Retired Poirier would end hiatus to face McGregor in welterweight bout IV

Dustin Poirier has declared he would end his retirement to fight Conor McGregor for a fourth time, and is willing to move up to welterweight to make it happen — issuing a direct challenge to the Irishman on the UFC’s “Deep Waters” podcast.

“Whenever he is healed up, hit me up, Conor,” Poirier said. “I’ll come back and whip you again. I would come back to whip him again. At 170.”

Poirier retired after a loss to Max Holloway last year, but has since acknowledged on multiple occasions that he misses competing. The invitation to McGregor marks the clearest signal yet that the right opponent could bring “The Diamond” back to the Octagon.

McGregor, meanwhile, is recovering from a serious knee injury sustained at UFC 329 in Las Vegas, where he suffered a first-round stoppage loss to Holloway after blowing out his knee throwing a jumping head kick. It was his first fight in five years. McGregor has stated he intends to fulfil the final fight remaining on his UFC contract.

The two men have a layered history across three weight classes. McGregor stopped Poirier in the first round at featherweight in 2014, but Poirier exacted revenge with a knockout in their lightweight rematch in January 2021. Their trilogy fight later that year ended when McGregor broke his leg, resulting in a stoppage loss.

A fourth bout would break new ground, with welterweight — 170 lbs — representing a step up from the lightweight and featherweight settings of their previous meetings.

Poirier holds a professional record of 30-10. Since the trilogy fight, he went 2-4 against elite lightweight opposition and made two unsuccessful bids for the UFC lightweight title before hanging up his gloves. McGregor stands at 22-7.

No fight has been agreed or formally discussed by the UFC, and McGregor’s recovery timeline remains unclear following the knee injury at UFC 329.