Poirier is approaching the possible highlight of his career to face the lightweight underdog Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Fans are already betting against Poirier for the lightweight champion Nurmagomedov to win. Poirier explained that fans expect Nurmagomedov to dominate him in the fight or he will be doing less than what is expected. Poirier stated “Everybody is counting me out. I can only do better than what they think”. Nurmagomedov on the other hand has reached a standard where he either dominates or loses popularity. Poirier therefore expects Nurmagomedov to be aggressive from the start and likely to make careless moves. This may allow Poirier to get early openings due to the pressure on Khabib to win.
Nurmagomedov has established himself as a UFC legend considering his consecutive winning streak (27-0 MMA, 11-0 UFC). Fans are excited to see the legend completely dominate his opponent even against fan-favorite opponents. Poirier plans on baiting Nurmagomedov for a possible opening.
Poirier has been winning in his own fights against strong champions like Anthony Pettis. He stated, “If I go out there and stop Khabib and Max Holloway, I’d beat them both back to back”. The perseverance he had to show will be recognized by the public and earn him a higher spot in UFC rankings. The lightweight champion bout UFC 242 will take place in Abu Dhabi Yas Island The Arena.
