UFC 264 ended on something of a down note after what had otherwise been a strong card. Conor McGregor suffered a horrible leg injury in his main event trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier, resulting in a TKO victory for Poirier. In an odd twist, the loss could still result in McGregor receiving a title shot in his next fight, according to UFC president Dana White.
Speaking at the UFC 264 post-fight press conference, White said that a fourth fight between Poirier and McGregor would be considered once McGregor -- who will have surgery on his injured leg on Sunday morning -- is "healed up."
"It sucks, it's brutal and it's not the way you want to see fights end," White said. "Dustin Poirier will fight for the title and when Conor is healed and ready to go, we'll do the rematch."
Poirier scored his second TKO win over McGregor this year when McGregor took an awkward step back at the end of the first round and his leg appeared to break. At the press conference, White said he was told the injury was to McGregor's lower tibia. Of note, the three judges at ringside scored the first round for Poirier with two giving him a 10-8.
McGregor holds just one win at lightweight in his UFC career, knocking out Eddie Alvarez to win the 155-pound title in November 2016. He never defended that title and lost in his return to the Octagon when he fought then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018. Combined with the two losses to Poirier, McGregor is now 1-3 at lightweight in the UFC.
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Still, White seemed to view a rematch with Poirier as necessary for McGregor, even if Poirier wins the lightweight title against recently-crowned champion Charles Oliveira in his next fight.
"Listen, the fight didn't get finished," White said. "You can't have a fight finish that way. We'll see how this whole thing plays out. Who knows how long Conor is out. Poirier will do his thing until Conor is ready."
As reporters continued to press White on the idea during the media event, White did slowly begin to walk back his statements, initially saying "it's all about timing" before expanding on other potential options.
"Listen, the rematch is there," White said. "You've got the rematch with him and the rematch with Diaz. ... To say, definitively? I can't say that right here and now. But you always have that rematch."
