Dustin Poirier unclear on future after career-defining destruction of Conor McGregor at UFC 257

Dustin Poirier says he feels like the lightweight champion after delivering the most notable result of his career in knocking out Conor McGregor in Abu Dhabi on Sunday – although he wants the belt to prove it.

The American, the division's former interim belt-holder, stopped the returning Irishman in the second round of the headline clash at UFC 257 at Etihad Arena. It was the first time in 27 professional mixed martial art bouts that McGregor had lost via knockout.

Poirier, who last week celebrated his 32nd birthday, could be seen directly afterwards telling Daniel Cormier, a former two-division champion and now colour commentator sitting octagon-side, that he didn’t enjoy competing in the UFC any more.

“I just felt flat in the locker room,” Poirier said at the post-fight press conference. “I’m damn good at it. But I just felt flat, really calm. I don’t know, it’s hard to say, but that’s it exactly: I just don’t really like this any more.”

Asked if he was considering retirement, Poirier said: “I don’t know. Dude, I’ve so many whoopings I have to hand out, I feel like I’m just hitting my prime. I’m just putting everything together.

“My body and my mind are finally on the same wavelength. Just turned 32 this week. We’ll see what happens. I don’t know. The only part I liked this past two weeks was the fight.

“I don’t know if that answers the question or draws more questions, but I didn’t enjoy the process these last two weeks. The only part I liked was the fighting.”

Poirier, whose professional record now stands at 27-6 (19-5 in the UFC), is in line next to take on Michael Chandler, according to UFC president Dana White. On Sunday, the three-time Bellator lightweight champion crowned his promotional debut in the card's penultimate bout by knocking out Dan Hooker in the first round.

Poirier defeated Hooker, the division’s sixth-ranked challenger – Poirier is second – last time out, on points in June.

On whether a fight with Chandler interests him, Poirier said: “No, it does not. Respect to Chandler, great win. But to come in and beat a guy I just beat and get a title shot? I’ve been in [24] fights in the UFC, trying everything, fighting the toughest of the toughest guys to get my hands on gold.

“He should fight [No 5] Charles Oliveira or something. Let Chandler and Charles Oliveira go at it. That doesn’t really interest me at this point. I’ll go sell hot sauce if that’s the case.

“It’s just my feelings towards the division and the sport. I lost to [now-retired] Khabib [Nurmagomedov in 2019], I came out and put on Fight of the Year for you guys, got my hand raised against a top-ranked opponent after that.

“And Khabib doesn’t want to come back. And in one of the biggest fight you can get, I knocked this guy out too. Khabib reiterates he doesn’t want to fight any more. I’m the champ.

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Gallery from UFC 257

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"I’m not going to – respect to Chandler – fight a new guy to the UFC who’s coming off a win against a guy that I just beat, for the belt. That’s not exciting to me.”

Poitier did, though, confirm he would be open to another bout against McGregor having avenged his 2014 loss to the former two-division world champion. McGregor sealed the win in that bout by first-round TKO.

“A rematch with Conor interests me,” Poirier said. “I always wanted to whip Nate Diaz’s [butt]; that interests me. I’m sure something will make sense, but just right now I don’t know. I’ve just got to go back home and see.

"Conor and me are one-and-one for knockouts. We’ll see. I don’t know. I can’t tell the future. We’re one-and-one, we both TKO-ed each other. We’ll probably have to do it again, right?”

On the difference between McGregor six years ago and now, Poirier added: “That first one was so long ago, but I felt his presence less, his aura less. I just saw another fighter tonight. The first time I was kind of deer in the headlights, you could say. This time I was just fighting another man, another man who bleeds just like me. And I knew that.

“[This win is] up there, especially to finish a guy who’s never been finished like that. Touching that UFC interim belt was so important to me and putting my hands on the undisputed world title before this is all said and done is what I want to absolutely do. But this is a big one.”

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (Kick-off midnight UAE)

Saturday Levante v Getafe (5pm), Sevilla v Real Madrid (7.15pm), Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid (9.30pm), Cadiz v Barcelona (midnight)

Sunday Granada v Huesca (5pm), Osasuna v Real Betis (7.15pm), Villarreal v Elche (9.30pm), Alaves v Real Sociedad (midnight)

Monday Eibar v Valencia (midnight)

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.

MATCH INFO

Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:

Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2

Second leg:

Monday, Azizi Stadium, Tehran. Kick off 7pm

Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:

Former first lady Hillary Clinton
Former US president Barack Obama
Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)

MATCH INFO

Crawley Town 3 (Tsaroulla 50', Nadesan 53', Tunnicliffe 70')

Leeds United 0

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

'The%20Alchemist's%20Euphoria'

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kasabian%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EColumbia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

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Race card

1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m.

2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m.

2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m.

3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m.

3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m.

4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m.

4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m.

The National selections:

1.45pm: Galaxy Road – So Hi Speed

2.15pm: Majestic Thunder – Daltrey

2.45pm: Call To War – Taamol

3.15pm: Eqtiraan - Bochart

3.45pm: Kidd Malibu – Initial

4.15pm: Arroway – Arch Gold

4.35pm: Compliance - Muqaatil

%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fislamic-economy-consumer-spending-to-increase-45-to-3-2tn-by-2024-1.936583%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3EGlobal%20Islamic%20economy%20to%20grow%203.1%25%20to%20touch%20%242.4%20trillion%20by%202024%3C%2Fa%3E%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fuk-economy-plunges-into-worst-ever-recession-after-record-20-4-contraction-1.1062560%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3EUK%20economy%20plunges%20into%20worst-ever%20recession%20after%20record%2020.4%25%20contraction%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fislamic-economy-consumer-spending-to-increase-45-to-3-2tn-by-2024-1.936583%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3EIslamic%20economy%20consumer%20spending%20to%20increase%2045%25%20to%20%243.2tn%20by%202024%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

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Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal

Rating: 2/5

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Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay

%3Cp%3EFly%20with%20Etihad%20Airways%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi%20to%20New%20York%E2%80%99s%20JFK.%20There's%2011%20flights%20a%20week%20and%20economy%20fares%20start%20at%20around%20Dh5%2C000.%3Cbr%3EStay%20at%20The%20Mark%20Hotel%20on%20the%20city%E2%80%99s%20Upper%20East%20Side.%20Overnight%20stays%20start%20from%20%241395%20per%20night.%3Cbr%3EVisit%20NYC%20Go%2C%20the%20official%20destination%20resource%20for%20New%20York%20City%20for%20all%20the%20latest%20events%2C%20activites%20and%20openings.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now

There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:

1. Rising US interest rates

The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.

Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”

At the same time as rates are rising, central bankers in the US and Europe have been ending quantitative easing, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.

2. Stronger dollar

High US rates have driven up the value of the dollar and bond yields, and this is putting pressure on emerging market countries that took advantage of low interest rates to run up trillions in dollar-denominated debt. They have also suffered capital outflows as international investors have switched to the US, driving markets lower. Omar Negyal, portfolio manager of the JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, says this looks like a buying opportunity. “Despite short-term volatility we remain positive about long-term prospects and profitability for emerging markets.”

3. Global trade war

Ritu Vohora, investment director at fund manager M&G, says markets fear that US President Donald Trump’s spat with China will escalate into a full-blown global trade war, with both sides suffering. “The US economy is robust enough to absorb higher input costs now, but this may not be the case as tariffs escalate. However, with a host of factors hitting investor sentiment, this is becoming a stock picker’s market.”

4. Eurozone uncertainty

Europe faces two challenges right now in the shape of Brexit and the new populist government in eurozone member Italy.

Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, which has offices in Dubai, says the stand-off between between Rome and Brussels threatens to become much more serious. "As with Brexit, neither side appears willing to step back from the edge, threatening more trouble down the line.”

The European economy may also be slowing, Mr Beauchamp warns. “A four-year low in eurozone manufacturing confidence highlights the fact that producers see a bumpy road ahead, with US-EU trade talks remaining a major question-mark for exporters.”

Dustin Poirier unclear on future after career-defining destruction of Conor McGregor at UFC 257

American lightweight interim belt-holder says he 'felt flat in the locker room' following victory in Abu Dhabi but admits third fight against Irishman would be of interest

Gallery from UFC 257

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Classification of skills

MATCH INFO

MATCH INFO

Living in...

'The%20Alchemist's%20Euphoria'

Race card

COMPANY PROFILE

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

While you're here

Sarfira

While you're here

While you're here

Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay

Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

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