Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2 a ‘completely different’ fight with both stars ‘much better’ ahead of UFC 257 clash
UFC president Dana White insists Conor McGregor's rematch with Dustin Poirier will be a "completely different" fight.
Former two-division champion McGregor will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon against his old featherweight rival next month in the main event of UFC 257.
The pair, 32 and 31 respectively, locked horns with one another six years ago at UFC 178 - with McGregor winning the contest via first-round KO.
Although McGregor made short work of Poirier that night in Las Vegas, White is adamant their second meeting is not a foregone conclusion.
He told : “It’s a completely different fight.
“Obviously Conor is a much better fighter than he was when he first faced him, and Poirier is a much better fighter too.
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"I don’t know how that plays out now in the fight, but it’s definitely interesting.
“You can’t look at the first fight and go, ‘Oh, this is exactly the way that’s gonna go again.’ Because it won’t.”
McGregor and Poirier have gone from strength-to-strength since their grudge match, with the former going on to win the featherweight and lightweight titles and the latter claiming the interim 155lb crown.
The pair turned in impressive performances in their last outings, with the McGregor knocking out Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds in January and Poirier winning a five-round war with Dan Hooker in June.
And White is expecting fireworks when the pair collide on January 23.
The UFC chief added: “Conor looks damn good, and Poirier’s always in shape. I expect this to be a good fight."
Despite defeat to McGregor representing a major setback in his career, Poirier insists their second dance isn't about getting revenge.
He recently told : "This is a completely different fight.
"We’re both completely different fighters, and I’m not really looking back at that first fight.
“I was emotional in the first one. I wanted to hurt the guy. This time I just want to outsmart him, just want to beat him. This is business. This isn’t any ill will towards the guy.
“When I was younger, I used to fight with a lot of emotion. This isn’t the same thing for me. This isn’t about getting even for me. This isn’t like a revenge type of thing for me.
"This is about moving my career forward, about putting my family in a better spot. It’s not trying to get back a guy who got me. This is just business.”
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McGregor, 22-4, has been preparing for his comeback fight in Portugal but recently returned to Ireland ahead of the Christmas holidays.
Despite being a little over a month away, the UFC have yet to announce the location for their first pay-per-view event of 2021 - although it is expected to land in Fight Island in Abu Dhabi