Conor McGregor admits he ‘cheated’ during Dustin Poirier trilogy fight

Conor McGregor has admitted to bending the rules against Dustin Poirier by putting his fingers into his rival's gloves while wrestling during their UFC 264 meeting.

McGregor was forced to retire having collapsed to the canvas with a broken leg in the opening round.

And the American claimed in the aftermath of his victory that the Irish star cheated by pulling him into upkicks on the floor while having his gloves held.

Poirier said: "That's why I let him up at the end of the round. I let him up because he had three fingers in my glove. It's a good grip on the cuff of the tape. Pulling me down into upkicks.

"He's pulling me and kicking up at the same time. You know, I'm not surprised that he does stuff like that. I was telling Herb that 'I can't get out of it.' When I told Herb, maybe Conor pulled his fingers out."

Now, during an analysis of the fight, McGregor wrote on Twitter : "Can see the weight in those upkicks he was eating here as well. Which weren’t even the two heaviest upkicks I landed.

"Where was he going from open guard top here? He doesn't like upkicks through the face? Elbows down through the crown? You don't like it? Tough s***, see ya soon."

A Twitter user quickly replied, "When you grabbed onto his glove? Ye", to which McGregor said: "That’s right, I’m truly nasty in there. He hooked the fence. I grabbed the glove. A fight is a fight. Only b****** complain."

Upkicks are illegal in the UFC if an opponent is grounded, which Poirier was during the early exchange where McGregor was alleged to have been pulling the American.

But Poirier prevailed nonetheless and will now face lightweight world champion Charles Oliveira in December.

Meanwhile for McGregor he must react positively to a second consecutive defeat in the cage, with a whole host of opponents waiting in-line for the former double-champion.

This includes the likes of former foe Nate Diaz who is reportedly prepared to renew his rivalry with McGregor in a trilogy next year.

And with two fights remaining on his current deal with the UFC, former middleweight Michael Bisping has encouraged the Irishman to seek a trilogy with Diaz before challenging Poirier for a fourth time.

“Hopefully, we see that fight," Bisping said on his Believe You Me podcast. "I’m not sure if he wants to come back, Conor I’m talking about, after what’s probably going to be about a year’s lay-off and fighting Dustin for the third time.

"You kind of want to get your whistle wet. Find your mojo, blow off that ring rust. Nate would be the guy. Then, if Conor beats Nate, then he fights Dustin, because, you know, they are going to do a fourth fight."

McGregor has also been beckoned back into the boxing ring by YouTube star Jake Paul who is desperate to organise a shot at the superstar in the near future.

But it remains unlikely that he will make a return to the ring anytime soon, with a "greatest comeback ever" planned in the UFC next year.

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