The first major UFC event of the calendar year sees Conor McGregor face Dustin Poirier in a lightweight rematch of their 2014 featherweight encounter at UFC 257.
Circumstances for both fighters will be much different on Saturday, Jan. 23, then when they met six-and-a-half years ago. Hence, their recent fights are likely to serve as a better measuring stick than that fateful night at UFC 178 when McGregor stopped Poirier in the first round.
Here are the Irishman's last five combat sport contests, the results, and how he performed.
Nate Diaz - UFC 202
On March 5, 2016, at UFC 196, McGregor suffered his first UFC defeat. Initially set to challenge Rafael dos Anjos as part of his goal to become a dual featherweight and lightweight champion, an injury to the Brazilian-American left one of the company's biggest stars without a dance partner very close to the event. With many fighters refusing to jump in at short notice, Diaz took the fight. McGregor allowed it to take place at welterweight, which was his undoing, losing by second-round submission in a massive upset.
This led to a rematch at UFC 202, again at welterweight, where McGregor avenged his submission loss with a majority decision winning performance. Fans have been keen to see a trilogy fight ever since.
Eddie Alvarez - UFC 205
In the meantime, Dos Anjos lost the lightweight title to Alvarez to set the stage for McGregor's bid to become the UFC's first-ever double champion in the main event of the company's first event at Madison Square Garden.
The historic show, set up after New York finally legalized MMA events, was the site of perhaps McGregor's finest hour. The Irishman was too much for the defending champion, eventually dropping him with a combination of punches and forcing a halt to proceedings in round two.
Boxing match vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
After that, McGregor's next fight actually took place in a boxing ring, as he and undefeated great Floyd Mayweather Jr. delivered one of the most curious spectacles in fight sports history on Aug. 26, 2017, in Las Vegas. No slouch with his fists, McGregor landed more shots in the early rounds than anyone expected. Of course, his inexperience soon showed as he inevitably tired later on, and the veteran picked him off before forcing the stoppage in Round 10.
Khabib Nurmagomedov - UFC 229
McGregor's unsavory feud with Nurmagomedov, littered with cage invasions and criminal damage, was finally paid off on Oct. 6, 2018, at UFC 229. Khabib's true greatness was evident as he smothered one of the sport's pound-for-pound best before tapping him out with a neck crank in round four.
The Russian's post-fight reactions showed the anger from months of animosity was still very much there, while the usually-brash Irishman was humbled in decisive defeat.
Donald Cerrone - UFC 246
McGregor returned to the cage at UFC 246 in a return to welterweight against popular gatekeeper Donald Cerrone. McGregor finished "The Cowboy" in just 40 seconds with a head kick and punches for the early stoppage.