Yahoo Sports Conor McGregor calls off UFC 264 fight with Dustin Poirier over missing charitable donation
It appears that all the goodwill that built up between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier has evaporated just three months after the fight that caused them to build up so much goodwill in the first place.
Poirier and McGregor spent Sunday (and now part of Monday) squabbling on Twitter over the $500,000 donation that McGregor promised to make to Poirier's foundation before their fight at UFC 257. After McGregor predicted that he'd win their upcoming fight at UFC 264 by TKO, Poirier publicly called out McGregor because the previously promised donation hadn't been made yet.
That's a fun prediction! @TheNotoriousMMA you also predicted a donation to my foundation and you and your team stopped responding after the fight in January.
See you soon.
July 10th Paid In Full!— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) April 11, 2021
McGregor, Poirier duke it out on Twitter
McGregor responded to Poirier (you knew he would) by explaining that he never received any plans for the money. He apparently doesn't make any charitable donations without knowing exactly where the money is going "dot for dot."
A donation, not a debt. We’ve been awaiting the plans for the money that never came. I do with all my donations. Know where it’s going dot for dot. Otherwise it goes walking. As is the case with a lot of these foundations, sadly. You took the McG over the belt shows I was right.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 12, 2021
MMA Junkie confirmed before UFC 257 that both sides had exchanged banking information so the transfer could be made, but McGregor, who was on the losing end of their last fight, was apparently waiting for more information.
Poirier then responded to a fan who claimed this was all a ruse to promote their fight at UFC 264 because Poirier's wife had already thanked McGregor for the donation.
We thanked him because his team reached out fight week to initiate the process but ghosted us the past 2 months after the fight. My foundation has reached out 3 times since with no reply. We've moved past it! We will be announcing our next goal soon! Its a big one🙏 https://t.co/mtiOFBsd2q
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) April 12, 2021
Poirier followed up with McGregor, tweeting that McGregor's team hadn't responded to emails about where the donation would be going.
100% never a debt. You offered, we accepted, and like I said your Team never responded to our emails regarding the process of where funds would be put to work! July 10th you will taste defeat yet Again https://t.co/k3Cu9DG1Me
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) April 12, 2021
McGregor calls off the fight
It appeared that the Twitter fight had ended, but McGregor had to get the last word. On Monday, he tweeted several insults at Poirier and called off the fight. (Warning: NSFW language ahead.)
You’re ripped you inbred hillbilly. Why do you wink with your ears? You fucking brain dead hillbilly. 500k with no plan in place. Ye hang tight. Fool. You must be new to money. The fight is off btw. I’m going to fight someone else on the 10th. Good luck on your old contract kid.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 12, 2021
Poirier, as cool as ever, responded with one word and a video of himself knocking out McGregor back in January.
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) April 12, 2021
McGregor, again incapable of letting anyone else have the last word, tweeted what he probably thought was a devastating response. It... wasn't.
👍 smell ya later pea pic.twitter.com/bez8tNxdTO
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 12, 2021
McGregor walking away from a downed Poirier is a great image, but it happened seven years ago. Referring to that is a little pathetic when just three months ago, McGregor got knocked out by Poirier just over two minutes into the second round.
There's been no official announcement about the status of the fight, so it might still go on. It's hard to believe McGregor would turn down the opportunity to knockout Poirier after such a public fight.
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