UFC 264 Results: Poirier Beats McGregor via Injury TKO, Gilbert Burns Wins

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The trilogy fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier gave fans a great first round but was unfortunately cut short.

An apparent leg injury happened when McGregor missed with a punch and his ankle appeared to break.

Before the fight-ending injury, Poirier put forth a strong first round. Both men went back and forth in the striking game before McGregor attempted to latch on to a guillotine choke. The rare move led to him winding up on his back where The Diamond controlled him for most of the round.

The bad blood between the two didn't end with the fight. Poirier referred to McGregor as a dirt bag on the post-fight broadcast, while Notorious assured his opponent that their rivalry isn't over yet.

For now, Poirier holds the bragging rights in their rivalry. After beating the Irishman in January he now holds a 2-1 advantage in their lifetime series. McGregor won their 2014 fight by first-round TKO.

Whether Poirier gets a title shot against Charles Oliveira or waits around for another fight with McGregor now becomes one of the biggest questions in the lightweight division.

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Main Card

• Dustin Poirier def. Conor McGregor via first-round TKO (doctor's decision, 5:00)
• Gilbert Burts def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
• Tai Tuivasa def. Greg Hardy via first-round TKO (1:07)
• Irene Aldana def. Yana Kunitskaya via first-round TKO (4:35)
• Sean O'Malley def. Kris Moutinho via third-round TKO (4:33)

Prelims

• Max Griffin def. Carlos Condit via unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)
• Michel Pereira def. Niko Price via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
• Ilia Topuria def. Ryan Hall via first-round knockout (4:47)
• Dricus Du Plessis def. Trevin Giles via second-round knockout (1:41)
• Jennifer Maia def. Jessica Eye via unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)
• Brad Tavares def. Omari Akhmedov via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
• Zhalgas Zhumagulov def. Jerome Rivera via first-round submission (standing guillotine choke, 2:02)

Gilbert Burns def. Stephen Thompson

If Gilbert Burns' goal is to get a rematch with Kamaru Usman, he took an important step in his win over Stephen Thompson. The Brazilian picked up a big win over a tricky veteran with a unanimous decision.

Thompson's stand-up game is always a difficult thing for opponents to figure out. However, Burns' takedown game rose to the occasion. He surprised Thompson with a takedown in the first round that established his ability to change levels and opened up everything.

Burns didn't shy away from the striking either. He took some hard shots from Wonderboy and kept coming back with his own work:

This was Burns' first fight since his loss to Usman for the strap. The loss didn't seem to affect his confidence, as he was willing to bring it to one of the more enigmatic names in the division.

He navigated Thompson's unique timing and stance and got one step closer to that title stage once more.

Tai Tuivasa def. Greg Hardy

The slugfest between Tai Tuivasa and Greg Hardy played out as one would expect. With both hulking heavyweights throwing heavy leather until someone wasn't standing.

That person just happened to be the former NFL star. Hardy fired off a big right hand that landed, but Tuivasa absorbed the blow and fired back with a left hook of his own that put Hardy down and brought the end of the fight.

It was a memorable performance for a fan favorite in Tuivasa who celebrated with his signature shoey:

As for Hardy, it's interesting to see where he goes from here. The UFC has given him plenty of opportunities in the spotlight, but he has yet to come through against better competition. None of his wins have come against a fighter who is still on the roster.

He's still just three years into his MMA career, but he's going to turn 33 by the end of the month. His ceiling might be clear at this point.

Irene Aldana def. Yana Kunitskaya

Irene Aldana came into her matchup of top-five women's bantamweights in desperate need of a win. She not only got it but also won it in style with a first-round TKO.

Yana Kunitskaya came out as the aggressor and appeared to be getting the better end of the striking. That was until a picturesque left hook from Aldana floored Kunitskaya and opened up the opportunity to finish the fight on the mat.

The win was a big one for Aldana because she was coming off a loss to Holly Holm. The 33-year-old had put together back-to-back wins before dropping one to the former champion.

Her significant power and potential to be a big draw in Mexico make Aldana one to watch.

In a division that Amanda Nunes has effectively cleaned out, Aldana's chances at getting a title shot just got a lot stronger. The loss snaps a two-fight winning streak for Kunitskaya.

Sean O'Malley def. Kris Moutinho

Kris Moutinho found out the hard way that it's fun to watch the Suga Show but not so fun to be on the receiving end of it.

Moutinho came in on short notice with Louis Smolka withdrawing from the fight just under two weeks before it was scheduled. While it was admirable for him to step in and he showed considerable toughness, O'Malley essentially used him for target practice.

O'Malley made it clear early that his striking was on another level, throwing in some flair as he pieced up his opposition:

To be fair, Moutinho put on a display of durability that should earn him another shot in the UFC. He absorbed well over 200 strikes and continued to come forward.

Referee Herb Dean called an end to the bout with just under 30 seconds left. It likely wasn't popular among fans, but it was justified based on the damage Moutinho was taking by the final round.