Was the Conor McGregor win via leg break the peak of Dustin Poirier's UFC career? Breaking down a decorated but undisputed title-less record
Dustin Poirier is one of the greatest lightweights in UFC history. In a career spanning nearly a decade in the division, 'The Diamond' has authored three win streaks en route to capturing the division's interim title and twice beating Conor McGregor. Only undisputed championship status has eluded him thus far.
While he has conquered countless foes, it is his two wins against McGregor that catapulted him into the mainstream spotlight. Specifically, his third fight with the Irishman is his most well-known, albeit controversial, victory, as it sidelined McGregor for years with a career-threatening injury.
In fact, three years later, the Irishman is yet to return, despite his comeback fight with Michael Chandler having been announced a year ago. But where does his second win over McGregor rank among his greatest? Was that Poirier at his best?
Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 3 compared to 'The Diamond's' best
Had Dustin Poirier managed to capture undisputed gold, it would be more oft-repeated that he is an all-time great lightweight. But as his greatest professional accomplishment was becoming the division's interim champion, it is easy for some to dismiss just how impressive his career has been.
But his interim title win was the true peak of his glory as a fighter, not his second win over Conor McGregor. In 2019, 'The Diamond' was on a tear, having beaten two former undisputed lightweight champions in Anthony Pettis and Eddie Alvarez, and one future interim lightweight champion in Justin Gaethje.
He next took on Max Holloway, the then featherweight champion, who was on a 13-fight win streak. At the time, Holloway was regarded as an unstoppable force, powered by a tireless engine and unbreakable chin that enabled him to walk through his opponent's strikes and land a record-breaking number of punches.
However, when 'Blessed' crossed swords with Poirier in what was a rematch of a bout from their earlier days, Holloway found his limit. He avoided knockdowns and escaped without a knockout loss but was hurt at several points throughout the bout, and toward the end, his face was unrecognizable.
Check out Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway 2:
It is the most credentialed win of Poirier's career. In beating him, he snapped Holloway's 13-fight win streak, beat an undisputed champion, and captured the interim title, his highest career honor. Competitively, the Holloway win eclipses his second over McGregor, who was coming off a loss and not a reigning champion.
In fact, Poirier's first win over McGregor in their second-ever fight dwarfs his second win over the Irishman in the pair's trilogy bout. UFC 257 was meant to be a showcase for 'The Notorious.' It was meant to be his second consecutive win after his 40-second annihilation of Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone.
McGregor described it as the start of a season that would culminate in a lightweight title rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov. The manner in which the Irishman defeated 'Cowboy' left much of the casual fanbase fawning over his skills, especially the shoulder strikes he used to break Cerrone's nose.
With Poirier chosen as his next victim, McGregor promised a masterpiece. But Poirier was no lamb to be slaughtered. He had evolved significantly since their first encounter at featherweight. If McGregor expected a first-round knockout win, he was mistaken because at UFC 257, 'The Diamond' shocked the world.
He had McGregor figured out before the bout had even begun. Poirier drew his foe's sniping left straight out by faking a shifting combination and ducking under for a takedown once McGregor's hips were squared, planting the Irishman on his rear to leave him unsure if Poirier's shifts were true or merely masking a takedown.
Check out Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 2:
Furthermore, he punished McGregor's habit of leaning forward to add extra inches of reach to his left straight. When he does so, the Irishman leans so far forward that his shoulders are parallel with his lead knee. Unfortunately, it causes him to lead with his face and expose his chin.
So Poirier teased his southpaw jab to draw out McGregor's left straight, only to counter him with a check right hook. Finally, he crippled McGregor with calf kicks, as their shared southpaw stance aligned Poirier's rear kicking leg with the back of McGregor's lead leg, which is often turned inward.
All of this enabled Poirier to completely dismantle McGregor. It was one thing for someone to outgrapple the Irishman and tire him out. It was another for someone to defeat him where he excels: striking. Halfway through round two, Poirier deadened McGregor's leg with a calf kick, and it was the beginning of the end.
With his back turned toward the fence, McGregor imploded, and Poirier unleashed a thunderous combination, flooring the Irishman before follow-up ground-and-pound awarded him the TKO win. It was the first time anyone had ever either knocked out or TKO'd McGregor in MMA.
By contrast, his second win over McGregor wasn't nearly as well-received or monumental. First, by then, McGregor's detractors had declared him washed up due to his prior loss to Poirier. Meanwhile, his supporters bought into the idea that McGregor was winning the fight before his injury occurred.
Third, because there was no clear kick-check and it appeared that McGregor's shin had accidentally landed on Poirier's elbow off a front kick, fans declared the Irishman's shattered shin as the result of a freak injury. It undercuts the merit of Poirier's win.
Check out Conor McGregor's injury in his trilogy with Dustin Poirier:
The only aspect of the Poirier-McGregor trilogy that eclipsed the pair's second bout was its buy rate, as UFC 264 sold 295,263 more buys than UFC 257. But the controversial end, via 'doctor stoppage' according to McGregor, was only shocking in that McGregor suffered a freak injury.
But the best win of Poirier's career? Certainly not.