Dustin Poirier commented on the possibility of Conor McGregor returning to the UFC, stating emphatically that it is not about him and wishing McGregor 'the worst.' This marks a sharp departure from their previous relationship. Meanwhile, UFC president Dana White shared a photo from the construction site of a venue for an upcoming event at the White House. Islam Makhachev continues to hint at a July return to competition. New sparring footage has emerged showing Brendan Allen and Khamzat Chimaev training together in the UAE. Additionally, Arman Tsarukyan's next fight in RAF will reportedly earn him at least a three percent stake in the company. Peyton Talbott posted a reference to Toy Story while tagging the UFC, seemingly hinting at cooling interest from the promotion.
Dustin Poirier has made clear he has no interest in a potential Conor McGregor comeback, delivering a blunt message that the situation has nothing to do with him and wishing his former rival "the worst."
The 37-year-old Louisiana native carries a 30-10-0 record and competes at lightweight under the American Top Team banner. A southpaw standing 175 cm tall with a 183 cm reach, Poirier is one of the division's most prolific strikers, landing 5.24 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy. His comments represent a sharp public break from what had previously been a more complicated relationship with McGregor following their trilogy of bouts.
UFC lightweight and welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, currently ranked pound-for-pound number one with a 28-1-0 record, continues to drop hints that he is targeting a return to competition in July. The 34-year-old Russian, who trains with Eagles MMA, is among the sport's most dominant grapplers, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and posting a 58 percent striking accuracy rate.
Middleweight contender Brendan Allen, ranked fifth at 185 pounds, has surfaced in new sparring footage alongside Khamzat Chimaev at a training session in the UAE. The 30-year-old American, who holds a 26-7-0 record with Kill Cliff FC, stands six-foot-two with a 191 cm reach and contributes both on the feet and on the mat, landing 3.59 significant strikes per minute while averaging 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Poirier's public dismissal of McGregor closes the door on any personal enthusiasm for a fourth meeting should McGregor return
- Makhachev's July timeline signals the pound-for-pound top spot will be defended sooner rather than later
- Allen and Chimaev sharing the mat raises questions about future matchmaking at middleweight, where both are prominent contenders
