The Scorecard | UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3

Pre-fight hyperbole is one thing, but after defeating Conor McGregor for the second time on Saturday night, maybe a deep look into Dustin Poirier’s resume and where he stands among the best of all-time is warranted. Sure, the third fight with McGregor ended in abbreviated fashion, but with two 10-8 rounds to his name and his status as the fresher fighter at the end of the first frame, there’s good reason to believe that the fight may have ended in the second or third round anyway. Take that away, and “The Diamond” still has had a Hall of Fame career thanks to wins over former world champs McGregor, Max Holloway, Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gaethje and Anthony Pettis, not to mention several victories over top contenders. Add in his always exciting style, and Poirier may have finally reached the point where he’s being appreciated for what he’s brought to the sport.

WHAT’S NEXT? Charles Oliveira. For the gold. Nuff said.

2 – Gilbert Burns

Gilbert Burns will be the first to say his co-main event win over Stephen Thompson wasn’t the most impressive of his career, but against a tough to figure out puzzle like “Wonderboy,” Burns showed elite level Fight IQ as well as patience in pounding out a clear-cut unanimous decision. It was the kind of win he needed after losing a February title fight to Kamaru Usman, and it keeps his hopes alive for a rematch with “The Nigerian Nightmare” down the line.

UFC 264 Final Results | Dustin Poirier Press Conference | Bonus Coverage

WHAT’S NEXT? Burns called for Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards after his win Saturday night, and while all would be intriguing bouts, Diaz and Masvidal aren’t very likely, leaving Edwards as the kind of fight that could be made and that would be beneficial for both men chasing Usman, who is expected to be in the Octagon with Colby Covington next.

3 – Irene Aldana

I’ve always wondered how Irene Aldana wound up with a 13-6 pro MMA record when she’s as good as she is. But at this point in the game, the overall record doesn’t matter, because the Mexican standout is 3-1 in her last four and coming off a blistering first-round stoppage of Yana Kunitskaya. That was a big win for a number of reasons: it was a win, it was a finish, it was in her first fight since losing to Holly Holm, and it was against a fellow Top 5 contender who showed up to win at T-Mobile Arena. Yeah, Aldana missed weight and that’s a strike against her, but as far as her performance goes, that’s one to remember.

WHAT’S NEXT? With Germaine de Randamie still in the number one contender’s spot but not likely to get another crack at champion Amanda Nunes without a big win or two, a matchup of strikers between Aldana and “The Iron Lady” would be one to watch.

4 – Sean O’Malley

The MMA world is still buzzing about the gritty effort turned in by late replacement Kris Moutinho against Sean O’Malley, and rightfully so, as the New Englander showed up to fight and didn’t stop pressing until the bout was called by referee Herb Dean. But in the midst of all that, people are forgetting about the performance of O’Malley, who was on target all night against an opponent who wouldn’t go away. And that’s the thing in combat sports; as good as you may be, eventually, you’ll run into someone who won’t fall down. And when it comes to the development of “Sugar Sean,” better for him to have this experience now, and adjust and win, then to get to the top of the division and have no clue what to do in the same situation when everything is on the line.

WHAT’S NEXT? O’Malley vs Dominick Cruz? From a purely technical striking standpoint, that’s a fascinating fight.

5 – Tai Tuivasa

It’s easy to look at Tai Tuivasa as the hero of the everyman, but every man does not have the power “Bam Bam” has in his fists, and that’s why he’s on the rise in the heavyweight division and fans are cheering him on and giving him sneakers to drink out of. And after a rough three-fight losing streak, Tuivasa has scored three knockout wins in a row, which means he’s probably ready to start tackling the heavyweight elite again.

WHAT’S NEXT? Tuivasa vs Walt Harris? Make this one a main event and call it “Bombs Away”.