Conor McGregor has threatened to make Dustin Poirier "pay with his life" in their trilogy decider at UFC 264, while YouTube braggart Jake Paul has again blasted the UFC legend, who was also involved in a row with Rafael Dos Anjos.
The fighters are currently tied 1-1 in their series, which includes a 2014 TKO win for McGregor and a knockout triumph for Poirier in Abu Dhabi in January, which was the Irishman's first knockout loss in the UFC.
The build-up to their second meeting was kind-natured and full of mutual respect, but McGregor – at a career crossroads – has ditched the nice guy routine while returning to his divisive trash-talking persona.
"I'm going to go through his head, put holes in him and take it off his shoulders. That's the goal here," he balked at the final press conference to promote the bout.
"He's done here; this is it for him, this is the end of the road.
"It's on. Saturday night he's getting walked around that octagon like a dog and put to sleep," McGregor menaced, while also making crude references to Poirier's wife.
A day later, at the weigh-in, 'Notorious' hadn't ran out of words. "Joe, in 16 hours' time, this man is going to learn that if you disrespect a person's kindness and take it as a weakness, you must pay," he told commentator Joe Rogan.
Also on rt.com ‘She lying to you’: McGregor stirs Poirier wife row with more ‘proof’ of Instagram DM after wild UFC 264 press conference (VIDEO)"Tomorrow night, I'm going to make this man pay with his life.
"And I mean it. You're dead in that octagon tomorrow night."
For all the talk of this being "the end of the road" for Poirier, McGregor should perhaps take a look at himself and get his own house in order.
Threatening to break a journalist's nose at the press conference after he was reminded he has had one win to his name since Barack Obama was US president, 'Mystic Mac' is now drinking his whiskey at the last chance saloon.
Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has scoffed that McGregor isn't "that guy anymore", with the 32-year-old 3-3 in his last six outings, includes two brutal losses to Poirier and an early defeat to 29-0 great Khabib Nurmagomedov.
A win could earn him a shot at the lightweight crown against Charles Oliveira, but defeat would blow him further into obscurity, with YouTube prankster-turned-boxer Jake Paul joining the throngs of those who think his time in elite combat sports is done.
"You can tell Conor has lost 'it'," said the 3-0 brawler, who is currently preparing to face the man Usman succeeded as 170 lb king in Tyron Woodley.
"He no longer speaks from a place of authenticity and you can tell he's trying to convince himself of his own lies.
"He takes offense to everything now.
"He's bathing in his own insecurity. When we fight, I will further expose him for the fraud he is," Paul warned.
Paul also teased on Twitter that he has had his jeweler "custom make me a $100,000 dollar diamond necklace of this frame", referring to a picture of McGregor spark out against Poirier, which he intends to reveal tomorrow.
An old rivalry of McGregor's with former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos was reignited at the weigh-in.
The Brazilian went on the scales too, ready to step up in case Poirier or McGregor have to pull out due to injury or Covid-19.
"Conor you’re such a snake – sneaking from behind and playing tough," Dos Anos seethed after the pair were involved in an altercation.
"Soon or later we will finish our business. I’m not like the guys you play around with."
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