Kavanagh: Sports psychologists can’t erase KO loss from Poirier’s mind

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Wild

Zi Nazi
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
85,004
123,330
UFC 178 - Poirier v McGregor


Dustin Poirier’s first encounter with Conor McGregor six years ago was a forgettable one, to say the least. But these days, “The Diamond” isn’t looking to commit the same errors that left him planted face first in the canvas after less than two minutes of action.

“I was emotional in the first one,” Poirier said in a November interview. “I wanted to hurt the guy. This time I just want to outsmart him, just want to beat him. This is business. This isn’t any ill will towards the guy.”

But for McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh, the sting of that knockout loss still lingers in Poirier’s mind. He feels that gives them a mental advantage coming into the rematch at UFC 257.

“[Dustin’s] fighting a different animal than any of [his previous opponents],” Kavanagh told The Mac Life in a recent interview. “Somebody with true one-punch knockout power that he’s already felt.

“I think you could spend a lifetime going to sports psychologists and talking to this person and that person. That’s not going to have been erased from his mind. He knows that he is facing somebody who can shut off his lights very, very rapidly. And now is a lot more powerful and a lot more experienced than he was even then.”

“So it’s a tough uphill battle for Dustin, but Dustin’s a phenomenal fighter, a great fighter and I know him and Conor, they’ve got certain agreements on charity things outside which is great. I think that’s what professional sports should be about anyway. But yeah, I’m really looking forward to this one.”

Fight cancellations due to COVID-19 have become the UFC’s new reality for 2020. It is something Kavanagh has thought about, including a possible opponent change. If that happened, he would expect an “easier fight” for “The Notorious.”

“I think in terms of opponent difficulty levels, Dustin would be at the top of that group,” he said. “So if one is replacing Dustin, there’s no nice way to say it, but it’s a slightly easier fight. Dustin is the best of those guys.”

UFC 257 happens on January 23 at the Flash Forum on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.


McGregor’s coach: The KO loss is in Poirier’s mind, no sports psychologist can erase that
 

Pitbull9

Daddy
Jan 28, 2015
9,832
14,130
He doesnt need to erase the loss. Dustin is just more mature now and you can see that in his fights. I still think Conor wins but not for those reasons that Kav outlined. Conor is just a beast in the stand up and hits hard and fast. If Dustin is smart he will right away mix strikes with TDs just to at least keep Conor guessing and not let him get to comfortable and get in his groove.
 

Rambo John J

Eats things that would make a Billy Goat Puke
First 100
Jan 17, 2015
71,541
71,465
Rematches aren't about erasing the result of the first match
 

Rambo John J

Eats things that would make a Billy Goat Puke
First 100
Jan 17, 2015
71,541
71,465
Conor is about a thousand bottles of whiskey and a few cubic yards of coke removed from the fighter he was in that first match...that could be the deciding factor

Dustin has remained disciplined

Conor has dabbled in the dark arts

I have Conor as a slight favorite
 

jimmy boogaloo

General Links/Your Account
Nov 15, 2017
4,127
4,265
i watched a snippet of Darren Till explaining that he truly believes he is better than the fellas who have beaten him. i suspect many fighters genuinely manage to brush off losses in this way. keeping that feeling of invincibility.
 

MondoIDIOT

Better than you !
Mar 20, 2020
1,095
1,234
This fight will play out like Conor vs mendes


In the way that it will clearly be fixed lol
 

KnockoutThoughts

Money Making Mitch
Jul 22, 2015
11,100
5,125
Conor McGregor once again bypassing the whole damn division into a titleshot is bullshit. Man more gifted titleshots for the biggest hypejob in the game. Idk why Dana doesn’t make the dude fight his way up at 155lb if he’s getting free titleshots at 155lb every fight. Make him earn it! Charles Oliveira and Tony Ferguson getting fucked over doing all the hard work of clearing divisions, and this guy gets plugged in with minimal output and effort. That’s unfair af! What makes you think Conor is worthy of a rematch with Khabib? He got DOMINATED! Fighting Porier again, this time at 155lb doesn’t make you worthy of a titleshot. Tired of the favoritism and manufactured accomplishments. Dana has personally handcrafted Conor’s career for him. Without Dana’s hand in the mix selectively, VERY SELECTIVELY, picking his spots for him I don’t think Conor would even be a talking point anymore. Protected and sheltered, never had to climb the ladder in the division he gets gifted back to back to back titleshots in. It’s a joke!
 

BrunoMcGyver

Bruno no dey carry last
Dec 30, 2015
6,395
10,264
Conor McGregor once again bypassing the whole damn division into a titleshot is bullshit. Man more gifted titleshots for the biggest hypejob in the game. Idk why Dana doesn’t make the dude fight his way up at 155lb if he’s getting free titleshots at 155lb every fight. Make him earn it! Charles Oliveira and Tony Ferguson getting fucked over doing all the hard work of clearing divisions, and this guy gets plugged in with minimal output and effort. That’s unfair af! What makes you think Conor is worthy of a rematch with Khabib? He got DOMINATED! Fighting Porier again, this time at 155lb doesn’t make you worthy of a titleshot. Tired of the favoritism and manufactured accomplishments. Dana has personally handcrafted Conor’s career for him. Without Dana’s hand in the mix selectively, VERY SELECTIVELY, picking his spots for him I don’t think Conor would even be a talking point anymore. Protected and sheltered, never had to climb the ladder in the division he gets gifted back to back to back titleshots in. It’s a joke!
1610420410438.png
 

Tuc Ouiner

Posting Machine
May 19, 2016
1,816
1,467
Hoping for DP, but wouldn't put a nickel on it. CM is gonna fight Manny P. later this year and earn a huge fortune (after losing to M.P.). A loss to D.P. would tarnish his luster. He will not lose to DP, too much at stake imo.
 

KnockoutThoughts

Money Making Mitch
Jul 22, 2015
11,100
5,125
Herb Dean and the rest of the refs have been put on notice that big business is on the line.. any opportunity to stop the fight in favor of Conor should be taken. Herb is going to gift Conor the win if Porier so much as wobbles during the fight. That Mendes stoppage was trash.
 

BeardOfKnowledge

The Most Consistent Motherfucker You Know
Jul 22, 2015
60,547
56,268
Conor McGregor once again bypassing the whole damn division into a titleshot is bullshit. Man more gifted titleshots for the biggest hypejob in the game. Idk why Dana doesn’t make the dude fight his way up at 155lb if he’s getting free titleshots at 155lb every fight. Make him earn it! Charles Oliveira and Tony Ferguson getting fucked over doing all the hard work of clearing divisions, and this guy gets plugged in with minimal output and effort. That’s unfair af! What makes you think Conor is worthy of a rematch with Khabib? He got DOMINATED! Fighting Porier again, this time at 155lb doesn’t make you worthy of a titleshot. Tired of the favoritism and manufactured accomplishments. Dana has personally handcrafted Conor’s career for him. Without Dana’s hand in the mix selectively, VERY SELECTIVELY, picking his spots for him I don’t think Conor would even be a talking point anymore. Protected and sheltered, never had to climb the ladder in the division he gets gifted back to back to back titleshots in. It’s a joke!
Going into the Conor fight Khabib hadn't lost a round in the octagon. The claim was he'd never lost a round in training either. He lost a round to Conor though. I'm far from a big Conor fan but people really should go rewatch that fight. Khabib definitely looked good, but the UFC marketing machine is a very real thing.
 

Wintermute

Putin is gay
Apr 24, 2015
5,816
9,202
Herb Dean and the rest of the refs have been put on notice that big business is on the line.. any opportunity to stop the fight in favor of Conor should be taken. Herb is going to gift Conor the win if Porier so much as wobbles during the fight. That Mendes stoppage was trash.
This Mendes stoppage?