Dubai: Heartbroken following his career-first TKO loss at the hands of Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi last Sunday, Conor McGregor is pleading with Dana White’s promotion for an immediate rematch.
According to John Kavanagh, the Irish fighter’s long-time coach, McGregor is ‘harassing’ everybody to get the rematch.
“We would love the re-match. I don’t think Dustin is against that. If we could get the rematch before the summer, that’d be amazing,” Kavanagh told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani. “If it’s not to be, I guess I don’t really know. Maybe he drifts off into boxing.”
However, McGregor (22-5) will need to recover from the brutal mauling that the right leg suffered, an injury has cost him a six-month medical suspension or until a tibia/fibula x-ray is cleared by doctors.
Poirier’s calf kicks throughout the fight came close to immobilizing the Dubliner and paved the way for American to secure the second round TKO.
McGregor was heard on camera telling his corner that his leg was left ‘dead’ and he also needed a crutch in order to walk as his calf swelled up in the aftermath.
MMA is regarded as a dangerous sport and most fighters suffer injuries of varying degree during fights, but with close monitoring by the referee and ring-side doctors, the UFC has never had to deal with any fatalities.
However, the suspension apart, it seems unlikely that the rematch would have happened as the flyweight division is the jewel of the UFC and is stacked with talent and superstars.
Another superstar emerged in Abu Dhabi on the McGregor vs Poirier card when former Belabor champion Michael Chandler made a sensational UFC debut when he humiliated New Zealander Dan Hooker with a lop-sided first round finish.
That performance catapulted him into the fourth position on the latest UFC flyweight rankings, ahead of Tony Ferguson (5th, 25-5), Rafael dos Anjos (6th 30-13) and McGregor (7th, 22-5),
Only Poirier (1st, 27-6), Justin Gaethje (Joint 2nd, 22-3) and Charles Oliveira (Joint 2nd, 30-8) are ahead of Chandler, who insists that he deserves a shot at the title.
This, for starters, could mean a shot at Poirier, Gaethje or Oliviera first.
So where does that leave the McGregor vs Poirier trilogy?
Possibly in the wings, until the pecking order is sorted out in the division and a fight for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s belt, should the Dagestan fighter honour his retirement?
Meanwhile, Poirier looks the fronntrunner to challenge Brazil’s Oliveira, who looks a reborn fighter after a up-and-down career of 39 fights, 30 of which his has won including a current eight-fight winning streak.
Current UFC Lightweight rankings
Fighter ranking Record
1. Dustin Poirier 27-6
T2. Justin Gaethje 22-3
T2. Charles Oliveira 30-8
4. Michael Chandler 22-5
5. Tony Ferguson 25-5
6. Rafael dos Anjos 30-13
7. Conor McGregor 22-5
8. Drew Dober 23-9
9. Dan Hooker 20-10
