Conor McGregor: ‘Dustin Poirier is a great fighter but I’ll knock him out inside 60 seconds’

Irishman stopped ‘The Diamond’ in the first round of their featherweight clash in 2014

Conor McGregor has offered his prediction as to how his UFC 257 main event against Dustin Poirier will play out.

The upcoming lightweight bout marks a rematch of the pair’s featherweight contest in 2014, when McGregor knocked out the American in a little over 90 seconds.

That bout was a three-round fight, whereas their impending showdown will be a five-rounder – should it go the distance.

But McGregor does not see that happening.

READ MORE: Of all McGregor’s possible opponents, why Poirier?

“What’s he gonna do this time?” McGregor asked. “Come forward and go for it, or are you gonna back away and try and wait for it?

“Either option is bad.”

McGregor’s trash talk got inside Poirier’s head before the fighters’ first meeting, with ‘The Diamond’ later admitting that his emotions had gotten the better of him.

This time around, McGregor has been much more cordial, frequently declaring his respect for the former interim  UFC lightweight champion.

However, with the rematch – scheduled for 23 January on ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi – fast approaching, the Irishman has now begun to show hints of his old ruthless streak. 

“I like Dustin,” McGregor added. “I think he’s a good fighter – he’s even a great fighter, you know, but great is still levels below me.

“I’ll knock Dustin out inside 60 seconds.”