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CONOR McGregor’s non-title lightweight fight against Dustin Poirier will headline UFC 257 at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, on 23 January.
UFC president Dana White yesterday announced the location and date for McGregor’s return to the octagon.
McGregor, 32, has held UFC titles in the featherweight and lightweight divisions, but he has been at odds with the promotion since a TKO win over Donald Cerrone in UFC 246 on 18 January. McGregor owns a 22-4 record in mixed martial arts.
Poirier, 31, owns a 26-6 record with one no-contest. In his lone fight of 2020, he beat Dan Hooker by unanimous decision on 27 June. His previous bout was a loss by submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a lightweight championship fight at UFC 242 last September.
McGregor defeated Poirier in a first-round TKO in a featherweight bout at UFC 178 in 2014.
UFC 257 will cap a series of three events in seven days, with UFC Fight Night events on 16 and 20 January.
The featherweight bout pitting Max Holloway (21-6) and Calvin Kattar (22-4) will headline the 16 January card, while Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) and Leon Edwards (18-3) will serve as the main event four days later. — SuperSport
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