Conor McGregor is ‘special’ enough to make a UFC comeback, according to his ex-rival Dustin Poirier.
Poirier is the last man to step foot in the octagon with McGregor, having beaten the Irishman twice in 2021.
In fact, no other fighter in the UFC has traded blows with McGregor more than the American, who was knocked out by ‘The Notorious’ in 2014.
McGregor was scheduled to make his almighty return at UFC 303 last June, but withdrew from his clash with Michael Chandler after injuring his toe.
His comeback has since been ruled out by several MMA fans, but Poirier believes his former nemesis has it in him to do it.
“I’d love to talk down, talk trash on Conor, but if anybody can put it all together and come back this guy can,” Poirier told Outta Pocket.
“If he can find that passion and that fire and put it together. I’m not saying anybody can, but this guy can.
“He’s special. He has something special, but only he knows when he looks in the mirror if he can really do it again.
“But if he believes it, I believe he could.”
Poirier told talkSPORT at the beginning of February that he would fight McGregor ‘to the death’ if they ever clashed again.
‘The Diamond’ knocked him out at UFC 257 in January 2021 before McGregor broke his leg in the rematch six months later, which marked his last octagon appearance to date.
Poirier has fought five times since his second fight with McGregor, suffering two UFC title defeats to Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev.
When pressed on what he would do in McGregor’s shoes, in terms of finding motivation to make a comeback, Poirier responded passionately.
“Me? I love when the chips are down,” he added. “I love when I’m the dog [and] my backs against the wall.
“I would use that as motivation and just push forward. I would anchor on that and harness on that.
“Just every day in the gym: sweating, bleeding and grinding thinking I’m gonna show everybody who I really am.
“Coming back from a broken leg, coming back from a few losses, everyone is writing me off.
“That would be my motivation because I love that stuff. I’ve never lost two fights in a row in my career because of that.
“Every time I lose, [I say]: ‘This ain’t happening [again]’. He’s gonna have to kill me and I’ve always come back and won.”
Poirier’s last UFC fight was for the lightweight title in the summer of 2024, when he lost via fifth-round submission to current champion Makhachev.
The 36-year-old is currently in negotiations with UFC President Dana White to decide who he will face in his retirement fight.
Poirier was honest with talkSPORT in February, saying ‘my next fight will be my last’, and admitted he was trying to get his final bout in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana.
‘The Diamond’ revealed this week that he reached out to the UFC to step in and fight Justin Gaethje, who is gearing up for a co-main event fight at UFC 313.
Gaethje was meant to fight Dan Hooker on the Las Vegas card, but now faces Azerbaijan’s Rafael Fiziev.
“I’m the one who reached out to them when I read the news,” Poirier said in response to Gaethje, who said the former turned down the chance to fight him on March 9.
“Ask Hunter [Campbell] (UFC matchmaker), all respect to you and Fiziev, looking forward to this one once again.”
Gaethje replied: “I was just running back the crazy 48hrs I went through. I was not trying to imply any of you guys would not fight me.
“Arman [Tsarukyan] was too heavy, same with Charles [Oliveira]. UFC obviously has plans for you at a later date so they said that’s a no go.”
And Poirier respectfully concluded: “All good bro!! Glad you got an opponent! Can’t wait to watch!!”