DUSTIN POIRIER stunned Conor McGregor with a devastating second round knockout win at UFC 257.
Poirier let fly with a brutal punching combo to drop Notorious as he avenged his defeat in their first match six years ago to leave Fight Island in shock.
Follow ALL of the latest updates and reaction from Abu Dhabi below…
- Marc Mayo
I'LL BE MAC
Here are the details on Conor McGregor's fight ban.
MMA.tv, who are the official record keepers for the Association of Boxing Commissions, have confirmed to MixedMartialArts the superstar has been medically suspended for six months.
That means, unless he gets cleared by a doctor, he will be unable to fight again until July.
McGregor can return after 45 days if he receives a negative X-ray on his right tibia/fibula.
And he is banned from contact for 30 days following the TKO.
- Marc Mayo
BREAKING
Conor McGregor has been medically suspended for six months after his UFC 257 defeat to Dustin Poirier.
- Marc Mayo
GOOD MORNING UFC FANS
Conor McGregor started training again just 24 hours after defeat to Dustin Poirier.
Trainer John Kavanagh told ESPN: “The leg is OK.
"There's no serious damage. The peroneal nerve that runs down on that side of the leg, which was kicked a number of times, was completely dead,
"And then the leg started filling up with blood as well, so he couldn't move on it all.
"But as of today, he's in good form. He did a very tough workout this morning."
Kavanagh also revealed McGregor is desperate to get a trilogy fight arranged.
He added: "He's already harassing everybody to get the rematch.
"We would love the rematch. I don't think Dustin is against that. If we could get the rematch before the summer, that'd be amazing.
"If it's not to be, I guess I don't really know. Maybe he drifts off into the boxing."
Finally, Physician Brian Sutterer has detailed the exact kind of punishment McGregor suffered to his legs against Poirier.
He said: “As soon as he put weight on that right leg, he was in some serious discomfort.
“[Poirier's leg kicks] made contact exactly on this kind of lateral aspect of McGregor's lower leg near the outside of the calf.
“Even right away we can see McGregor have some pain here, having difficulty putting weight on that leg.
“And that just accumulated throughout the fight, so at the end, McGregor's leg was basically dead.”
- Anthony Chapman
CON ARTIST
Conor McGregor has been accused of looking 'scrawny and weak' and 'was out shape' against Dustin Poirier.
That was the view of former UFC middleweight title challenger Chael Sonnen, who backed McGregor to beat Poirier.
Sonnen said: "There is a very line between a reason and an excuse
"Conor stated the reason why he lost was his inactivity; I accept that and don't believe it was an excuse.
"The form of Conor we saw out there was the worst form of Conor I've ever seen.
"He was out shape, his timing was off, he was slow, he was unpowerful and he also looked scrawny.
"I admit the last time he fought he was up in weight but he looked scrawny and weak by his standard."
- Anthony Chapman
CON AIR
Conor McGregor started training again just 24 hours after defeat to Dustin Poirier.
Trainer John Kavanagh told ESPN: “The leg is OK.
"There's no serious damage. The peroneal nerve that runs down on that side of the leg, which was kicked a number of times, was completely dead,
"And then the leg started filling up with blood as well, so he couldn't move on it all.
"But as of today, he's in good form. He did a very tough workout this morning."
- Anthony Chapman
DUST IN TIME
Conor McGregor is 'already harassing everybody' for an immediate rematch with Dustin Poirier, his head coach John Kavanagh said.
But, if the UFC superstar is denied a trilogy fight with Poirier, it could see McGregor drift into boxing as an alternative.
Kavanagh told ESPN: "He's already harassing everybody to get the rematch.
"We would love the rematch. I don't think Dustin is against that. If we could get the rematch before the summer, that'd be amazing.
"If it's not to be, I guess I don't really know. Maybe he drifts off into the boxing."
- Anthony Chapman
DUSTIN THE WIND
Dustin Poirier has revealed the secret to beating Conor McGregor.
He said: “I’ve been kicking long enough, and when you land with the top of your shin, the thick part of your shin right under the knee and you turn it the right way, it’s so heavy and it hurts so bad, especially on a calf.
"The first one I landed I knew I had him good. Because of his wide stance, we thought it would be hard to check, and he wasn’t checking correctly.
“It was still the muscle part of his calf, he wasn’t turning his shin all the way outward, so it wasn’t shin to shin. Even when he checked he was getting the bad part of the kick.
“And I know from experience, I’ve been crippled by that kick from Jim Miller, I’ve been hurt by them a few times. The swelling in your calf, it has nowhere to go.”
- Anthony Chapman
EXCLUSIVE BY JACK FIGG
Conor McGregor needs to beat Dustin Poirier with a 'boxing style KO' to salvage any chances of fighting Manny Pacquiao.
Former fighter turned-promoter Dmitry Salita told SunSport: "I believe that there will be significantly less interest in his boxing return.
"The hook is that he is one of the best in the UFC but that is not the case anymore.
"He would have to come back in an exciting dominating fashion to get same level of interest in a boxing return
"He needs to win the rematch in a dominating way and it would be better if he did with a boxing style KO.
"The intrigue that would sell this particular fight is no longer there as he is not the best in the UFC."
- Anthony Chapman
HELPING CHAND
Michael Chandler put the UFC's lightweight division on notice after brutally impressing on his debut.
The former three-time Bellator champion fought for the first time in the octagon as he took on Dan Hooker in the UFC 257 co-headliner.
And Chandler wasted no time in making a mark as he knocked out Hooker in round one.
Afterwards, he warned Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov that he is the new king of the 155lb division.
HERE ARE FIVE POTENTIAL OPPONENTS FOR CHANDLER
- Anthony Chapman
POIR BLIMEY
It is fair to say that not many were predicting Dustin Poirier to KO Conor McGregor at the weekend.
But that is not the first upset witnessed in the UFC, nor will it be the last.
Indeed, some results have been hugely shocking for both fans and pundits.
SEE THE BIGGEST-EVER UFC UPSETS HERE
- Anthony Chapman
DOC’S REPORT
Physician Brian Sutterer has detailed the exact kind of punishment Conor McGregor suffered to his legs against Dustin Poirier.
He said: “As soon as he put weight on that right leg, he was in some serious discomfort.
“[Poirier's leg kicks] made contact exactly on this kind of lateral aspect of McGregor's lower leg near the outside of the calf.
“Even right away we can see McGregor have some pain here, having difficulty putting weight on that leg.
“And that just accumulated throughout the fight, so at the end, McGregor's leg was basically dead.”
- Anthony Chapman
DOWN IN A HOLE
Conor McGregor has looked to pick himself up from his defeat to Dustin Poirier… by having a go on a DIGGER.
The Irishman uploaded a clip to social media on Monday showing him behind the wheel.
McGregor said: "Back on the sites, it happens to the best of us.
"We'll build it back!"
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma)
- Anthony Chapman
NEW APPROACH
Conor McGregor is confident he will take the trilogy against Dustin Poirier with new tactics.
The Irishman said: “I don’t know, man, I don’t know – you know, don’t just write me off yet.
“I’ll adopt a different approach for the trilogy with Dustin because those leg kicks are not to be messed with.”
- Anthony Chapman
KHAB FARE
Khabib Nurmagomedov is the man every UFC fans wants to see back in the octagon.
But the legendary Russian brawler could be set for a new career… in football.
Declaring himself a free agent, Khabib took to social media searching for a club.
However, considering he is one of the greatest MMA fighters ever, and has been tipped for a comeback despite retiring, Khabib’s announcement should probably be taken with a pinch of salt…
He said: "Preparing for my football debut. I’m free agent, and ready to accept offers."
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Khabib Nurmagomedov (@khabib_nurmagomedov)
- Joe Brophy
MAY-TIVATED
Floyd Mayweather is training for his exhibition fight with Logan Paul as if he's getting ready to face one of the 'top welterweights' in the world.
According to WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney, Paul's record hasn't prompted the 43-year-old Mayweather to take the fight lightly.
Haney told Sky Sports: "His work ethic is crazy because he is still working. He still gets up at 5 or 6am to go running.
"He is training in the gym. He works like he's going to fight one of the top welterweights today."
Mayweather's last competitive fight took place in August 2017 and saw him lock horns with UFC superstar Conor McGregor, who he registered a tenth-round TKO victory over to stretch his perfect record to 50-0.
But as SunSport revealed last week, the Money man is locked in talks over a blockbuster rematch with The Notorious.
- Joe Brophy
WHAT A CON
Conor McGregor has admitted a shout from Dustin Poirier's cornerman got into his head during their UFC 257 showdown.
Poirier, 32, deployed a perfect game plan to take out The Notorious, who he crippled with leg and calf kicks.
One of the debilitating kicks drew a huge reaction from one of Poirier's cornerman, former UFC welterweight title challenger Thiago Alves.
And the reaction of Alves – who was famed for his brutal kicks during his rise to title contention – had a profound effect on McGregor.
He said: "One of them sunk in early and Thiago said, 'That was a good one'.
"And I was in my head, thinking, 'You b*d, that was a good one'. And then it started accumulating up."
- Chisanga Malata
Doctor's breakdown
Physician Brian Sutterer has given an in-depth breakdown into the devastating effect Dustin Poirier's calf kicks had on Conor McGregor's lead leg.
In a view on his YouTube channel, he said:"A kick in this area is specifically targeting something we call the common fibular nerve…it's the nerve that supplies muscle control to part of the lower leg, but also some of the sensation.
"Pay attention to exactly where Poirier's leg is making contact with McGregor's, it's just below his knee.
"This is where these UFC fighters are trying to strike to have these effective calf kicks.
"The green nerve [in the video] is that common fibular nerve, and what's important about it is how superficial it is, meaning how close it is to the skin.
"A lot of other big nerves in our body are deep beneath skin or deep beneath muscle, and so they're pretty well protected.
"But this nerve in particular is really close to the surface and really susceptible to these stuns and getting injured."
- Chisanga Malata
ANOTHER BLOW FOR CONOR
Conor McGregor went into his UFC 257 showdown with Dustin Poirier set on having a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao later this year.
But judging from Ryan Garcia's recent Instagram post, those hopes have gone up in smoke.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ryan Garcia (@kingryan)
- Chisanga Malata
CONOR MCGREGOR UPDATE FROM COACH
SBG Ireland chief John Kavanagh has given an update on Conor McGregor following his UFC 257 defeat to Dustin Poirier.
During an Instagram Live, he said: "We had a big fight and unfortunately we came up short but here's the secret; you will live with it, we are all disappointed but we're OK.
"In Conor's case the last six months have been amazing.
"The disciple and effort he put in… when you've done that, when you've left no stone unturned, you've made every training session, you've made weight the right way, you've make the walk, competed as hard as you could.
"Competition has two sides to the coin, winning and losing, and sometimes it's going to fall on the losing side.
"That's something you have to get used to; the quicker you get used to losing, the quicker you are going to have success."
Conor McGregor looks on before his UFC 257 defeat to Dustin PoirierCredit: Getty Images – Getty - Chisanga Malata
WHO NEXT FOR CONOR?
With his UFC career potentially on the line with another loss, Conor McGregor's next fight is a crucial one.
Team McGregor now have the difficult task of choosing an opponent who will be a draw and have significant relevance in the lightweight division.
SunSport have already compiled a list of five potential opponents for The Notorious' next octagon outing.
Conor McGregor's next fight is a must-win affairCredit: Getty Images – Getty - Chisanga Malata
CONOR MCGREGOR'S COACH REACTS TO DEFEAT AT UFC 257
John Kavanagh took to Instagram not long after Conor McGregor's stunning UFC 257 defeat to Dustin Poirier.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Coach Kavanagh (@coach_kavanagh)
- Chisanga Malata
SIGN ME UP
Nate Diaz is still keen on getting his hands on Dustin Poirier.
I know Poirier should be fighting for a title next, but these two have unfinished business.
- Chisanga Malata
TWO GENTS
Dustin Poirier and Manny Pacquiao have been exchanging pleasantries on Twitter.
- Chisanga Malata
WE CALLED IT
SunSport's Chisanga Malata forewarned of the potential impact leg kicks, in particular calf kicks, would have on Conor McGregor if they went unchecked.
- Chisanga Malata
DIAZ DISS
Of course Nate Diaz was going to have his say on his old rival's first stoppage loss.
That's fighting talk from the Stockton slugger.
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