Conor McGregor: Dustin Poirier Trilogy Fight Is 'Meant to Be' After UFC 257 Loss

Speaking out in detail for the first time since losing at UFC 257, Conor McGregor is hoping to get a third match against Dustin Poirier. 

In a post on Instagram, McGregor said a trilogy "bout for all the marbles" with Poirier is "meant to be."

Poirier also left the door open to a third fight with McGregor:

"It's 1-1," Poirier told ESPN's Ariel Helwani this week (h/t Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com). "I knocked him out; he knocked me out. The rubber match, it does make sense."

Poirier noted in that same conversation with Helwani that he should be at the front of the line in the lightweight title discussion:

"Who else has put the resume together that I have in my last six, seven fights, whatever it has been? Also beating Conor, a two-weight world champion, adds another world champion to the list of guys I've taken out. ... I think I'm most deserving to be in a title fight out of all these guys," he said. 

Per Helwani, McGregor is looking to fight again around May and Poirier is open to that timeframe. 

UFC has yet to officially make a decision regarding the 155-pound title. Khabib Nurmagomedov still holds the championship, but he announced his retirement last October after beating Justin Gaethje. 

The UFC 257 bout marked McGregor's first competitive bout since defeating Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds on Jan. 18, 2020. He's lost two of his three fights since 2018, including a second-round TKO loss against Poirier last month.