For the first time, Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor are set to share the stage and face off during UFC 257 fight week.
Thursday, a UFC 257 news conference featuring Poirier, McGregor, Michael Chandler, Dan Hooker and UFC president Dana White will take place on โFight Island,โ and you can watch it unfold in the live video stream above. The event is set to kick off at 8 a.m. ET (5 a.m. PT).
The press conference comes three days ahead of UFC 257 on Saturday at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. The 12-fight event has a main card on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Conor McGregor is back. After losing to Khabib Nurmagemedov in October 2018 -- in a rivalry that often went to weird, racially charged areas -- McGregor is returning to the octagon at UFC 257 against perennial fan favourite Dustin Poirier.
Love him or hate him, there's nothing quite like a Conor McGregor fight. The build-up, the media, the interviews -- McGregor has a way of raising the stakes of every single contest he's involved in to absolute fever pitch. This time he's testing his unique high-pressure/counter-punching style against Dustin Poirier, a fighter also known for being involved in entertaining fights. The twist? The fight is at welterweight (170 pounds), not at featherweight (145) where McGregor made his reputation, or lightweight (155) where McGregor was also once champion. Welterweight gives Poirier, who had a very successful run at 170, a distinct size advantage over McGregor.
In short, this isn't a tune-up fight. It's a fascinating match-up that most expect McGregor to win, but this is MMA and anything can happen.
UFC 257 FIGHT SCHEDULE
Date: Saturday, Jan. 23
Time: 6:15 p.m. ET
Prelims: 8 p.m. ET
PPV card: 10 p.m. ET
Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET (approximate)
UFC 257 will take place on Saturday, Jan. 18. The early prelims for the event begin at 6:15 p.m. ET. Prelims begin at 8 p.m. ET and Gregor and Poirier should take their ring walks around 12:15 a.m. ET, although the exact time depends on the length of the earlier fights.