UFC 264: Poirier Beat McGregor To Taste Second Defeat This Year

  UFC 264: Poirier Beat McGregor To Taste Second Defeat This Year By Our Reporter Dustin Poirier has beaten Conor McGregor in their trilogy bout after the Irishman seemed to have broken his leg in the first round. Conor McGregor's foot was gruesomely dangling from his leg and now his career is hanging by a thread after a shattering defeat against Dustin Poirier. In their trilogy bout at UFC 264 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Poirier destroyed McGregor for the second time this year and the Irishman has now lost three of his past four fights - and four of his past seven. This defeat came with a badly broken leg that will require surgery tomorrow. The biggest name in the sport began the fight in aggressive fashion, targeting Poirier with the type of leg kicks the American used to win their last bout. But Poirier believed he heard McGregor's leg crack on one of the kicks and after taking him to the ground and dominating him for most of the round, an ugly moment occurred. The fighters were returned to their feet with less than a minute on the clock and after they both swung and miss, McGregor stepped back and his leg broke and collapsed under him. He survived until the end of the round but his leg was horrifically damaged and the fight was stopped. Conor McGregor holds his broken leg. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Conor McGregor holds his broken leg. “Oh my goodness," UFC commentator Joe Rogan said. "He fell back on his own ankle and broke it that is crazy. That is actually the shin I’m guessing from where it is bending it looks above the ankle. “I’m rendered speechless. The only thing we guaranteed you was something crazy would happen and not at all the way anyone threw it up.” Ever defiant, McGregor screamed at officials to ensure the result was ruled a doctor's stoppage and then produced an ugly outburst when he was interviewed by Rogan while sitting against the cage post-fight. "I was boxing the ears off him and kicking the legs off him. This is not over," McGregor said. He continued by again taunting Poirier about his wife, before leaving the cage on a stretcher. Conor McGregor is carried out of the arena on a stretcher. Poirier said it was obvious that he was in control of the fight despite the early damage he took to his legs. He said one of McGregor's punches clipped him to the head but he wasn't wobbled and described the takedown as easy. McGregor attempted to lock in a guillotine choke but never looked like he had a great squeeze. Poirier accused McGregor of pushing his fingers inside his gloves while they were grappling and said he was trying to alert referee Herb Dean to the cheating. "This guy's a dirtbag, man," Poirier said. Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former champion who also accused McGregor of cheating during their fight, tweeted: “Good always defeats evil. Very happy for Dustin Poirier. I hope you will get the belt end of the year.” Poirier will now fight for the title held by Charles Oliveira, while UFC president Dana White said McGregor would get a fourth crack at Poirier when he had healed. "The fight didn't get finished. You can't have a fight finish that way," White said