Former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor has taken a new turn in his current standoff with UFC president Dana White.
McGregor and White have taken swipes at one another from afar over the past several days, with McGregor leaking DMs from White which detailed his thoughts about potential fights over the rest of the year, while White took umbrage with private conversations going public.
Monday, McGregor went on a Twitter tangent which began by jumping into the replies of an ESPN tweet, but then took a turn. “The Notorious” invited former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier, who recently ran into a dead end attempting to get better pay from White in order to fight Tony Ferguson, to fight and donate the proceeds to charity, with no promotional involvement from the UFC.
Hey bro! You want to do an MMA charity fight? Zero to do with the ufc. I will donate half a mill towards your charity for it. Sell it on ppv or work a tv deal and we work out other charities that are close to my heart also. I am engaged in many.
Strictly a charity “exhibition”— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 29, 2020
He then went on to name a time and place.
December 12th in the Point depot, Ireland. No weigh ins.
Open weight, unified rules.
I will arrange all travel fare for you and family.
McGregor Sports and Entertainment MMA, in association with The Good Fight Foundation.
Charity Mixed Martial Arts!— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 29, 2020
Poirier, who lost to McGregor via first-round TKO at UFC 178 in 2014 in what was a moment that signaled to the world the up-and-coming McGregor was legit, gave thumbs up to the offer, naming his charity, The Good Fight Foundation as one of the beneficiaries.
Excellent! We shall take it offline and progress the process from here. Good man Dustin! I respect your philanthropic efforts greatly, as well as how you conducted yourself post our first fight. You have my respect!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 29, 2020
The chance of this fight actually happening are slim, given that the UFC is highly unlikely to release either from their contracts for a fight outside their promotion, even if it is for charity. Still, the offer indicates McGregor is serious about wanting to fight.
The challenge to Poirier came after McGregor took exception to an ESPN segment in which Daniel Cormier questioned how committed McGregor was to fighting anyone.
I asked for May you fat fool, what you saying? I fought in January and tried to go again but was purposely held back to be an alternate for a July fight. Wait 7 whole fucking months and “maybe” I’d get to fight? Are you stupid? What are you saying mate?
I asked for May vs ANYONE!— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 28, 2020