As part of one of the more highly anticipated matchups of the year, wily veteran Dustin Poirier will attempt to derail the runaway train that is Irish phenom Conor McGregor.
With a well-rounded game set and toughness to boot, The Diamond will most certainly be McGregor's steepest test to date.
But as one of the quickest rising stars in recent memory, The Notorious is seemingly an unstoppable force.
From the microphone to the Octagon, the confident youngster knows how to lead a victorious life.
However, he's never been tested against the likes of an accomplished fighter like Poirier, who is actually younger at 25 years of age.
This bodes well for their grudge match this weekend at UFC 178, which could turn into one of the best fights of the year should Poirier's chin and McGregor's submission defense hold up.
Here are keys to victory for both fighters, respectively.
Keys to victory for McGregor
Strike patiently
It's going to be hard for McGregor to keep his emotions in check and maintain a cool state of mind.
His style of fighting doesn't call for it.
As a brash, in-your-face striker who throws everything but the kitchen sink at his opponents, McGregor is going to find it difficult to restrain himself against Poirier.
But he needs to realize that Poirier is no schlep. He does have punching power, he can manifest damaging combos and he can secure a takedown.
So it's important for the youngster to remain in tune with his timing, decision making and ability to pull back should he rush in for the kill.
Mix it up
The quicker McGregor is able to mix things up and offer different levels of offense, the tougher it will be for Poirier to muscle his way back into the fight.
McGregor already has the momentum considering the trash talking he's done leading up to his pay-per-view debut and the fact that he has won his last 11 fights, so it's essentially his fight to lose.
If he's unable to incorporate worthwhile clinch work, combinations and maybe even a takedown attempt or two, Poirier could find a loophole in the Irishman's seemingly iron-clad system.
Keys to victory for Poirier
Secure an early takedown
McGregor is going to come out guns blazing.
He's going to be anxious to impress for his first pay-per-view appearance and in hopes of finishing the fight early to pad his resume for a potential title run.
That said, Poirier shouldn't be afraid to take this fight to the ground and score points by controlling McGregor and landing some solid ground-and-pound.
With better grappling skills and a more refined guard, Poirier would gain an instantaneous edge should he bring the fight to the canvas.
Look to clinch
Similar to what Eddie Alvarez could do to Donald Cerrone should he secure control in the clinch, Poirier can do the same to McGregor.
By moving inside and securing a hook or two, The Diamond can essentially shut off McGregor's offensive game.
The young Irishman is not completely useless within the clinch, but it's not his most effective area.
For what it's worth Poirier has never been finished by strikes, which is McGregor's bread and butter (13 out of his 15 victories), and he went four rounds with a heavy-handed Chan Sung Jung.
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