ABU DHABI – An unlikely UFC rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier is official for UFC 257 on Saturday, as both fighters gained weight successfully during Friday’s weight loss.
McGregor (22-4), the undisputed lightweight champion, weighed in at 155 pounds. Poirier (26-6), who won an interim lightweight champion in 2019, tipped the balance at 156. The contest headlines UFC 257 on Saturday at the Etihad Arena.
This will mark the second competition between the two light weights. The first took place in 2014 and at the limit of 145 kilograms for the weight of the feather. McGregor eliminated Poirier in just 1:46 of battle with his infamous left hand. This would actually be Poirier’s last featherweight fight as he climbed into the lightweight division in his next match.
Amazingly, McGregor has only competed in lightweight twice in his UFC career. He won the belt in his UFC lightweight debut in late 2016, eliminating then-champion Eddie Alvarez. In 2018, he lost to reigning champion Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission in the fourth round. McGregor, 32, has repeatedly said he set up his frame for an extended 155-pound race in 2021.
In the main event, former Bellator MMA lightweight champion Michael Chandler (21-5) and Dan Hooker (20-9) from New Zealand each successfully won. Both Chandler and Hooker came in at 156 pounds.
It’s a massive week for the lightweight division, as UFC president Dana White teased out-running champion Khabib Numragomedov could return for another fight if any of the top four weights on the card are impressive enough. Nurmagomedov, for his part, has repeatedly stated that he does not intend to fight soon, but still remains the current lightweight champion.
McGregor and Poirier were the first fighters to step on Friday. Immediately afterwards, UFC’s Jon Anik announced that the fight between Ottman Azaitar and Matt Frevola had been canceled.