Multiple reports over the last couple of weeks have suggested that Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will indeed fight for a third time in July. Now, 'The Notorious' has claimed it is locked in.
McGregor won their first fight in emphatic fashion at UFC 178, scoring a first-round finish on the American. However 'The Diamond' came prepared for their rematch back in January at UFC 257, using a series of stiff leg kicks to leave his adversary vulnerable to a revenge result in the second round.
In a post on Twitter, McGregor said: "The fight is booked! July 10th you're gonna see what the Mac is about. Adjust and absolutely f—king destroy!"
(Note: explicit language in embedded Tweet)
With the UFC and other sporting giants slowly beginning to welcome fans back into arenas and early July often serving as one of the biggest points on the MMA calendar as 'International Fight Week', the eagerly-anticipated decider between bitter enemies turned respectful rivals McGregor and Poirier is a perfect opportunity for Dana White's promotion to return to normality in style.
McGregor was accused by many fans of being too rusty in the second Poirier fight, given that he was absent from the Octagon for two years between 2016 and 2018, with only a swift win over popular gatekeeper Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone in early 2020 preventing another layoff of a similar length. In addition, some felt the Irishman was distracted by the allure of returning to boxing to face Manny Pacquiao in a lucrative crossover attraction.