Conor McGregor has been offered a fight with Dustin Poirier on January 23 – and UFC president Dana White says it’s a “yes or no answer.”
But it looks like he’ll have to wait until 2021 for a bout with Poirier.
“We offered him a fight, we got him his own date,” White told ESPN.
“We didn’t have a date this year. We have everything laid out for this year, with world champions fighting for titles. He wants to fight Dustin Poirier apparently, so we went to [broadcast partner] ESPN and got him his own date. He’s been offered Dustin Poirier on January 23.
“It’s a yes or no answer.”
UFC have already planned their cards this year with a number of title matches scheduled and when asked if they could be shifted, White explained: “That’s not how it works.
“We laid out this year. He was retired. Would anybody disagree he was retired? Through this crazy pandemic year we’re going through, we faced a lot of challenges. There were a lot of things done to make this thing work. We made it happen. We have our schedule laid out.
“Fighters have committed to it. Fighters have started training for these fights. Conor came back and wants to fight Dustin, so we went out and got him his own date. It’s January 23.”
He tweeted earlier this month: “Hello Dustin! I accepted the [UFC’s] offer to fight you, but told them it must happen in 2020.
“I’m ready for Nov 21st, given that cards recent injury issues, as well as any of the December dates, the 12th and the 19th. I’ll also still donate the $500k to The Good Fight Foundation.”
Correct. Southpaw box style. Continue to sharpen my MMA skills with some tough competition, while leading into my Manny bout preparation.
It’s not easy going between both sports and then coming back to the one sport again.
Just want to keep sharp guys, that’s all. It’s only fair. https://t.co/PnjHb4VP9j– Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 13, 2020
Poirier would have no issues with facing McGregor this year, with ‘The Diamond’ hoping to avenge his loss to the Irishman back in 2014.
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