Dustin Poirier Credits Conor McGregor Rematch at UFC 257 As the Turning Point of His Life

Jan 23, 2021; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Dustin Poirier reacts after his knockout victory over Conor McGregor of Ireland in a lightweight fight during the UFC 257 event inside Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports

It appears that Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor may have finally closed the chapter on their decade-long rivalry. The two first met at UFC 178 in September 2014, in a bout charged with emotion. McGregor successfully got under Poirier’s skin and capitalized inside the Octagon, securing a first-round knockout victory. Nearly seven years later, they ran it back at UFC 257 in January 2021. This time, both fighters were at very different stages in their careers. While the buildup was surprisingly respectful, Poirier flipped the switch on fight night, earning a second-round TKO and becoming the first man to knock out McGregor in the UFC, setting the stage for a highly anticipated trilogy.

Their third clash at UFC 264 was the most heated of them all. The fight ended in dramatic fashion when McGregor suffered a broken leg, an injury that has sidelined him ever since. Since then, ‘The Diamond’ has stepped away from the sport, while McGregor is reportedly targeting a return during International Fight Week this summer. Despite their intense history, Poirier now seems ready to move on, recently crediting the Irish superstar for playing a pivotal role in changing his life, particularly following their two fights later in his career.

Dustin Poirier Opens Up on How Conor McGregor KO in Abu Dhabi Turned Him Into a Global Star

For the unversed, Dustin Poirier made his UFC debut in 2011 at UFC 125 and went on to build a reputation against elite competition across both the featherweight and lightweight divisions. The Louisiana native captured interim gold at UFC 236 with a win over Max Holloway and later challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov for the undisputed title at UFC 242. 

However, despite his accomplishments, Poirier’s mainstream recognition didn’t truly explode until his later clashes with Conor McGregor, particularly their rematch at UFC 257. That night in Abu Dhabi proved to be life-changing, and knocking out McGregor flipped the script entirely, elevating Poirier’s profile to new heights. 

Reflecting on it during a recent appearance on The JRE MMA Show, Poirier openly credited McGregor for that shift. He said, “I fought like 19 years until that Conor fight, that’s when things changed for me recognition-wise. The door opened for seminars, for appearances. That changed [everything].”

Poirier acknowledged that even with a successful resume prior to that bout, it was the McGregor fight that pushed him into the mainstream spotlight. He added, “I had been in so many UFC main events. I had fought for the belt and done all this stuff, but that guy’s name, man.”

 

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And the impact was undeniable. Following his back-to-back wins over McGregor, Poirier earned another shot at undisputed gold at UFC 269 against Charles Oliveira. Although he fell short, his final stretch in the Octagon featured marquee matchups against top names like Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje, along with a third title opportunity against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.

His star power remained strong until the very end, with the UFC hosting his retirement fight in his home state of Louisiana at UFC 318, where he faced Holloway once again in a fitting farewell.

Financially, the McGregor trilogy was also historic. UFC 264 reportedly sold around 1.8 million pay-per-views, making it one of the biggest events in history, surpassing the estimated 1.6 million buys for their rematch at UFC 257. Reports even suggest that ‘The Diamond’ earned close to $10 million from the third fight alone, thanks to his share of the massive PPV revenue.

 

In the years since, the rivalry has softened. McGregor congratulated Poirier on the birth of his son and paid tribute to him following his retirement bout with Holloway, bringing a respectful close to one of the sport’s most intense trilogies.