Dustin Poirier wanted Conor McGregor rule change – but UFC star refused

Dustin Poirier has revealed that UFC rejected his request to change the weight class for the final instalment in his trilogy clash with MMA megastar Conor McGregor.

McGregor beat the American star at UFC 178, back in 2014, thanks to a first-round stoppage, after McGregor clipped his counterpart in the temple – knocking him out.

However, Poirier avenged the loss at UFC 257 in January, when he shocked the world with a second-round triumph.

And ahead of their final bout, Poirier has revealed – to ESPN – he wanted to fight in the welterweight class to prove January wasn't a fluke.

"I'm trying to show that January wasn't a fluke," he told the ESPN MMA Youtube channel.

"He's trying to show that he's still relevant and still wants to be the world champion at 155lbs.

"I was pushing to fight at a heavier weight, I wanted to fight at 170 [and] I didn't want to cut down to 155 again, but he wanted to do it at 155.

"The UFC wanted it at 155, so I know what that means: it means that the winner of this fight is going to fight for the belt."

What weight class do you think the pair should fight at? Let us know in the comments section

Poirier offered to fight McGregor at welterweight, over Twitter, but McGregor turned down the proposal with a simple tweet: "No."

However, Poirier continued to speak about his admiration for McGregor: The thing with Conor is that when I think about his approach to this fight or fighting, in general, is that the man doesn't have to fight, you know he's got money, he doesn't have to work a day in his life.

"He's doing this not because he has to but because he wants to, and that shows me that he's motivated and he's not going out there to collect a cheque or lose."

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