Khabib Nurmagomedov gives his prediction for Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier at UFC 257
Khabib Nurmagomedov has given his prediction for the Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier UFC 257 fight. Nurmagomedov suggested that McGregor could win the fight early, but if the fight goes into the later rounds, Poirier could defeat McGregor.
Nurmagomedov has faced both Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier in the past. Nurmagomedov defeated archrival McGregor via fourth-round submission at UFC 229 in October 2018. Then, Nurmagomedov beat Poirier via third-round submission at UFC 242 in September 2019. He then retired after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 and taking his record to a perfect 29-0.
However, the UFC lightweight champion had a much-talked-about meeting with UFC president Dana White earlier this month about a potential return. White subsequently revealed that Nurmagomedov has left the door open for a comeback to the sport of MMA, but he hasn’t ended his retirement yet.
A few interesting moments and conversations from White’s recent meeting with Khabib Nurmagomedov have been featured on the latest episode of Dana White: Lookin’ For A Fight. One of the more intriguing moments was when Khabib Nurmagomedov opened up on his prediction for the upcoming UFC 257 matchup between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. Nurmagomedov stated:
“Early, it’s Conor. But third round, number four, I think Dustin can beat this guy.” (*H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s prediction has seemingly fallen in line with the views he’s previously expressed about his former opponents Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.
Nurmagomedov and his team at AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) have often spoken about McGregor fading as the fight progresses. On the other hand, they’ve praised Poirier for his toughness and ability to keep fighting at a great pace even in the championship rounds.
Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier is a crossroads fight for both fighters as Khabib Nurmagomedov’s shadow looms large
Khabib Nurmagomedov currently holds the UFC lightweight title. The Eagle last competed at UFC 254, besting Justin Gaethje via second-round submission. Following this, Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from MMA. Regardless, the UFC is yet to strip Nurmagomedov of his UFC lightweight title.
With Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement and comeback status shrouded in mystery, the UFC 257 matchup between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier has become incredibly pivotal for the UFC lightweight division as a whole.
Furthermore, this is indeed a crossroads fight for McGregor and Poirier. Its loser would be out of the lightweight title picture for the foreseeable future. And the winner would likely receive the next shot at the UFC lightweight title. This title shot could mean a rematch against Khabib Nurmagomedov or a fight against a fellow high-ranking lightweight for the vacant title.