Dubai: Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon for a non-title lightweight fight against Dustin Poirier will headline UFC 257 at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on January 23.
UFC president Dana White has announced the location and date for McGregor’s return to UFC action.
McGregor, 32, has held UFC titles in the featherweight and lightweight divisions, but he has been at odds with the promotion since a TKO win over Donald Cerrone in UFC 246 on January 18. McGregor owns a 22-4 record in mixed martial arts.
Poirier, 31, owns a 26-6 record with one no-contest. In his lone fight of 2020, he beat Dan Hooker by unanimous decision on June 27. His previous bout was a loss by submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a lightweight championship fight at UFC 242 last September.
McGregor defeated Poirier in a first-round TKO in a featherweight bout at UFC 178 in 2014. UFC 257 will cap a series of three events in seven days, with UFC Fight Night events on January 16 and 20.
The featherweight bout pitting Max Holloway (21-6) and Calvin Kattar (22-4) will headline the January 16 card, while Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) and Leon Edwards (18-3) will serve as the main event four days later.