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22nd December 2020
03:27pm GMT
The January 16 card on 'Fight Island' will be headlined by Holloway, who has fought both McGregor and Poirier in the past, taking on Calvin Kattar.
The midweek card features a much-anticipated welterweight fight between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev. This bout was due to take place last month but Edwards was struck down with Covid-19. He will be hoping to pull clear of any Covid after-effects as Chimaev is a destroyer.
That all leads us up to UFC 257 and McGregor vs. Poirier II. The pair had agreed to throw down in a bout outside of the UFC remit, and donate much of the event takings to charity, but the promotion reached out and offered, in more ways than one, a bigger stage.
McGregor has not fought since January of this year, when he dismantled Donald Cerrone in all of 40 punishing seconds at UFC 246. 'The Notorious' insists he put forward many fight proposals to the UFC - including Justin Gaethje, Anderson Silva and Diego Sanchez - but all were rejected. That prompted yet another retirement tweet, but he has since rode back from that.
Dustin Poirier lost to Conor McGregor by first round TKO in September 2014. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption]
If that card looks top-heavy with McGregor vs. Poirier taking much of the shine, it is exactly that. However, expect another three or four bouts to be added and announced in the coming days.
It has been reported that Justin Gaethje is being lined up to fight Michael Chandler in a co-main event lightweight bout. With two live title contenders added to the card, there would be ready-made replacements on 'Fight Island' should McGregor or Poirier run into any difficulty.
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