Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor squared off three times with one another during their UFC careers, and it sounds as though a fourth fight with the Irishman is the one match that could bring his former rival out of retirement.
The pair first met back in 2014 on the undercard for UFC 178, where McGregor finished the fight with punches in the first round. Their second meeting came seven years later in January 2021, and Poirier settled the score by securing a knockout win of his own in the second round. The Louisiana native also came out on top in their trilogy match that followed later in the year, as McGregor suffered a broken ankle that many suspected would end his career.
After a lengthy recovery, McGregor had his comeback fight scheduled with Michael Chandler in 2024, following the pair coaching opposite one another on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter. But unfortunately, the bout was cancelled due to another injury.
McGregor is now scheduled to face Max Holloway during International Fight Week 2026 on July 11th in Las Vegas. But it seems this return against Holloway could be just the beginning of a new era for McGregor, as the former two-division champion seems focused on staying active.
Dustin Poirier stepped away from the octagon at UFC 318 in 2025 following a loss to Holloway by decision, which had been planned as his last match. Despite attempting to sink into retirement, Poirier has spoken about a return multiple times, and with McGregor active in the UFC once again, he says that is the only fight he would truly want.
“I might, dude. If it was realistic and they called me and said, ‘Hey,’ dude I would probably get back in the drug-testing protocol and get licensed again, yeah.” Poirier responded with when asked if he would make a return to face McGregor once again.