5 things you need to know about UFC 264: Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 3

#4 What happened the first two times Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor fought?

UFC 257: Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor Weigh-Ins

As it stands, archrivals Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier are 1-1 against each other. At UFC 264, they will settle the score to prove once and for all who the better fighter is.

The first time they met was on the main card of UFC 178 in 2014. Back then, Poirier was the more established fighter of the two as he was already with the company for three years. Conor McGregor, on the other hand, wasn't the megastar that he is today, appearing in his fourth UFC fight.

Staying true to his pre-fight prediction, Conor McGregor made quick work of Dustin Poirier, knocking him out with a left hand at 1:46 of the opening round. There was some controversy over whether the Irishman hit his opponent in the back of the head with elbow strikes as he looked for the finish. However, it didn't matter in the end as McGregor snagged an impressive victory just the same.

Seven years later, Dustin Poirier avenged his loss and picked up arguably the biggest win of his career at UFC 257. 'The Diamond' utilized calf kicks that immobilized his foe, setting up a killing sequence in the second round.

#3 Success and downfall

UFC 257: Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor

Dustin Poirier credits his 2014 loss to Conor McGregor as a significant turning point in his career. Although he walked away from UFC 178 with a painful defeat, he took with him a valuable lesson that would help him evolve into the fighter that he is today.

Poirier admitted that he fell prey to McGregor's mind games ahead of UFC 178. As a result, he fought recklessly and paid the price with his consciousness for it. In an interview with ESPN, Poirier revealed:

"I wanted to make the guy pay, you know? I was angry. I remember wanting to fight him at the weigh-in, which is crazy to look back at. I was just in such a weird place in my mind."

McGregor, meanwhile, believes ring rust is what led to his downfall in the rematch. During the post-fight interview, the Irishman admitted that he wasn't as active as he wanted.

“I need activity. You don’t get away with being inactive in this business,” said McGregor.

Moreover, much has been said about McGregor's over-reliance on his boxing. Several fighters and analysts have pointed out that the Irishman left his lead leg vulnerable to low kicks due to him sticking to a wide boxing stance. In response, 'Notorious' vowed to bring more weapons to UFC 264.