Conor McGregor and long-time rival Dustin Poirier narrowly avoided a ‘bad’ run-in at a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) event last weekend. The two fighters have a history spanning a decade in the UFC, with McGregor securing a knockout victory over Poirier in 2014, followed by Poirier returning the favor in January 2021. Their trilogy concluded with McGregor suffering a broken leg in round one.
While McGregor and Poirier had a civil relationship leading up to and following their second bout, tensions escalated when McGregor taunted Poirier before their initial fight and during their last encounter. McGregor infamously directed verbal insults towards Poirier’s wife, Jolie, while nursing his broken leg in the Octagon in July 2021.
The possibility of an unsanctioned fourth fight loomed large last Saturday as McGregor and Poirier came in close proximity at the BKFC event in Spain. Poirier recounted the near miss, stating that he was alerted to McGregor’s presence behind him and narrowly avoided a confrontation.
Poirier likened the situation to a scene from the animated series “Family Guy,” where characters Peter and a chicken engage in spontaneous brawls upon encountering each other. Reflecting on the potential clash, Poirier acknowledged that had they made eye contact, things could have turned ugly between them.
Although McGregor, 36, has been inactive since his third fight with Poirier, 35, Poirier has been more active in the octagon, participating in five fights since their last meeting. Despite suffering losses to fighters like Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev, Poirier also secured wins over competitors like Benoit Saint-Denis and Michael Chandler.
Following his defeat to Makhachev in June, speculations arose about Poirier’s retirement. However, the American fighter has maintained that he intends to continue competing in the UFC.
The close encounter between McGregor and Poirier at the BKFC event has reignited interest in a potential future clash between the two fierce competitors, keeping fans eager to see if a fourth fight will materialize.