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The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the T-Mobile Arena with a sold-out crowd for the first time since March 2020, with a star-packed UFC 264.
A scheduled ending to the trilogy between lightweight contenders Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor headlined the stacked card.
Poirier TKO’s McGregor after doctor stoppage
All things considered, No. 1 lightweight in the world Dustin Poirier got his hand raised at the conclusion of the main event at UFC 264 against top contender Conor McGregor.
As far as everything else, Poirier said, “Karma’s not a bitch, she’s a mirror.”
It was the second win for him against McGregor in the last six months.
Near the end of the first round, McGregor (22-6) stepped forward in an exchange with Poirier (28-6) rolling his left ankle in the process.
However, unlike just any ankle roll, McGregor’s lower left leg appeared to snap in the same motion.
Falling to the ground as he held his leg, McGregor was rushed by Poirier as the opening round came to a finish.
McGregor never stood up following the horn.
After the fight, Poirier said he believed McGregor’s leg cracked on a checked leg kick early in the round, to which his opponent denied.
Similar to the first fight, McGregor came out fast throwing spinning back kicks to the body and several leg kicks.
As the round went on, Poirier began to land shots on his adversary forcing his opponent to grapple.
McGregor even went for a guillotine despite not having a submission finish since 2012.
Poirier is now slated as the next contender for Charles Oliveira’s Lightweight championship.
On the other hand, there is no timetable for the return of McGregor however he did vow, “This is not over.”
UFC President Dana White expressed interest in a potential fourth fight citing the company “has to do it again.”
Burns stalls Thompson, wins unanimous decision in co-main event
Following his world title loss to champion Kamaru Usman, welterweight Gilbert Burns returned to the win column with a unanimous decision win in the co-main event.
Burns (20-4) beat fellow top welterweight contender Stephen Thompson (16-5-1) after a wrestling-filled performance.
Despite the angst from the fans and even the boss, himself, Burns cited the difficulties in game planning for someone like Thompson.
The answer was to wrestle the karate-style fighter, as he secured takedowns in every round, ending up on top at the end of every horn.
Burns became the first fighter to take Thompson down three times in a fight.
All judges gave Burns a 29-28 unanimous decision with all awarding Thompson the second round.
Despite being No. 2 in the division, Burns opted for another fight calling out welterweights Leon Edwards, Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz along the way.
O’Malley’s record-breaking performance ends with bonus
In a bout that was awarded Fight of the Night, bantamweight “Suga” Sean O’Malley put on another signature performance.
O’Malley blasted Kris Moutinho for a bantamweight-record 230 signature strikes before referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight with about 30 seconds left in the third round.
Commentators Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan openly disagreed with the stoppage claiming Moutinho earned the right to finish the fight.
Despite absorbing that many strikes from O’Malley, Moutinho never stopped moving forward.
Oftentimes, Rogan referred to Moutinho as a “zombie.”
In search of a big fight, O’Malley called out bantamweights ranking from one through eight in Petr Yan, Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt and Dominick Cruz.
Maia bloodies, beats Eye; calls for Shevchenko
In a flyweight division where champion, Valentina Shevchenko, has essentially cleared out, UFC 264 may have given life to a previously defeated foe.
It was a card so-packed that former flyweight title contenders Jennifer Maia (19-7-1) and Jessica Eye (15-10 1 NC) fought on the UFC 264 prelims.
As she often does, Eye moved forward for the duration of the fight; even after her forehead was gashed after a clash of heads in the second round.
It was a strike-ladened fight that resulted in one judge awarded Maia with all three rounds while the other two gave her the first two rounds.
For Maia, it was the first fight for her since she lost a unanimous decision championship fight to Shevchenko in November.
After the fight, she said she believed one fight should be enough to get a rematch with the champion as she is one of two women who have gone the distance since Shevchenko captured the belt.
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