UFC 178’s Dustin Poirier on Conor McGregor: 'He’s not the legend you think he is'

The recently announced UFC 178 matchup between Dustin Poirier (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) and Conor McGregor (15-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) could be the most anticipated non-title bout in UFC featherweight history.

Both fighters are undeniably talented, charismatic and have a palatable distain for the other. While the hype around McGregor may be far greater, Poirier is currently the more proven athlete.

While it’s possible McGregor could turn out to be everything he says he is and more, his opponent isn’t buying it. In fact, despite having admiration for the Irishman’s skills, Poirier said he’ll be too much for “Notorious” to handle on fight night.

“I think he’s bit off a little more than he can chew this time,” Poirier told MMAjunkie Radio. “I respect him as a fighter. He’s dangerous and has great instincts. That being said, I’ve been in there with the best guys, and I know what it takes to compete at this level. I’m going to be the first fight he’s ever been in, and I’m going to be very prepared.”

The featherweight contest takes place Sept. 27 as part of the UFC 178 pay-per-view main card, which goes down at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier headline the evnt.

Even though they have contrasting personalities, Poirier and McGregor share a common trait in that they have an unwavering confidence in their talents.

Those talents match up very well on paper, and it’s difficult to determine who will have the advantages. Poirier isn’t going to make any bold statements about superior striking, grappling or endurance, but regardless of how the job is done, he has no problem boldly predicting a victory.

“I’m going to say I’m faster, and he’s going to say he’s faster,” Poirier said. “I’m going to say I’m stronger and he’s going to say he’s stronger. We’ll find out when we get in there. I’m 100 percent going to be willing to show my heart, my dedication and my skills and come out with the W. This guy will not be able to break me. He will not be able to beat me.”

McGregor has turned into one of the most polarizing fighters on the UFC roster in the span of just three fights. He has the natural gift of gab, and as one of his previous opponents has already admitted, he’s capable of crawling under someone’s skin before the fight even begins.

While Poirier has already started to play that game and engaged in some trash-talk, he insisted McGregor can’t say or do anything to deter him from competing at his absolute best.

“He grinds my nerves a little bit, but I’m not going to jump off and pop up at everything he says,” Poirier said. “He’s does a great job at bumping his gums. I’ll let him do the talking, and if I feel like I need to reply to something, I will. Other than that, I’m focused on this fight, I’m focused on the performance, and when all this is said and done, it’s me and him, man-to-man, and we’re going to fight it out.”

“The Diamond” opened as a betting favorite against McGregor, but less than 24 hours later, the odds were reversed, and he currently sits as a slight underdog. Considering Poirier owns a significant edge in UFC experience and has faced far better competition overall, it wouldn’t be surprising if the 24-year-old felt disrespected by the betting public.

Instead, he said relishes the hype around McGregor because it provides a bigger opportunity to expose him as a fighter who is not yet ready to enter the octagon with any of the world’s top featherweights.

“You guys built this guy into being a giant, so I’ve just got to go out there and slay the giant,” Poirier said. “It’s going to be glorious. This is a big fight for me, and I’m just preparing for this fight. I’m not looking past this guy. He’s dangerous, but I’m not drinking the Kool-Aid. He’s not the legend you think he is.”

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