make it happen soon.
In the same interview with BT Sport, White provided his take on how he thinks Conor McGregor would prepare for the trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.
"Yeah, I don't know. I think that, you know, Conor McGregor will take this fight way more seriously than he took the last one," White said.
Conor McGregor's coach thinks some adjustments are needed for the Dustin Poirier trilogy fight
Speaking with BT Sport's Adam Catterall, John Kavanagh, who has coached Conor McGregor since his days before joining the UFC, said his pupil needs to focus on more areas of his fighting instead of just boxing.
He also hinted that the fight could happen this summer, saying:
"Conor McGregor was always famous for his movement, his ability to change stances, his bounce, as he would say. And we got to bring all that back. And it's there. It's under the hood. It's not 'skills have to be learned,' even relearned. They just have to be reignited, and we've already started that process. So, let's say, 'wouldn't it be great to do it again?' In the summer, maybe in Vegas in front of 20 thousand screaming people if we can get the world back open again," Kavanagh said.