UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3 Results, Winner Interviews, Fight Highlights and More

Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor meet for the trilogy on July 10

Live Results, Winner Interviews And More From UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3, Live From A Sold Out T-Mobile Arena

By Thomas Gerbasi, on Twitter @TGerbasi • Jul. 10, 2021

UFC welcomes fans back to the fight capital of the world at full capacity as T-Mobile Arena opens its doors on Saturday, July 10 for one of the biggest fights in UFC history. Headlining the event will be the rubber match of the trilogy between former interim UFC lightweight champion and current No. 1 ranked contender Dustin Poirier and former two-division UFC champion and No. 6 Conor McGregor.

UFC 264: POIRIER vs. McGREGOR 3 will take place Saturday, July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. All bouts will be simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT with the UFC Fight Pass prelims. The prelims will continue exclusively on ESPN & ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and the ESPN+ Pay-Per-View main card will kick off at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

No. 6 ranked men’s pound-for-pound fighter Poirier (27-6, 1 NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) plans to repeat his performance over McGregor from UFC 257 earlier this year and leave no doubt who the better fighter is. A member of the UFC roster for over 10 years, he has proven himself as one of the best in the world with wins over former UFC champions Max Holloway (twice), Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Pettis. Poirier now looks to retain his spot at the top of the lightweight ranks and cement himself as the next in line for the belt.

No. 15 ranked men’s pound-for-pound fighter McGregor (22-5, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland) has his sights set on avenging his loss earlier this year by showing he is still one of the best in the world. Arguably the most popular UFC star in history, he rose to prominence with iconic knockouts of Jose Aldo, Eddie Alvarez and Chad Mendes. McGregor now aims to make a statement by delivering a vintage performance against Poirier.

What time is UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3?

Main Card: 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Prelims: 8pm ET / 5pm PT
Early Prelims: 6:15pm ET / 3:15pm PT

UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3 Results

UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3 Early Prelims

Zhalgas Zhumagulov vs Jerome Rivera

In the flyweight opener, Zhalgas Zhumagulov earned his first UFC victory as he submitted Jerome Rivera in round one.

Highlight: Zhalgas Zhumagulov Scores A First-Round Submission | UFC 264

Rivera got off to a fast and effective start to the bout, using his height and reach advantage to keep Zhumagulov at bay, but after the Kazakhstan native tagged his foe with a left hand, it forced Rivera to shoot for a takedown, and as he did, Zhumagulov sunk in a standing guillotine choke that produced a tap out at 2:02 of the opening frame.

Zhalgas Zhumagulov Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

Zhumagulov moves to 14-5 with the win. Rivera falls to 10-6.

Official result – Zhalgas Zhumagulov def. Jerome Rivera via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:02 of round one. | Official Scorecards

Omari Akhmedov vs Brad Tavares

Seasoned middleweights Brad Tavares and Omari Akhmedov went three hard-fought rounds, with Tavares emerging victorious via split decision.

Scores were 29-28 twice and 28-29 for the No.15-ranked Tavares, now 19-7. The No.13-ranked Akhmedov falls to 21-6-1.

It was a competitive first round between the two 185-pound vets, with Akhmedov holding the edge for a spell behind his grappling and some solid shots in the middle of exchanges. But in the final minute, it was Tavares nailing his foe with kicks downstairs and up before a 1-2 staggered the Russian.

Brad Tavares Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

Akhmedov opened up the second round with a takedown, and though Tavares didn’t stay grounded long, he took a bit longer to escape his opponent’s grasp against the fence. At distance, Tavares continued to dig kicks into Akhmedov’s legs, and they appeared to be taking their toll, allowing the Hawaiian to start to take command of the bout.

Both fighters had their moments throughout the third stanza, with Akhmedov now targeting Tavares’ leg, but down the stretch, it was Tavares pulling away again as he finished the round and the bout strong.

Official result – Brad Tavares (29-28, 29-28) def. Omari Akhmedov (29-28) via split decision. | Official Scorecards

Jennifer Maia vs Jessica Eye

In a clash of flyweight contenders, Brazil’s Jennifer Maia outlasted Jessica Eye via unanimous decision over three rounds.

Scores were 29-28, 29-28, and 30-27 for the No.4-ranked Maia, now 19-7-1. The No.7-ranked Eye falls to 15-10, 1 NC.

The first five minutes were fast paced, both fighters staying busy with their standup game. Eye was the aggressor throughout and she landed at a greater clip, even though Maia scored with some big shots. Eye broke open the close round late, though, as she delivered a takedown that was a good end to the frame for her.

Jennifer Maia of Brazil punches Jessica Eye in their flyweight fight during the UFC 264 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Maia charged back in the second, but the biggest moment of the round came when a clash of heads opened up a nasty cut on Eye’s forehead in the final minute, and while the cut didn’t become the factor in the first four minutes of the final round, Maia’s right hand kept finding a home in the third, even though Ohio’s Eye kept marching forward as the cut reopened in the closing stages of the bout.

Official result – Jennifer Maia def. Jessica Eye via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) | Official Scorecards

UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3 Prelims

Trevin Giles vs Dricus Du Plessis

In middleweight action, Dricus Du Plessis made it two UFC wins and two knockouts, as he halted Trevin Giles in the second round.

Du Plessis was the aggressor from the start, but the cool and collected Giles reacted well to his foe’s rushes. The South Africa native adjusted, though, and in the closing stages of the round he moved to his grappling game, where he had success late.

Highlight: Dricus Du Plessis Knocks Out Giles | UFC 264

Giles came out fast for round two, but after having some success, he got careless defensively, and Du Plessis made him pay with a flush right hand that sent the Texan hard to the canvas. Moments later, the fight was over, with referee Christ Tognoni halting the bout at 1:41 of the second round.

Dricus Du Plessis Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

With the win, Du Plessis moves to 16-2. Giles falls to 14-3.

Official result – Dricus Du Plessis def. Trevin Giles via knockout at 1:41 of round two | Official Scorecards

Ryan Hall vs Ilia Topuria

Unbeaten featherweight prospect Ilia Topuria promised a first-round knockout against Ryan Hall, and he delivered on that promise, as he snapped Hall’s eight-fight winning streak in emphatic fashion.

Highlight: Ilia Topuria Earns First Round Knockout | UFC 264

A minute in, Hall tried to roll into a leg lock but missed the mark, forcing the fight back to the feet. Moments later he did it again and again, but Topuria wasn’t having it. Midway through the round, Hall did get a hold of his foe, but Topuria punched his way out, and he continued to do so whenever Hall tried to grapple. And in the closing minute of the round, Topuria went on the attack, and as the fight went to the mat, he unleashed a series of ground strikes that brought the bout to an end. The official time of referee Jason Herzog’s stoppage was 4:47 of round one.

Ilia Topuria Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

Topuria moves to 11-0 with the win. Hall falls to 8-2.

Official result – Ilia Topuria def. Ryan Hall via knockout at 4:47 of round one | Official Scorecards

Niko Price vs Michel Pereira

Expected to deliver a memorable battle in the Octagon, 170-pound action heroes Michel Pereira and Niko Price did just that, with Brazil’s Pereira holding off a late charge from Price to win a close, but unanimous, decision.

Scores were 29-28 across the board for Pereira, now 26-11, 2 NC. Price falls to 14-5, 2 NC.

Outside of some decent clinch work by Price early in the opening round, the first frame belonged to Pereira, whose speed and variety on the feet was clearly giving the Floridian issues

A minute into the second round, with Price on the canvas, Pereira flipped into the mount position, and he immediately looked to lock up an arm. When his submission attempt came up empty, he began firing off strikes, forcing Price to give up his back. Price fought his way back to his feet and then nearly secured a leg lock as the two went back to the mat, and while that didn’t happen, Price was able to get back to his feet, where he pressured the Brazilian, who appeared to be tiring rapidly.

Highlight: Michel Pereira Backflips Into Full Mount | UFC 264

The welterweights kicked off the third with a heated exchange that ended with a clinch by Price against the fence. An inadvertent low kick by Pereira brought a momentary halt to the bout, and when the action resumed, Price began opening up even more, but Pereira was still firing back enough to keep his foe honest, leaving the crowd screaming for more as the bout ended.

Official result – Michel Pereira def. Niko Price via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) | Official Scorecards

Carlos Condit vs Max Griffin

Max Griffin earned the biggest win of his pro career, taking a three-round unanimous decision over former interim UFC / WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit.

Scores were 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 for Griffin, now 18-8. Condit falls to 32-14.

Griffin had a great first round, battering Condit’s lead leg before scoring a knockdown with his punches upstairs just before the four-minute mark of the frame. The knockdown seemed to light a fire under Condit, who got busier before the horn, but he wasn’t able to deter Griffin.

Max Griffin Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

The second stanza was closer, and this time, it was Condit getting back in the fight and getting the better of the action, if only slightly. Griffin stuck to the game plan, though, and the 170-pounders continued to battle tooth and nail throughout the third, with Griffin landing the harder blows before scoring a takedown in the final minute that ultimately paid great dividends on the scorecards.

Official result – Max Griffin def. Carlos Condit via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) | Official Scorecards

UFC 264: Poirier vs McGregor 3 Main Card

Sean O'Malley vs Kris Moutinho

In the main card opener, bantamweight prospect Sean O’Malley got a tougher than expected fight out of late replacement opponent Kris Moutinho before halting his foe in the third round.

Moutinho quickly got in O’Malley’s face as the bout began, but the Arizonan used his pinpoint accurate strikes to keep the newcomer at bay. Moutinho wasn’t in the Octagon to be a foil for O’Malley, though, and he continued to aggressively chase his foe until O’Malley really started to tag him midway through the round. After fighting off the initial barrage, Moutinho went back to work, tagging O’Malley with some solid punches and kicks. A right hand just before the horn dropped Moutinho, but he made it to the end of the round.

Sean O'Malley Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

As the second began, Moutinho kept marching forward, talking to O’Malley as he took several stiff punches and kicks, and as the round progressed, it appeared the favorite was getting frustrated by his inability to put the New Englander away.

O’Malley continued to dominate the action in the third, but the story of the fight was the toughness of Moutinho, who was bloody and bruised, but unbowed. Yet as the bout entered its closing stages, the amount of shots Moutinho took throughout the fight prompted referee Herb Dean to stop the fight at 4:33 of the final round, an unpopular decision with the fans in attendance.

O’Malley moves to 14-1 with the win. Moutinho, who replaced Louis Smolka, falls to 9-5.

Official result – Sean O’Malley def. Kris Moutinho via TKO at 4:33 of round three. | Official Scorecards

Irene Aldana vs Yana Kunitskaya

A meeting of top five bantamweight contenders ended early, as Mexico’s Irene Aldana impressively halted Russia’s Yana Kunitskaya in the first round.

Kunitskaya took control of the fight immediately, with a kick-heavy attack getting her on the board early. Aldana took a little longer to get into a rhythm, but once she did, she bloodied her foe and began landing shots to the head and body. With less than two minutes to go, a left hand by Aldana knocked Kunitskaya down, and a flurry of ground strikes followed. Kunitskaya weathered the initial storm, but when Aldana went back on the attack, referee Jason Herzog stopped the bout. The official time was 4:35 of the first round.

Irene Aldana Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

With the win, the No.4-ranked Aldana, who missed weight for the bout at 139.5 pounds, moves to 13-6. The No.5-ranked Kunitskaya falls to 14-6, 1 NC.

Official result – Irene Aldana def. Yana Kunitskaya via TKO at 4:35 of round one | Official Scorecards

Tai Tuivasa vs Greg Hardy

Australian banger Tai Tuivasa made it three wins in a row in heavyweight action, as he knocked out Greg Hardy in a little over a minute.

Tuivasa (13-3) went after Hardy’s legs to start the bout, getting the former NFL star’s attention. Hardy (7-4, 1 NC) fired back and seemed to wobble Tuivasa, but “Bam Bam” got the last word, sending Hardy crashing to the canvas with a left hand. A follow-up barrage ended matters, with referee Mark Smith stepping in at 1:07 of the first round.

Tai Tuivasa Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

Official result – Tai Tuivasa def. Greg Hardy via KO at 1:07 of round one | Official Scorecards

Co-Main Event: Gilbert Burns vs Stephen Thompson

In the UFC 264 co-main event, Gilbert Burns won his three-round battle with fellow welterweight contender Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision.

Scores were 29-28 across the board for the No.2-ranked Burns, now 20-4. The No.4-ranked Thompson falls to 16-5-1.

After a brief feeling-out process, Burns got the action underway with a takedown attempt in the second minute, and though that came up short, he was able to pin Thompson against the fence until he grounded his foe with a little over two minutes to go. With less than a minute left, Thompson got to his feet, but he was unable to get free of the grasp of “Durinho” until the closing seconds of the round.

Gilbert Burns Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

Thompson got busier in the second as he was able to avoid another extended grappling session, and while he landed a hard kick on his foe, Burns came back immediately with a right hand upstairs, and with less than a minute to go, the Brazilian got his takedown and added in some punches to the face for good measure as he traded with Thompson on the mat.

Getting off to another good start in round three, Thompson showed a sense of urgency as the third opened, and in the second minute, he staggered Burns before “Durinho” gathered himself and fired back. Burns then looked for the takedown, and midway through the frame, he got it. Burns worked to improve his position and he soon moved into side control and then the mount, and that’s where the bout remained, with the Brazilian in control as the final horn sounded.

Official result – Gilbert Burns def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) | Official Scorecards

Main Event: Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor

It was intense and action-packed for as long as it lasted, but the third matchup between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor ended in abbreviated fashion, as a leg injury suffered by McGregor forced a halt to the bout at the end of the first round, with Poirier taking a 2-1 lead in the series via TKO.

“I beat the guy,” said Poirier, when asked by Joe Rogan if the win was anticlimactic.

As for this being the end of the rivalry, the two continued to jaw at each other after the fight, with McGregor telling Rogan, “This is not over.”

Dustin Poirier Post-Fight Interview | UFC 264

McGregor opened with a spinning kick to the body and followed with more kicks to the body and legs before throwing a left hand upstairs. Poirier answered with kicks to the leg of his own and when he let loose with punches to the head, he knocked McGregor off balance before grappling with his foe against the fence. McGregor attempted a guillotine choke as the two went to the mat, and when Poirier slipped loose, he worked for position while throwing a series of elbows in response to elbows by the Irishman. With a minute left, Poirier let loose with his ground strikes and was able to shake off an upkick from McGregor before the two rose. Seconds later, the two swung and missed, and as McGregor stepped back, he fell and appeared to break his left leg, bringing in referee Herb Dean to stop the fight at 5:00 of the first round.

The No.1-ranked Poirier moves to 28-6, 1 NC with the win. The No.5-ranked McGregor falls to 22-6. McGregor defeated Poirier in their first bout in 2014 before Poirier evened the score in January.

Official result – Dustin Poirier def. Conor McGregor via TKO (Doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round one | Official Scorecards

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