After the niceties in Abu Dhabi in January, Conor McGregor reverted to type early Friday ahead of his trilogy with Dustin Poirier, as he goaded then kicked out at his opponent at the pre-fight press conference - before promising the greatest display in UFC history.
McGregor, a former two-division world champion, takes on the American in the headline bout at UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, where he will seek to rebound from his emphatic knockout in the UAE capital six months ago.
Poirier registered a second-round TKO at Etihad Arena at UFC 257, the first knockout of McGregor’s 27-fight professional career, to even their rivalry at 1-1. The pair first met in 2014, when McGregor won by first-round TKO.
However, while the build-up to their second clash was congenial, the Irishman has spent the past week taunting Poirier on social media. That continued through his media duties on Thursday, and ramped up even more at the official press conference.
"I'm going to go through his head, put holes in it and take it off his shoulders," McGregor said in front of a lively crowd at T-Mobile Arena, having thrown around bottles of Poirier’s hot-sauce product when he arrived on stage. "That's the goal here. He's done here. This is it for him. This is the end of the road.
“Even after that last fight, ‘Oh I don’t love this anymore, I don’t love doing this.’ He knew what was coming. He knew the smacks he took. So it’s on now.”
McGregor, 33 next week, went on to include Poirier’s wife, Jolie, in the jibes and again questioned his opponent’s mettle and conditioning. The Dublin native vowed to have learnt lessons from his January defeat, saying he had overlooked Poirier as at the time he was focusing on a crossover boxing match with Manny Pacquiao later in 2021. All said, McGregor has won only once in the UFC in almost five years.
Asked what victory on Sunday would mean to him, he replied: "Another feather to the cap. It's what I love to do. I love to come in here, defy the odds, do the unthinkable and put on a show.
"He’s Buster Douglas. Buster Douglas is what he is, and that’s the way he’s going to go down. He’s going to be known for that. [UFC257] was a fluke win, and I’m going to correct it on Saturday night.”
McGregor, the most bankable star in the promotion, said he would deliver a performance superior to his celebrated TKO win against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in 2016, when he became the UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight champion.
“I’m better than that man [Poirier]; it’s coming full circle and I look forward to showing it on Saturday night,” McGregor said. “[UFC 205] was the single greatest performance in UFC history, widely regarded, the night I won the second world title in Madison Square Garden. This performance on Saturday night, I’m going to top it.”
Poirier, however, did not appear too flustered by McGregor’s antics throughout the press conference, saying: “You used to be a lot better than that. The trash talk was a lot better than that. Weak.”
Poirier, also 32, added: “For me, the aura is not there anymore. Very dangerous fighter sitting right here, for sure. No doubt. But I see a man.
“You guys in the crowd, cheer it up, have fun. But I see a man sitting here in front of me that I have defeated and I know I can defeat again."
McGregor had to be repeatedly held back from his opponent during the conference, and when the two fighters squared off at its conclusion, he kicked out at Poirier. UFC president Dana White has already confirmed the winner of Sunday’s encounter will next face lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
The 15 players selected
Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
RESULT
Everton 2 Huddersfield Town 0
Everton: Sigurdsson (47'), Calvert-Lewin (73')
Man of the Match: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Uefa Champions League play-off
First leg: Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Ajax v Dynamo Kiev
Second leg: Tuesday, August 28, 11pm (UAE)
Dynamo Kiev v Ajax
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
Read more from Johann Chacko
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
HAJJAN
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