It only took a little over 100 seconds, but Conor McGregor further increased his standing in the UFC with a dramatic stoppage of Dustin Poirier in Las Vegas in the early hours of this morning, and in the aftermath McGregor's sights immediately turned to a world title shot.
A large Irish contingent made up 10 per cent of the 10,544 crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for UFC 178 and the Dublin man gave his fans every reason for euphoria.
McGregor floored Poirier with a blow that appeared to strike the side of Poirier’s head, slightly above the ear. The American didn’t raise his hands to protect himself on the floor and referee Herb Dean moved in without much hesitation to call an end to the bout.
“What the other featherweights don't understand is that it's a whole other game when they get hit by me,” McGregor said after the fight.
“I felt really good. I tore my ligaments in my thumb four weeks ago which disrupted my training.
“I wanted to put on a performance. I said I'd knock him out in the first round and I knocked him out in the first round.
“You can call me Mystic Meg because I predict these things.The world title is next.”
The large Irish contingent had given the bout a home-ground feel for McGregor and he acknowledged the following following the victory.
"This is the new age. I wanted to come over here to America and show the American public the new era of the fighting Irish and I brought my whole country with me. If one of us goes to war, we all go to war."
Prior to the fight MCGregor’s trainer, John Kavanagh, predicted his fighter would be the first three weight world champion in UFC history. After the victory this morning MCGregor was unequivocal about what he sees as his next step.
"You know what's next - that world title is next! I'm gonna fly to Brazil if they want. I'll eliminate Chad 'Mini' Mendez and step in and give the fans what they want - (current champion Jose) Aldo versus McGregor.
"Or you know we could come back and fill that football stadium (the Aviva Stadium). Come on over, we'll whup them on home soil or away soil. It's no problem
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