Conor McGregor yells out to the crowd at the UFC 246 weigh ins. Photo Credit: Reuters
Conor McGregor challenges Dustin Poirier to MMA exhibition fight for charity, Poirier accepts
Although he retired for a second time in his career earlier this year, former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor seems eager to get back into a fight, and on Monday night challenged a former opponent of his. While rumors began to swirl last week of a potential boxing fight between McGregor and legendary boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, McGregor threw out a challenge to Dustin Poirier for an exhibition MMA fight for charity.
Included in McGregor’s challenge to Poirier was him saying he’d donate $500,000 to Poirier’s Good Fight Foundation, the fight would have zero to do with the UFC, it would take place on December 12 in Ireland, with McGregor covering all costs for his opponent.
Hey bro! You want to do an MMA charity fight? Zero to do with the ufc. I will donate half a mill towards your charity for it. Sell it on ppv or work a tv deal and we work out other charities that are close to my heart also. I am engaged in many.
Strictly a charity “exhibition”— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 29, 2020
December 12th in the Point depot, Ireland. No weigh ins.
Open weight, unified rules.
I will arrange all travel fare for you and family.
McGregor Sports and Entertainment MMA, in association with The Good Fight Foundation.
Charity Mixed Martial Arts!— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 29, 2020
Poirier would then respond to Conor McGregor, who moved the conversation offline to continue negotiations, and not only accepted, but made it appear as if the fight could be coming together rather quickly.
I'm in! Lets do it! A lot of people will benefit from this @TheGoodFightFDN https://t.co/Hy0ZlPFyFv
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 29, 2020
December 12 Circle your calendars#peahead
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 29, 2020
Although McGregor says he is retired, both he and Poirier would still have to get the UFC to sign off on the fight, which could be difficult seeing how McGregor mentioned it would have “nothing to do with the UFC”.
The challenge also comes days after McGregor and UFC President Dana White engaged in a bitter back-and-forth after McGregor leaked private messages between him and White about potential fights earlier this year, to which White claimed that the Irish superstar broke “man code”.
Whether it’s the rumors of a potential boxing fight against Manny Pacquiao (which Dana White said he had no idea about) or this exhibition fight against Dustin Poirier in December, it’s clear that Conor McGregor is looking to get back into action, one way or another. When 2020 started, McGregor told the media he would have a 2020 “season” where he had a vision of fighting at least three times this year, but that was before the COVID-19 pandemic hit worldwide. McGregor has not competed since his 40-second TKO victory over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in January.
