Do Poirier and McGregor get a 4th match to settle the score?
Before UFC 264 had started, it was widely thought that the third match between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier in the Octagon would be their last matchup.
After the bell had rung, it became very clear that there was enough drama for yet another bout. In the first round, Poirier’s punch had sent McGregor into an awkward step back, rolling his ankle and effectively splitting it, making Poirier the winner by a technical knockout.
Even though the fight had finished in the ring, they took to verbal sparring in the post match conference. After the bell had rung, Poirier took to mocking McGregor’s famous strut, and McGregor shot back promising that the affair wasn’t over and followed it up with insulting remarks about Poirier’s wife. With that, Poirier also insisted that he and McGregor would have another round, “whether it’s in the Octagon or on the sidewalk.”
Despite the vitriol and verbal jabs the two fighters have been giving each other, do Poirier and McGregor really need a 4th match to settle the score? If so, who would be the victor? Who would the bookies favour? Find out the best odds for all future UFC matchups and more here at one of the best sports betting sites in Canada.
The Build Up
The heated matchups between the two men began in July of 2014, back when McGregor was still a UFC greenhorn, going into his bout with Poirier with just three fights completed. His opponent, on the other hand, was much more experienced, having had thirteen matches under his belt since 2010.
Despite the disparity in the two mens’ fighting experience, it did not mean much at all once they had stepped into the ring. Just two minutes after the fight had started, McGregor won by TKO.
As the Irishman had predicted before the fight had started, after his assault of kicks and blows to Poirier’s head had landed, the fight was over before the first round had started.
The Rematch
Six years after that first match, the native Louisianan got his revenge over McGregor at UFC 257 on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. This time, Poirier came in strong, mostly targeting McGregor’s legs, and in the third minute of the second round, McGregor was left on the floor, leaving Poirier as the victor. By now, the two men were 1-1, both having decisively defeated the other, and a third match was a much anticipated and almost certain affair.
The Trilogy
Coming into the third match, both men looked sharp and up for the challenge. In typical fashion, McGregor was landing heavy blows to Poirier’s legs, and some of his left handed punches were connecting as well. Poirier matched McGregor blow for blow, landing seriously powerful punches, before unleashing a flurry of elbows upon the Irishman, and eventually the finishing blow that would lead the Irishman to break his leg.
The Odds of a 4th Match
Even though the two men have given each plenty of fuel for a fourth match, the sporting need for one is fairly low. Since Poirer’s loss in 2014, both of the other two matchups between the two men have ended decisively in Poirier’s favor.
Even though there can be some debate about the “validity” of the third round due to McGregor’s self-inflicted injury, but even before that, McGregor was taking a sound beating in the moments leading up to the TKO.
While it’s definitely possible he could have landed a KO blow later in the match, there’s little to suggest that as a realistic possibility in this match.
Poirier and McGregor three was a highly anticipated matchup meant to squash the discussion of which of the two fighters would end up on top.
Despite Poirier’s decisive victory, the ensuing trash talking and circumstances of the victory do keep the door open for a fourth match, even if Poirier has other things to look forward to.
