UFC fighters give predictions for Poirier-McGregor 3

In anticipation of Saturday's UFC 264 main event between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor in Las Vegas, theScore asked more than two dozen UFC fighters for their predictions.

(Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.)

Alexander Volkanovski, featherweight champion: I've got Conor to finish the fight inside two rounds by knockout or TKO.

Cody Garbrandt, former bantamweight champion: McGregor.

Vicente Luque, welterweight: I'm going to go with Poirier for the win. Still, it's a tough decision. I think McGregor is always a dangerous fighter. He can always pull out the win. Last time, he started off really well, but Poirier was tough for it and was able to withstand that first burst of McGregor and get the win later on. I think at this moment right now, Poirier has the better moments, he's been fighting more, he's a really tough guy, he's really experienced. He knows how to make the fight become a brawl, become a fight where you have to dig into your heart if you want that win. I think he's better at doing that than McGregor. At the start of the fight, I think McGregor is really dangerous, and he can maybe surprise everyone. But I'm going to go with Poirier as the favorite for this fight.

Beneil Dariush, lightweight: I'm leaning toward Dustin but prefer McGregor.

Kelvin Gastelum, middleweight: I think McGregor is a smart man, and if he says who he says he is, he'll make the necessary adjustments in his game and come in well prepared like he has in his past fights. But if not, Poirier will piece him up all day.

Shane Burgos, featherweight: Going with Dustin again. I think he'll keep mixing it up like the second fight and eventually get a late finish.

Matt Brown, welterweight: I'm up in the air on a winner in this one. My best prediction is Conor winning if he can get his rhythm early and Poirier winning if he can drag it into deep waters. But I can also see those roles being reversed. It really depends on who shows up that night in their best form because those two are so evenly matched.

Alex Perez, flyweight: Poirier by knockout in the third round.

Brian Kelleher, bantamweight: I'm really excited for this one. Can Conor make the adjustments from the last fight? It hasn't been that long, but I think he's the type of guy that will. He has that ego that he wants to get you back, and I think we're going to see a little bit of old, vintage Conor here, where he's a little bit meaner, a little bit crazier, and a little bit more of a savage. That was the guy on the come up that we all loved to watch rise in the UFC.

The thing about Poirier, though, is he's at the peak of his skills and his career. He's more confident than ever now knowing that he can take those power shots from Conor and keep going in the fight and then get the finish. Conor's going to have to make adjustments. He can't take any of those calf kicks. He's going to have to have good movement, good counters, and maybe land a couple of calf kicks of his own before Poirier can even get to him.

My prediction for this fight is kind of the same as the last fight. I think Poirier's going to get it done - I just think it's going to last a little bit longer. He's going to be able to take those shots again. And Poirier's that dog when the fight goes on longer - third, fourth, fifth rounds - that's all Poirier. I think Poirier's going to get it done again, probably in the third or fourth round.

Max Griffin, welterweight: I got Dustin. I think he's going to withstand the Conor storm, almost TKO him, and then submit him.

Marion Reneau, women's bantamweight: That's going to be a tough one. If McGregor has the same wide stance, those calf kicks might play another big role. However, I think he will have a response or defense to them now. So I'm going to go with McGregor via TKO.

Jimmie Rivera, bantamweight: I think Dustin is going to take the win. He's just more diverse and hungrier than McGregor. Money makes people softer, and I think McGregor lost that hunger.

Walt Harris, heavyweight: I say Dustin by TKO or knockout in three rounds.

Cody Stamann, bantamweight: Honestly, I have no clue. If I was shooting in the dark, I'd say the longer the fight goes on, the better chance Dustin has of winning. No doubt Conor is the better fighter and athlete, but I have heard he's not putting in his normal workload, which leads me to believe he's hoping for one big shot. That means the safe money is on Dustin winning.

Ode Osbourne, bantamweight: Pretty much everything I said would happen in the last fight between Poirier and McGregor will happen in this fight. Dustin is far hungrier and knows now that the "boogeyman" isn't that scary, so I think a lot of that pressure will be gone. The fact that McGregor tweeted that whoever shoots first is a "dusty b----" tells you everything you need to know. Dustin by second-round finish.

Sam Alvey, middleweight: Although my heart is saying Dustin, I think Conor's got this. Conor was winning the last fight until he lost it. I think if he has a little more urgency in this fight, he gets the finish early.

Mike Rodriguez, light heavyweight: Mystic Mac is getting that shit back. First round, left hand lands.

Julian Marquez, middleweight: Dustin will take it.

Christos Giagos, lightweight: I'll be putting my money on Conor.

Zak Cummings, middleweight: I'm thinking it's going to go very similar to the last fight. Conor might hurt Dustin early, but Poirier ends up finding a finish later in the fight.

Jared Gordon, lightweight: Poirier by fourth-round TKO.

Gerald Meerschaert, middleweight: Dustin in three.

Tanner Boser, heavyweight: McGregor by knockout.

Khama Worthy, lightweight: Poirier by TKO.

Darren Stewart, middleweight: McGregor to win.

Tristan Connelly, lightweight: I think Poirier will do the same thing as last time.

• Fighters picking Poirier: 16
• Fighters picking McGregor: 8
• Fighters undecided: 2