5 important things we learned from UFC 264

Dustin Poirier handed Conor McGregor a second consecutive defeat in the main event of UFC 264, Saturday, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, the most hyped matchup of the year ended in anti-climactic fashion when the Irishman broke his left tibia as he stepped back to dodge a punch.

The DIAMOND gets the dub via Doctor's Stoppage in RD 1️⃣ #UFC264 pic.twitter.com/fa4u4LVxzl

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

'The Diamond' will now pursue the UFC lightweight title after famously turning down a championship fight to take McGregor on for the third time. Meanwhile, 'The Notorious' Irishman is expected to miss a significant amount of time as he recovers from the brutal injury.

Poirier cementing his place as arguably the best lightweight in MMA, as well as McGregor's fall from grace, are the biggest narratives coming out of the blockbuster event. Let's take a closer look at those key takeaways and more important things we learned in the aftermath of UFC 264.

#5. UFC 264 is proof that one-trick ponies rarely succeed

UFC 264: Ilia Topuria hands Ryan Hall his first loss in the octagon

The flaws in Ryan Hall's one-dimensional style have been thoroughly exposed by rising featherweight star Ilia Topuria at UFC 264. 'El Matador' came more than prepared for each of Hall's tactics, which consisted of unorthodox kicks, pulling guard and of course, the Imanari roll.

'The Wizard' repeatedly dove for his opponent's leg in an attempt to roll his way into a grappling exchange, but to no avail. During one of his desperate attempts to go for a leg lock, Hall committed the mistake of leaving his head unprotected and paid for it dearly.

HOW ABOUT THAT 🤯 @TopuriaIlia #UFC264 pic.twitter.com/ZQvUa1nJpo

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

Topuria seized the opportunity as he swooped in and delivered several shots to his downed opponent's head. Stuck on his side, Hall wasn't able to defend against the barrage of right hands that Topuria unleashed on him.

Anyone who has seen him fight before is largely familiar with his strategy. Unfortunately, Hall found out the hard way how well his opponent had him figured out. In the end, Hall's failure to bring in new tricks is what led to his downfall.

#4. Kris Moutinho belongs in the UFC

UFC 264: Sean O'Malley vs. Kris Moutinho

Kris Moutinho may have lost in his octagon debut against up-and-coming bantamweight star Sean O'Malley, but it's safe to say that he walked away from UFC 264 as a big winner.

Due to his status as a virtual unknown, many expected Moutinho to be a cake walk for O'Malley – just another highlight in 'The Sugar Show.' But the Massachusetts native gave O'Malley more than he bargained for as he landed a few stinging head shots of his own.

Even more impressive, however, was Moutinho's displays of durability and heart. The 28-year-old ate O'Malley best shots but kept pressing forward. He absorbed a whopping 200 significant strikes before referee Herb Dean decided to call for a controversial TKO stoppage in the dying seconds of the final round.

These two D E L I V E R E D 💸 💢 @SugaSeanMMA and @MoutinhoKris secure the FOTN at #UFC264.[ B2YB @ToyoTires ] pic.twitter.com/LJKP0s4fwM

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

In the end, both competitors were handed an extra $75,000 apiece as they earned 'Fight of the Night' honors. It's safe to assume that this won't be the last time we'll see Moutinho inside the octagon.

#3. The Greg Hardy experiment ends at UFC 264

UFC 264: Tai Tuivasa vs Greg Hardy

Trying to build disgraced NFL player Greg Hardy into an MMA star was a questionable decision on the UFC's part in the first place. Nonetheless, it would have been one that made sense had Hardy proven he has what it takes to be a legitimate threat in the heavyweight division. But after UFC 264, we found out that that wasn't the case at all.

It only took rising star Tai Tuivasa 67 seconds to put Hardy away at UFC 264. In a fight that harkened back to Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry, the Australian fighter recovered from getting rocked and returned fire with a powerful left hook that sent his opponent crashing to the mat.

WHAT IN THE 🌎 @BamBamTuivasa #UFC264 pic.twitter.com/RXCmomvTsw

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

As it stands, there's no reason why the UFC should keep promoting Hardy as a featured fighter. Not only does he lack the skills to hang with high-calibre UFC heavyweights, but his checkered history only brings about backlash and unwanted attention to the company.

'The Prince of War' has already lost to Alexander Volkov, Marcin Tybura and recently to Tuivasa. That should be enough evidence to conclude that he doesn't have a very promising future in the UFC.

#2. Conor McGregor lost his powers at UFC 264

Conor McGregor breaks his tibia at UFC 264

Before UFC 264. Conor McGregor's ability to bounce back from major setbacks was one of his most impressive skills. But instead of redeeming himself at UFC 264, 'The Notorious' Irishman suffered a devastating loss and an even more devastating injury.

Freak accident aside, though, there wasn't enough proof to believe that McGregor would have emerged victorious against Dustin Poirier. 'The Diamond' was in phenomenal shape and appeared to be on track to deliver a masterful performance.

HEAVY ground and pound by the Diamond 👊#UFC264 pic.twitter.com/MlDAiNKKtW

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

Poirier landed cleaner punches and controlled McGregor on the ground for a huge portion of the opening round. The Louisiana native was up 10-8 on two of the judges' scorecards before McGregor's injury brought the UFC 264 main event to a screetching halt.

All the same, it appears that McGregor will fight Poirier for the fourth time once he's healed up. UFC president Dana White has confirmed that the Irishman will get another rematch down the line.

#1. Dustin Poirier might be the best lightweight in the UFC

UFC 264: Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor 3

Charles Oliveira is the current titleholder in the UFC's 155-pound weight class. But is he the best lightweight on the promotion's roster? Dustin Poirier might have something to say about that.

Ahead of UFC 264, there was a ton of talk regarding the adjustments and surprises that McGregor might spring on Poirier. Come fight night, however, it was Poirier who looked like an improved version of himself.

Can't dim his 𝒮𝐻𝐼𝒩𝐸. [ @DustinPoirier | #UFC264 ] pic.twitter.com/hxOJizJ7Fn

— UFC (@ufc) July 11, 2021

No disrespect to Oliveira, but Poirier is now on an impressive 8-1 run with six wins against former UFC champions. That said, it's undeniable that 'The Diamond' has more notable wins than the newly-minted champ.

While Poirier could have fought for the title to prove he is the best lightweight in the world, it's understandable why he chose the more lucrative trilogy bout with McGregor. After all, money fights as big as UFC 264 don't come by as often as title shots do.