Dustin Poirier doesn't seem too upset that Conor McGregor's comeback ended in a devastating injury.
McGregor, a former UFC two-division champion, returned from a five-year layoff against Max Holloway at UFC 329 this past weekend in Las Vegas. He suffered a first-round TKO loss after injuring his knee in the opening seconds of the fight.
"It couldn't have happened to a better guy. That injury couldn't have happened to a better guy," Poirier said on CBS Sports' "Deep Waters" podcast. "I saw earlier this week he said karma's a mirror, and it definitely is. This guy's a dirtbag."
Poirier, a now-retired lightweight contender, fought McGregor three times in his career, most notably knocking him out in January 2021 and then winning an immediate rematch in July 2021 after McGregor broke his leg.
McGregor threw a jumping kick to begin the UFC 329 main event, but he landed awkwardly on his right leg and fell to the ground. He went down twice more before referee Mike Beltran waved off the bout at the 69-second mark.
Poirier criticized McGregor's decision to go for a jumping kick right out of the gate.
"I don't know why you would start a fight like that. ... That's like a Hail Mary," Poirier said. "You're throwing a Hail Mary to start the fight."
He added: "Father Time is undefeated. And let's just be honest and blunt: (McGregor) looked old. ... It's not the Conor we've seen in the past. Not the Conor we expected."
The extent of McGregor's knee injury is unknown, but UFC CEO Dana White said doctors believe the Irishman tore his ACL. McGregor said Monday he plans to undergo surgery, recover, and then return for the final fight on his contract. However, Poirier isn't certain McGregor will make it back to the Octagon.
"He's done if he has a torn ACL," Poirier said.
Poirier retired last July following a loss to Holloway at UFC 318 in his home state of Louisiana, but he said he would come out of retirement for another meeting with McGregor.
"I would come back to whip him again. At 170," Poirier said.
