UFC 178's Conor McGregor: 'Journeyman' Dustin Poirier not a step up in competition

Dustin Poirier is the most decorated fighter Conor McGregor has ever faced. In the eyes of “The Notorious,” though, his UFC 178 foe is hardly a step up in competition.

“I don’t believe he’s a step up or the best guy I’ve ever fought,” McGregor told MMAjunkie. “I look in the mirror and that’s the best guy I’ve ever fought. For me, this fight seems easy.”

Poirier (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) is the UFC featherweight record-holder for wins and stoppages. McGregor (15-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC), on the other hand, doesn’t crack the top 10 in either category, though the difference in UFC experience must be noted.

The 145-pound matchup serves as a featured contest at UFC 178, which takes place at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. The main card on pay-per-view follows prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Despite Poirier’s resume, McGregor doesn’t look at the upcoming bout as his chance to prove his skills against an established fighter, he said. Rather, he sees an opportunity to exhibit his talents against a “journeyman.”

“He’s a journeyman fighter, and that’s what I see,” McGregor said. “He doesn’t impress me at all. I believe he’s a basic fighter, he throws basic shots, and in my eyes he’s a journeyman. It’s that simple.”

McGregor’s lack of praise for Poirier’s talent is no surprise. Plenty of words have been exchanged since the matchup was initially booked, and McGregor’s comments are simply the latest in a rivalry that’s likely to get more heated as fight night draws closer.

While most verbal blows have come through social media and interviews, McGregor did get up close and personal with Poirier during a UFC 178 media tour in August. At those media events, McGregor and Poirier stood toe-to-toe for the first time. And according to the Irishman, he witnessed a fighter who already was defeated.

“I definitely saw a broken man,” McGregor said. “I could look through his soul when I looked into that man’s eyes. He’s been speaking his bit, but as I said before: Face-to-face, man-to-man, he was broken. It was as simple as that.

“The performance will prove that because once the cage door closes and the lights go down, you can’t hide. There’s nowhere to run, there’s nowhere to hide. It will come out on Sept. 27 that what I’m saying is true.”

Regardless of Poirier’s actions or words, nothing can take McGregor off his game, he said. Talk is fun, but when it’s time to compete, McGregor said he leaves any personal animosity outside the octagon.

“I don’t dislike anybody – this is business at the end of the day,” McGregor said. “It can be cruel, it can be ruthless, but it is never personal. I don’t ever fight with emotion. I can enter cold, calm and collected. That is it. He might have a dislike toward me, but ultimately that is not my problem.”

McGregor is riding high following a first-round knockout of “The Ultimate Fighter 14? winner Diego Brandao in July. It was his return from layoff of nearly a year due to a knee injury, and it all went down in his home city of Dublin.

Even though he stopped Brandao in devastating fashion inside one round, McGregor said that performance was far from his best. But if he could dispatch the Brazilian with such ease, McGregor said there’s no reason he can’t do the same, or worse, to Poirier.

“I believe it’s a first-round stoppage,” McGregor said. “I’m only scratching the surface here and I feel like I’m at that next level again – executing that flawless performance.”

Whether he cares to admit it or not, a victory over “The Diamond” could be the highlight of McGregor’s young career. Moreover, it would validate him as a contender and add credence to his campaign for a future title fight.

McGregor has made it clear he wants to capture the UFC featherweight championship in the very near future. To do that, he must first get past Poirier.

With 145-pound kingpin Jose Aldo set to put his title on the line against Chad Mendes at UFC 179 next month, McGregor thinks a win over Poirier would put him on the right timeline for the next crack at the gold.

“I definitely believe the belt is within grasp,” McGregor said. “Personally, I don’t give a s–t what way that contest goes down. I’ll whoop them both at the same time.

“I believe (the UFC) is going to be under a lot of pressure to give me that title shot. Really, I don’t think they want to deny me the title shot, anyway. I believe they want me to have that belt. So Sept. 27, I’ll go in there and handle my business and prove that I’m ready for the belt. It’s time.”

For more on UFC 178, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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