"Knock him out in the first round and get out of there" - Dustin Poirier predicts the outcome of his rematch with Conor McGregor at UFC 257

Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier is looking for redemption against Conor McGregor in a similar manner to how the Irishman beat him when they fought each other back in 2014 at UFC 178.

In the recently released UFC Countdown video, The Diamond said he wants to put the Irishman to sleep in the first round of the fight.

“Knock him out in the first round and get out of there. That is the way I want to see this fight end. January 23 I will get my hand raised by any means necessary." Said Poirier.

McGregor and Poirier are scheduled to fight each other at the upcoming UFC 257 pay-per-view which is set to take place at the Yas Islands in Abu Dhabi on January 23. While their first fight took place in the featherweight division, the rematch takes place in the heavily stacked lightweight division.

Since his first-round KO loss against McGregor at UFC 178, Poirier has gone on to beat a host of former champions and top contenders in the 155 lbs division. He is currently the #2 ranked lightweight in the world and regarded as one of the best fighters in the division at the moment.

Several MMA pundits and media outlets have suggested the the rematch might pan out differently than the first fight. Dustin Poirier believes the same.

Dustin Poirier has revenge on his mind

What's intriguing about Dustin Poirier wanting to finish McGregor in the very first round of the fight is the fact that Conor knocked him out in the first round when the pair met back in 2014. There might be an element of revenge playing inside Poirier's head regarding the manner of his defeat at the hands of the Irishman.

Conor McGregor has predicted that he will KO Dustin Poirier inside the first minute of the opening round and with Poirier claiming the same, expect a 'blink and you miss it' firefight this weekend at the Etihad Arena.

Whoever wins this fight will likely go on to fight for the title next. There's also the prospect for both men of potentially getting another shot at redemption against Khabib Nurmagomedov down the line.