Dustin Poirier is leaving the door open for a fourth go-around with longtime rival Conor McGregor.
“The Diamond” retired in 2025 following a fan-friendly fight against another rival, Max Holloway, and by all accounts he is content with his decision despite frequently mentioning how much he misses competing inside the octagon. However, asked how he’d react if the call came for him to fight McGregor for a fourth time, Poirier couldn’t help but give fans hope for a comeback.
“If it was realistic and they
called me and said, ‘Hey,’ I would probably get back in the drug-testing protocol and get licensed again, yeah,” Poirier told the Weighing In podcast.
Talk of yet another Poirier-McGregor fight was bound to come up with McGregor finally booking a return bout after five years on the sidelines. Poirier played a major part in McGregor taking a lengthy hiatus as “The Notorious” broke his leg in a loss to Poirier at UFC 264. McGregor’s fighting career was put on pause by the serious injury and he also missed time due to being cast in a major role in the 2024 film Road House, another injury that knocked him out of a UFC 303 grudge match with Michael Chandler, and being found liable in a civil suit for sexual assault stemming from a 2018 incident in his native Dublin.
The UFC recently announced McGregor is set to headline UFC 329 on July 11 opposite Holloway. McGregor turns 38 three days after his comeback fight and there are questions about how he will look after being out of the cage for so long. Poirier gives him a puncher’s chance.
“Yeah, I don’t think Conor’s going to look as bad as Nate [Diaz at MVP MMA], that was really bad,” Poirier said. “I think the punching power’s going to be there regardless. Conor’s going to come back from the injury and still have that natural punching power. The question for me is the timing, the athleticism, the movement, all those questions need to be answered. I don’t know. We haven’t seen him, so I don’t know. If his counter-punching and his timing is anywhere near what it was, he has a chance to beat Max.
“Look, I love Max, but the career he’s had and the longevity he’s had, he’s touched the canvas in his last three fights. That’s more than he’s touched it in his entire career. I just think time’s catching up with him. He’s still a young man, but he’s taken a lot of shots, and Conor can punch. No matter how long he’s been out, he still has the great equalizer and that’s power. Some guys are born with it.”
A Poirier comeback remains a pipe dream, though he acknowledged he still has “six or seven” fights left on his UFC contract. He added that he’s confident the matchmakers would find him another fight if he asked.
For now, Poirier accepts that his fighting days are done… even if he thinks he could still hang with the best of them.
“It’s a different life,” Poirier said. “I grew up in the fight game, so my whole life was fighting. Every day I’d wake up and want to be better, I’d want to work on techniques, and I’d want to get beat up. Now I’m waking up and just being a dad, running business, life’s different.
“It’s good. Some days I wake up and I really feel like this was the right decision, everything’s where it should be. Some days I wake up and I want to fight because I know I can beat these guys still. I don’t know if that ever goes. I don’t know if that every leaves. I might be 60 years old thinking the same thing, I don’t know, but I still think I can beat these guys.”
TOP STORIES
Gross. T.J. Dillashaw heard that Khamzat Chimaev was “puking up green bile” due to UFC 328 weight cut.
Nope. Holly Holm warns fans not to get their hopes up about a Ronda Rousey rematch.
Challenge. Natalia Silva is waiting for Valentina Shevchenko to step up for their title fight.
Why? Glover Teixeira and Shogun Rua are back. In boxing form!
Sad. Dana White says he’s not on speaking terms with Anderson Silva after UFC split.
Blame. Ilia Topuria puts the onus on the UFC for his superfight with Islam Makhachev not happening.
Wack. Ryan Garcia explains why he’s not paying up in $40,000 bet with Arman Tsarukyan.
Missed Fists. Dude just launched himself backwards to escape a choke… and it worked???
VIDEO STEW
Mike Heck chats with T.J.
ICYMI, check out MMA Fighting’s Town Hall with PFL boss John Martin.
Ilia Topuria doc trailer.
Daniel Cormier and Chad Johnson.
BKFC Birminghma press conference.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
The definitive fight week schedule.
Title shot or bust.
The comeback.
Locked in.
Punishment or privilege?
Hi-tech.
PFL San Diego.
Mythbusters.
Correct.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Usman Nurmagomedov (21-0) vs. Archie Colgan (13-0); PFL Long Island, July 31
Dakota Ditcheva (15-0) vs. Denise Kielholtz (9-5); PFL Long Island, July 31
Jovan Leka (13-2) vs. Max Gimenis (6-2); UFC Belgrade, Aug. 1
Glover Teixeira vs. Shogun Rua (boxing); Spaten Fight Night, Aug. 29
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Don’t listen to Dana White. Ever.
If you or someone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts or other mental health issues, please dial 988 or reach out through 988 Lifeline.
Talk to someone.
EXIT POLL
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