"They both have the tools to win" - Nicolas Dalby gives his assessment of the Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier trilogy fight at UFC 264
UFC welterweight Nicolas Dalby believes Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 3 could be a competitive battle. He said the UFC 264 headliner is a tough fight to predict and that either man could emerge victorious.
Dalby is set to fight Tim Means tomorrow at UFC Vegas 30. The 36-year-old will be looking to extend his undefeated streak to eight when he locks horns with Means this Saturday.
Speaking to Sportskeeda's Andy Whitelaw ahead of UFC Vegas 30, Dalby opened up on various topics. When asked who he thinks will win the trilogy fight between McGregor and Poirier, he said-
"That's difficult. I hate when I can't decide and pick a winner. I think Conor (McGregor) and (Dustin) Poirier can take it and it all depends on how the cards are played on that particular night. I can't pick a winner. It could be either guy. It's really difficult. I feel they both have the tools to win, we have seen that. Conor won the first, Poirier won the second. So, let's see."
Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will be colliding in the main event of UFC 264. The event is scheduled to take place on July 10.
Watch Nicolas Dalby's full interview with Sportskeeda below:
Nicolas Dalby on who he thinks is the deserving candidate to fight Kamaru Usman
Nicolas Dalby also weighed in on the debatable topic of who should challenge Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title.
Contrary to what Dana White, Dalby believes that ring rust could affect Colby Covington, thus vouching for a Leon Edwards title shot-
"It's been a long time since Colby (Covington) fought. Due to activity, I would rather see Leon (Edwards) fight for the title. There's always going to be ring rust. There are very few fighters that don't get it. I definitely feel Leon should get a shot."
"He's a very big threat" - Nicolas Dalby on his UFC Vegas 30 opponent Tim Means
Nicolas Dalby will challenge Tim Means at UFC Vegas 30. His 37-year-old opponent is on a two-fight winning streak, having recorded wins over Laureano Staropoli and Mike Perry in his last two outings.
Dalby thinks Means could pose a huge threat to him if he allows him to dictate the pace of the fight:
"He's a very big threat if you allow him to settle in his pace and if you allow him to settle on the distance he's best at. It's going to be a game of distance and pace," said Dalby.
Dalby joined the UFC in May 2015. After a successful promotional debut, the Danish fighter suffered two straight defeats, forcing the UFC to release him. He was re-signed by the premotion in 2019.
The 36-year-old feels much more confident about his second stint in the UFC compared to his previous one. Dalby claims that last year found the rhythm that he had lost-
"I feel it came down to me finding the right rhythm again. When I was preparing for the UFC London card that got canceled in March last year and the following Fight Island fight, I was overtraining a lot. So, I felt like I burned out. I've finally found that rhythm again and that consistency and well being during camp," said Nicolas Dalby.