Conor McGregor confidently predicts he'll destroy Dustin Poirier in a single round on Fight Island
- Conor McGregor has predicted he'll need less than a minute to knock Dustin Poirier out this month.
- The Irish striker returns to the Octagon for his first bout in 12 months when he competes in a lightweight match against the American on January 23 at Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
- "I think he's a good fighter. He's even a great fighter. But great is still levels below me," McGregor confidently said. "I'll knock Dustin out inside 60 seconds."
- McGregor was once known as "Mystic Mac" for his accurate pre-fight predictions and said before his first fight with Poirier in 2014 that he'd finish him.
- True to his word, McGregor won in less than two minutes.
- Only time will tell if history repeats itself.
FIGHT ISLAND - Conor McGregor has channeled his old, Mystic Mac days by confidently predicting he'll knock Dustin Poirier out in the very first round of their match.
McGregor returns to the Octagon for the first time in 12 months on January 23, competing against Poirier in a lightweight fight.
In his previous fight, the Irish striker used kicks and shoulder strikes to dominate Donald Cerrone, putting the "Cowboy" away in 40 seconds at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in January 2020.
In a clip on UFC Europe's social media channel, McGregor can be heard saying he'll get the job done in 60 seconds on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi this time round.
"I like Dustin," the 32-year-old said. "I think he's a good fighter. He's even a great fighter. But great is still levels below me.
"I'll knock Dustin out inside 60 seconds."
Watch the clip here:
McGregor and Poirier have fought once before, in 2014 at UFC 178.
The fighters, who were featherweights at that time, were on the main card for the Las Vegas event, but not main event, or even co-main event, attractions.
McGregor spent the build-up belittling Poirier's punch resistance.
"I'm gonna crack him with a jab, he's going to wobble, and I'm going to put him away early," he said pre-fight. "It's gonna be a first-round KO. Mark my words."
True to his prediction, McGregor interchanged between southpaw jabs and kicks as he took control of the center of the Octagon.
Though Poirier landed his own strikes, McGregor closed the show after 100 seconds, dropping Poirier to the floor and then finishing the job with heavy hands from the top.
Only time will tell if history will repeat itself.
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