ABU DHABI: On Saturday, a UFC untitled light rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier is official for UFC 257, as both fighters weighed in during Friday’s weight loss.
McGregor (22-4), former undisputed lightweight champion, weighed 155 pounds. Poirier (26-6), who won an interim lightweight champion in 2019, tipped the scales at 156. The UFC 257 title contest on Saturday at the Etihad Arena.
This will mark the second contest between the two lightweights. The first took place in 2014 and with the pen weight limit of 145 pounds. McGregor eliminated Poirier just 1:46 from the fight, with his famous left hand. Actually, this would be Poirier’s final battle against featherweight as he climbed into the lightweight division in his next fight.
Surprisingly, McGregor has only competed in lightweight twice in his UFC career. He won the belt in his lightweight UFC debut in late 2016, eliminating then-champion Eddie Alvarez. In 2018, he lost to defending champion Khabib Nurmagomedov by appearing in the fourth round. McGregor, 32, has repeatedly stated that he designed his framework for a £ 155 run in 2021.
In the main event, Bellator MMA lightweight champion Michael Chandler (21-5), and New Zealander Dan Hooker (20-9), have weighed in successfully. Both Chandler and Hooker reached £ 156.
It’s a massive week for the lightweight division, as UFC president Dana White has mocked defending champion Khabib Numragomedov, who could fight again if any of the card’s four lightweights are impressive enough. Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, has repeatedly stated that he has no intention of fighting soon, but still remains the current lightweight champion.
McGregor and Poirier were the first of the fighters to step on the ladder on Friday. Immediately afterwards, Jon Anik of the UFC announced that the fight between Ottman Azaitar and Matt Frevola had been canceled.