Khabib prediction: Conor McGregor has one round to beat Dustin Poirier at UFC 264

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, expects UFC 264: “Poirier vs. McGregor 3” to play out similarly to the pair’s clash at UFC 257 (watch it).

Poirier (27-8-0-1) defeated McGregor (22-5) via second-round technical knockout at UFC 257 on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi back in January to tie up their series one apiece. Nurmagomedov — who holds victories over both men — gave his prediction for the rubber match at UFC 264, which will emanate from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., July 10, 2021, via ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV).

“It’s the same thing [as the previous fights],” Khabib told UFC Russia (h/t RT). “If it’s the first round [for a finish], I’d back Conor. From the second and further, then Dustin [wins].”

Nurmagomedov also shared his thought on the health of the 155-pound division in the aftermath of his retirement.

“It’s a nice composition of the division. The Brazilians, if you look at [Charles] Oliveira and [Rafael] dos Anjos,” the former Lightweight kingpin said. “The Americans are well represented — Poirier, [Justin] Gaethje, Chandler. You could say it’s like a world war, the Brazilians, the Americans, the Russians.

“This division has always been the most interesting and the strongest,” he concluded. “It will be fun by the end of the year.”

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Nurmagomedov (29-0) retired from professional mixed martial arts (MMA) following a second-round technical submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in Oct. 2021 on “Fight Island” (his third defense of the UFC Lightweight championship). He retired with a perfect record and scalps of Gaethje, Poirier, McGregor, Al Iaquinta, Edson Barboza, Michael Johnson and Rafael dos Anjos, among others.

UFC 264 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., July 10, 2021, via ESPN+ PPV.

Take a look at the UFC 264 line up here.