As you would expect, UFC 257 was one of the hottest events of 2021 and took place at the start of the year in the early hours of a Sunday morning over on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
They set up the time so that the main audience over in the states could have a Saturday night watch party. And surely this went down a storm as the event surpassed everyones expectations and even their predictions with a couple of huge upsets.
In this article I’ll answer some of the common questions about the event and give you some of my personal thoughts about what the hell just happened with Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2.
What weight was Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2?
The fight weight for McGregor vs Poirier 2 was set at 155 pounds for the Lightweight division.
Did Dustin Poirier make weight?
Dustin weighed on the scales at 156 pounds. This was the maximum threshold for this fight and Dustin hit it right on the mark.
Conor on the other hand came in at 155 pounds which was the target weight.
The difference of 1 pound of weight is negligible for a fight, but if it came to being a few pounds difference then things can change. Including the fighter’s earnings.
What happens if a UFC fighter misses weight?
If a fighter comes in at the weigh-ins and misses the target weight by being above the maximum threshold, then their “purse” of the event earnings is reduced by between 20-30% with that money going to the opposition fighter assuming they still take the fight.
Usually fights will always continue if the weight is within 5 pounds difference, with the opponent accepting the fight and taking the extra purse money for it. At the end of the day, the fighters came to make a fight happen.
If a weigh-in has a huge difference, say 10 pounds or over, then the fight is likely to be cancelled. But this is really rare. Fighters have been training for months leading up to a fight trying to condition their body to prepare for the weight. Having a fight cancelled could mean that neither fighter earns any money which is a big risk for their livelihood.
If a fighter makes too many offenses, by missing weight for several events, they could be fined or eventually fired from the promotion.
When it’s all said and done, the UFC or any other fight promotion is there to create an entertainment event. And that can’t happen successfully without fights on display.
Who won Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2?
Dustin Poirier beat Conor McGregor by second-round TKO.
Coming into Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2, most people including the bookies had the odds in Conor’s favour. Conor is a superstar of the sport and after a dominant display last year against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, the expectation was on him being dominant once again.
Despite some high level takedown defense, clinch and grappling skill, Conor was fairly quickly tired out by Dustin’s relenting attacks on different techniques and level changes.
Dustin attacked the legs of Conor for takedowns, worked him long in the clinch up against the fence, and of course challenged him on the feet with a high level of boxing.
On the feet, Conor looked to be getting the best of the engagements with his expertise in counter strikes and dodge on a near Matrix-like degree.
But as we’ve always seen with Dustin’s fights, he is unrelenting. He can take many powerful hits and uses it to his advantage to give back what he gets.
Dustin “Diamond” Poirier only gets sharper as time goes on in a fight and this was the case against McGregor. Mid way into the second round Conor looked fatigued from Dustin’s stamina level and was eventually clipped on the side of the head as Conor tried to roll under his punch, sending him down to the floor and finished shortly after.
It appeared a bit of a similar throwback to the first fight between these two, when Dustin was sent to the canvas by Conor whilst trying to duck under a punch.
Both men in both situations were trying to duck or roll a punch, but got clipped on the way down which sent them tumbling.
Incredible display by Dustin for Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2. Who else is looking forward to round three between the pair? I know I am.
What rank is Dustin Poirier?
After the second fight against Conor, Dustin was then ranked #2 in the Lightweight division just behind Justin Gaethje.
Interestingly, Gaethje beat Poirier when they fought but this was in 2018. Since then, Gaethje went on for a 4-fight win streak to then only be beaten by Khabib when he challenged for the Lightweight Championship belt.
Since that same time, Dustin has had five fights and only lost one of those, also to Khabib.
The two are certainly neck-and-neck on the rankings. Arguably Poirier has fought the highest level of fighters during this time and could easily be ranked #1.
How many losses does Dustin Poirier have?
At the time of UFC 257: Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2, Dustin had 6 losses in his career.
One of those was against Conor McGregor back in 2014 for UFC 178. Between that event and UFC 257 in 2021, he has only lost twice against Michael Johnson and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Who is Conor McGregor fighting next?
As of UFC 257: Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2, Conor is ranked #4 in the Lightweight division. It could be difficult to understand who he’ll fight next because Conor is unlikely to take a fight unless there is a spectacle event to be created.
Conor’s superstar status could mean that he gets a certain level of special treatment, being able to pick the fights he wants with the intent of generating hefty revenue.
Luckily, though, most of Conor’s fights generate a lot of cash. Even after his loss to Dustin at UFC 257, I think many people will be intrigued to see his return and see how he bounces back from it.
Conor may have to prove his status again to get another shot at a higher ranked fighter. Matches against Charles Oliveira, Tony Ferguson and even Dan Hooker are all possible.
Who is Dustin Poirier fighting next?
After beating Conor at UFC 257: Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2, it solidifies Dustin’s spot as one of top contenders for the belt. If Khabib is finally to relinquish the Lightweight Championship belt for the next title holder, then it seems obvious to me that Poirier and Gaethje need to go at it again to decide who is the top dog.
There is potential for Charles Oliveira to be thrown in the mix there as ranked #3 at the time of UFC 257, but he hasn’t fought as many of the big names like Poirier and Gaethje have.
Whatever fight comes next, Dustin deserves to be having a shot for the championship belt.
What did Poirier give McGregor during the face-off?
You might remember that during a respectful face-off between the two, Poirier hands something over to McGregor in a friendly exchange.
It was of course, Dustin Poirier’s Louisiana hot sauce.
Earlier, Conor remarked that he’d hand over some of his own whisky brand to Dustin which was also sponsoring the UFC 257 event.
How much money did McGregor make at UFC 257?
The disclosed purse money for Conor McGregor at UFC 257: Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2 was $5 million. As well as a % cut of the pay-per-view revenue.
How much money did Poirier make at UFC 257?
Dustin Poirier’s purse money for UFC 257 was $1 million. Which was the most he has earned from a single fight. Dustin also gets a % of revenue from the event, but it’s unknown whether exactly this was pay-per-view revenue which is likely to bring in most of the cash.
Conclusion
A truly hot event to start off 2021. Two of the biggest names in fighting going head-to-head and generating a lump sum of cash for their pockets and also Dustin’s charity, The Good Fight Foundation.
Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2 was a cracker and there’s many more great UFC events to come in 2021.
I’m sure you are, like me, looking forward to seeing both these fighters again soon. I am excited for whatever comes next for them individually, but also already getting hyped for Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 3 which is undoubtedly coming up in the future.
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