The build-up in the Conor McGregor camp leading up to UFC 257 was surrounded by an atmosphere of confidence.

McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh had declared that his fighter's main event fight at UFC’s Fight Island was to be the unveiling of the new era of the Notorious one.

What the owner of Ireland’s SBG gym didn’t expect, however, is that this ‘unveiling’ wouldn’t go to plan…. at all.

Dustin ‘Diamond’ Poirier was certainly not up for taking a knee and ushering in this new era of the “McGregor masterpiece.”

Poirier had already once fallen victim to McGregor inside the Octagon and wasn’t about to let it happen for a second time.

UFC 257 Review

The American was excellent. His vicious leg kicks disabled the former ‘champ champ’ and started the quick downfall of the so-called new Conor McGregor.

Poirier quickly put thoughts of UFC 178 and McGregor’s dominant display back in 2014 out of memory as he unleashed a series of punches, knocking the Irishman against the cage wall in the meantime.

McGregor collapsed and Poirier went in for the kill, earning himself a big underdog win. Whilst Dustin has now put himself very much in contention for the lightweight title, which remains vacated after Khabib Nurmagomedov’s departure, McGregor has lost three of his last six UFC fights, leaving his record standing at 22-5.

Poirier’s game plan for the fight was near perfect. His first-round takedown caught the Irishman off guard, and although he was able to work his way out of it, doubts over McGregor began to grow.

The leg kicks were then deployed, and the rest is history. McGregor wanted to display his boxing skills and stand and bang with the American, though, this only left him vulnerable and he didn’t help himself by not checking said leg kicks until it was already too late.

Poirier was quick to celebrate with his wife after his KO victory over one of the UFC’s biggest stars and then proceeded to call out UFC president Dana White, stating his desire for a title fight in the process.

The ‘Diamond’ then went to pay respects to his opponent and McGregor revealed just how much damage the American had done to him.

Conor's Two Words

“It’s dead,” the Irishman could be heard saying, as per Joe.co.uk, referring to his right leg, which McGregor then confirmed in his post-fight discussion with John Anik.

"His leg kicks were good, my leg was dead and I wasn't as comfortable as I needed to be. I have to dust it off and come back and that's what I'll do.”

There has been plenty of chatter of a trilogy fight between the pair, however, there is nothing set in stone as of yet.

McGregor will need to come back with a new game plan if he is to fight the ‘Diamond’ again as the American quickly exploited his vulnerabilities.