Dustin Poirier has criticised Conor McGregor for his 'weak' excuses after the Irishman suffered a broken leg in their trilogy bout at UFC 264 in Las Vegas. 

McGregor (22-6) was soundly beaten by Poirier (28-6, 1 NC) in their rubber match on July 10 and 'The Notorious' has come up with several explanations for the loss, including a claim that he was already injured going into the fight. 

In addition, UFC president Dana White has also confirmed that McGregor suffers from 'chronic arthritis in his ankles'

Furthermore, McGregor also claims the loss is 'illegitimate' due to the leg injury he sustained during the fight. 

In a video posted on social media, McGregor thanked his fans for their support after successful surgery to repair his broken leg. 

He said: "What's up fight fans, The Notorious here. Just out of the surgery room, everything went to plan and everything went perfect. I'm feeling tremendous, we got six weeks on a crutch now and then we begin to build back.

"I want to thank all the fans around the world for your messages of support, I hope you all enjoyed the show. I want to thank all the fans in attendance at T Mobile Arena - 21,800 fans in attendance, the place was absolutely electric.

"It was a hell of a first-round, it would have been nice to get into that second round and then to see what's what, but it is what it is. That's the nature of the business, a clean break of the tibia. It was not to be.

"Dustin, you can celebrate that illegitimate win all you want but you've done nothing in there. That second round would have shown all. Onwards and upwards we go, team. We just ourselves off, we build ourselves back and we come back better than ever. Let's go, team."

Conor McGregor vents his frustration

When asked to give his initial response to McGregor's comments, Poirier replied to Teddy Atlas via MMA Junkie: “Right off the bat, mentally, I just feel like it’s weak. It’s weak, it’s excuses, but I’m trying not to read too far into it or go down these days of reading what videos are out and what people are saying, because I’m back home with my family.

"It’s a win on my record. I know I did what I needed to do in the fight, pre-fight, in my training camp. I crossed and checked all the boxes I needed to check, gave it my all and then went out there and – like we’re saying, it’s noise.

"Whatever people are gonna say or he’s gonna say, it is what it is. I’m healthy, I’m safe, I’m back home, have another win on my record, and I’m still the No. 1 contender, so those are facts.”

Conor McGregor kicks Dustin Poirier

The pair first fought in September 2014, when the much-hyped McGregor came out on top, but the American, 32, evened the score with a second-round TKO at UFC 257 in January.   

Poirier said: “We threw crosses at the same time. I slipped his, and I kind of threw a looping cross that touched him good, and now I know. I saw the same eyes that I saw in Abu Dhabi when I hurt him on the feet.

"He makes a certain expression, and his reaction is a certain way when he’s hurt, and now I’ve seen it twice. He was hurt before the grappling and him clinching and the takedown and all that.

"He was hurt on the feet, and I really feel like if he wouldn’t have engaged in the clinch, I think I would have finished him there. I saw the same look in his eyes, and I knew I was a punch or two away from sitting him down.”

Conor McGregor kicks out at Dustin Poirier

Poirier has also questioned McGregor's tactics in their trilogy fight as he admits he had 'no clue what him and his coaches were thinking.' 

He added: “There were a lot of excuses in the last one, too. He was getting ready to box, he wasn’t focusing on mixed martial arts, he was getting ready to fight Manny Pacquiao, and a lot of reasons, a lot of excuses.

“If you’re training for a fight, you’re going to go into fight week with something going on. Whether it’s an elbow, a wrist, a hand, an ankle, something’s gonna be busted up. It’s not a smart game plan if it is hurt, especially where he was kicking.

"He was kicking not my thigh or my calf muscle; he was kicking at my knee. It was bone on bone. I wouldn’t even with technique, usually you want to set up these kicks. He was throwing them by themselves. Usually you want to punch before you kick, just to set it up, just to get me thinking about something else.

“He was throwing kicks by themselves, single kicks by themselves directly on my knee. Maybe it was in his head that he needed to come out and show me that he can do it too, because I tore his leg up in the second fight. I have no clue what him and his coaches were thinking.”

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