Dustin Poirier benefited greatly from the lack of trash talk in the buildup to his rematch with Conor McGregor.
Poirier knocked McGregor out in the UFC 257 headliner last month to not only exact revenge on the Irishman, but also solidify himself as the best lightweight in the world today.
One major factor was Poirier’s game plan as he chopped the legs of McGregor before eventually finishing him in the second round.
However, many observers believe another factor — especially compared to their first fight back in 2014 — was the lack of trash talking.
Compared to his usual mental warfare, McGregor embraced Poirier in the buildup to the fight, even going as far as hugging him and sharing multiple laughs.
And Poirier, who was clearly affected by McGregor’s trash talk in their first meeting, didn’t seem to mind at all.
“Fighting is hectic already, you’re about to go in there for 25 minutes,” Poirier said on Joe Rogan’s podcast. “You know what’s on the line so it’s just a lot of pressure. So it being a little bit more calm for me was smooth sailing, man.
“It’s already hectic enough. I say the same thing about the fans like when I fought at the Apex. It was nice because fighting is crazy, so without having guys spilling beer, yelling ‘you’re gonna die,’ we’re on the way to the walk, it’s relaxing to me. It makes it smooth sailing.”
Poirier To McGregor: Be An Asshole
Rogan would go on to point that the nice guy act wasn’t beneficial for McGregor and that he should be an asshole.
To that, Poirier responded.
“Yeah, be an asshole,” Poirier added. ” … But he did the same thing with Cowboy. … Maybe it’s just maturing and he’s a different person.”
Based on his post earlier this month, it looks like McGregor will be following that advice.
