Watch: Never before seen corner reaction to Conor McGregor's loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257
Contrary to betting odds, Dustin Poirier emerged victorious in his rematch against Conor McGregor at UFC 257. In the latest episode of The Din Diaries, hosted by Din Thomas himself, the heartbreaking reactions of the Irishman's corner were captured on camera.
After a year-long hiatus, UFC 257 marked Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon. The anticipation during the buildup was at an all-time high as MMA pundits wondered how the Irishman would fare against Poirier in the lightweight division. The fact that their initial meeting took place in the featherweight division almost half a decade ago, was the reason for this intrigue.
The anxiety was clearly visible on John Kavanagh's (Conor's head coach) face during the bout. As the first round progressed, Kavanagh was seen pulling down his mask to shout instructions to McGregor.
"Keep that frame... just focus on under the chin," said John Kavanagh.
Dustin Poirier showcased his diverse skillset as he took Conor McGregor down towards the end of the first round. The calf kicks thrown by Poirier took their toll on the Notorious One later in the second round. Seeing McGregor succumb to the barrage of punches in round two, referee Herb Dean stepped in and stopped the fight.
Kavanagh looked stunned as his prodigy lay on the canvas with his calf disfigured courtesy of the leg kicks thrown by El Diamante.
The footage from the fight can be seen below:
Both fighters walked out of the Octagon and embraced their respective wives. On one hand, a sobbing Dee Devlin can be seen hugging Conor McGregor while a joyous Jolie Poirier can be seen cheering on her victorious husband.
It was evident that there was no bad blood between the camps as Jolie Poirier went to thank the McGregor family for their generous donations to the Louisinian's charity, The Good Fight Foundation.
Will Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier run it back again?
With his win at UFC 257, Dustin Poirier exacted revenge for his UFC 178 loss against McGregor. Acknowledging that the score is now even, Dustin Poirier mentioned in his Octagon interview that, if required, he was ready to give Conor McGregor his chance at redemption.
A post-fight backstage video surfaced, in which Conor McGregor lauded the grit of Dustin Poirier and both combatants shook on the idea of a trilogy fight in the future. In his Octagon interview, Conor McGregor cited his inactivity as the reason for his loss and has promised to fight again in 2021.