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Dustin Poirier on 4th Fight With Conor McGregor: 'We'll See What Happens'
December 11, 2021
Dustin Poirier said his rivalry with Conor McGregor is a chapter of his career that "will never be closed."
Poirier, who will face off with lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in a title fight at UFC 269 on Saturday night, told TMZ Sports he can't rule out another clash with McGregor in the future.
"I don't know [about a fourth fight], we'll see what happens," he said. "[Conor and I are] in two completely different spots if I get my hand on this belt."
Poirier heads into Saturday's championship bout off two straight victories over McGregor in January and July. Both wins came via TKO.
It gave the 32-year-old American a 2-1 advantage in his rivalry with the 33-year-old Irishman, who won their first career meeting in September 2014 by knockout.
As Poirier alluded, what happens next is heavily dependent on whether he's able to overcome Oliveira to become a full-time UFC title-holder for the first time. He previously held the interim belt for five months in 2019 before losing a unification bout to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
If he becomes the new champ, he'll have a host of challengers waiting for the opportunity to face him, starting with a potential rematch against Oliveira. McGregor, who's lost three of his last four fights, probably won't be in the conversation for a title chance.
Should "The Diamond" fall short against Oliveira, however, then the door to a fourth McGregor matchup could open since their rivalry has proved it can still be a ratings draw.
"The Notorious" suffered a broken tibia in their last meeting and is still in the recovery stages. He wrote on Twitter last month he expects to receive full clearance by April and at that point would be looking at an "imminent" return to the Octagon.
That timeline would create a path to another clash with Poirier, but there are too many variables in play to predict whether that's a realistic outcome at this stage.
For now, Poirier is focused on what should be a competitive, entertaining battle with Oliveira on Saturday night.