Sport

Sporting hits of 2021: Conor McGregor exits the Octagon on a stretcher

Trash-talking continues even after Dubliner’s freak broken leg in Dustin Poirer loss

Conor McGregor leaves the Octagon on a stretcher after his defeat to Dustin Poirier. Photograph: Stacy Revere/Getty

Philip Reid's face
Philip Reid
Wed Dec 29 2021 - 12:00

UFC 264- T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Lightweight bout - Conor McGregor v Dustin Poirier, July 11th.

Even when it was over, it wasn’t over.

Conor McGregor’s ankle had snapped with just seconds left in the first round of his UFC 264 lightweight so-called ‘rubber match’ with Dustin Poirier, yet as the Dubliner lay by the side of the cage - getting medical treatment and blood building on his ear - the trash talk went on . . . and on.

Eventually Poirier - aka ‘The Diamond’ - looked towards the man known as ‘The Notorious’ and claimed: “This guy is a dirtbag, man.”

The verbal insult was a belief that McGrgeor had crossed a line in the back-and-forth trashtalking ahead of the headline fight: “Dustin’s going out in a stretcher. That’s my prediction. He’s going out of this fight in a stretcher . . . I’m not jumping the gun . . . but he’s going out in a stretcher. Early.”

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But it proved to be the other way around as the real cost to the Irishman’s legacy came with a bizarre ankle break in the first round which ultimately gave the American a Technical Knockout (TKO) win after the ringside doctor stopped the fight.

The incident came as McGregor and Poirier swung at each other, with McGregor stumbling backwards and breaking a bone without Poirier hitting him.

Prior to that, McGregor and Poirier had come out swinging and kicking in the third meeting of the pair. With one win each, this was meant to decide who was king. Poirier scored a mid-round takedown and kept McGregor on the ground for much of the round. McGregor managed to get back onto his feet as the seconds ticked but, when he threw a punch that missed, his leg collapsed under him. And that was that.

Except for the trash talk. Even as The Notorious One left on a stretcher. And all the while as Poirier was making a charity appeal to help the pygmies of Uganda and a young boy fighting cancer.