UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira expects Conor McGregor to knock Dustin Poirier out at UFC 264. The 31-year-old also expressed interest in defending his belt against the Irishman.
McGregor and Poirer are set to compete in a trilogy fight this Saturday on July 10. They first locked horns at UFC 178 in 2014, where 'Notorious' comfortably defeated Poirier.
Almost seven years later, they shared the octagon for the second time at UFC 257. Poirier was able to avenge his previous defeat as he handed McGregor the first knockout loss of his career.
Their upcoming trilogy fight is considered one of the most highly anticipated clashes in recent UFC history.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Oliveira, who won the UFC lightweight title in May earlier this year, recently interacted with TMZ sports. He was asked who he believes will emerge victorious in the UFC 264 headliner.
'Do Bronx' favored McGregor to win the trilogy fight via a knockout. The Brazilian also noted he will be sitting cageside at the T-Mobile Arena.
Oliveira is currently on a nine-fight win streak. He last fought Michael Chandler at UFC 262 and successfully captured the lightweight title by knocking him out in the second round.
Some of the Most Popular Conor McGregor Quotes
Conor McGregor wants to 'dance with the Brazilians' once again
Conor McGregor has set his eyes on reclaiming the UFC lightweight championship. If he breezes past Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, his next fight will be against Charles Oliveira, McGregor told BT Sport's Ariel Helwani.
However, 'The Notorious' doesn't see the Brazilian posing any danger in their potential fight. McGregor expects Oliveira to "crumble" if he ever shares the octagon with the Irishman.
"He's (Charles Oliveira) timid. He's gonna crumble... It's Oliveira next. We dance with the Brazilians again and I look forward to it," said Conor McGregor.
The last Brazilian that Conor McGregor faced was former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo.
Both men competed in the main event of UFC 194, where McGregor caused a huge upset, knocking out Aldo in 13 seconds of the first round.
McGregor is currently ranked No.5 in the lightweight division. A win over No.1-ranked Poirier at UFC 264 will most likely earn him a title shot.
Here are the Latest UFC Predictions by Sportskeeda