Conor McGregor vows UFC 257 start of something big: 'I have plenty of motivation'

ABU DHABI – Conor McGregor may have racked up most accolades in the game, but he’s not done yet.

McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who rematches Dustin Poirier in Saturday’s UFC 257 main event, will look to kick off 2021 in similar fashion to his most recent outing, which was a 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone a year ago at UFC 246.

The first fighter in UFC history to hold two belts simultaneously, McGregor has recorded historic pay-per-view numbers, the fastest knockout in title fight history, participated in a $100 million boxing match vs. Floyd Mayweather, and much more.

There’s not much McGregor hasn’t done since joining the UFC roster in 2013, which has had many questioning his drive, considering the success, fame and money he’s garnered over the years.

But McGregor assured fans that he still has a lot more to give.

“I feel like I’m only starting,” McGregor said at Thursday’s UFC 257 news conference. “Everyone wants to kind of (say), ‘Hey, Conor, you’ve done it all. You’re so rich. You’re richer than Dana (White) over here. What are you doing here?’ Am I not allowed to be here? I want to be here. I want to perform for the fans. I’m a young man. I’ve got many highlights – you know, all the money, all the belts, everything. That comes and that goes. You know what lives on? Highlights – a fighter’s highlights.

“You look at Roy Jones Jr.’s highlights, Mike Tyson’s highlights, (Muhammad) Ali’s highlights. I want my highlight reel to be like a movie. That’s what I’m after. I’m looking to get in and perform (and) put on amazing highlights that I can sit as an old man with my son and just watch back and just enjoy life.”

It took McGregor less than two minutes to dispatch of Poirier the first time they met in 2014. This time, McGregor predicted an even quicker finish, and is excited at the prospect of topping his first performance.

“I have plenty of motivation,” McGregor said. “Dustin is a hell of a competitor. What does the champ-champ do? He does it twice. OK, I conquered it. Let’s conquer it again. Do it twice. That’s what the champ-champ does.”

UFC 257 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Poirier vs. McGregor headlines the pay-per-view main card, which follows prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.