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Conor McGregor softens stance on Dustin Poirier with unexpected two-word message

Originally posted on HITC | By Donagh Corby | Last updated Jan 18, 2026 10:15 AM ET

Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier’s long-standing rivalry might finally be over.

The pair met three times, with McGregor winning the first at featherweight and Poirier taking both 155lb bouts in 2021. Their third fight ended when ‘The Notorious’ suffered a broken leg, an injury that has kept him out of action ever since.

‘The Diamond’ has since retired, while the Irishman is reportedly looking to return this summer for the UFC White House event. And it seems he is ready to move past their history, quietly reaching out on Instagram in a comment that has not gained much attention.

Conor McGregor moves to end feud with Dustin Poirier

Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Outside of a brief calm before UFC 257, there has always been tension between McGregor and Poirier. Before their first fight, the American star openly said he had never disliked an opponent more, and then ‘The Notorious’ knocked him out early in the bout.

Their friendly relationship seemed to rekindle during the coronavirus pandemic when they reached an amicable agreement to fight in Abu Dhabi. This match ultimately resulted in the first knockout defeat of the Irishman’s career.

Poirier’s foundation, ‘The Good Fight Foundation’, did not end up receiving a donation that was expected from McGregor. As a result, things became heated between them once more. And when their trilogy ended in brutal injury for the Irishman at UFC 264, he declared “this is not over”.

Now almost five years later, it seems that time has allowed the former two-weight world champion to put their past behind him. Poirier shared an Instagram post introducing his new baby boy, and it quickly went viral, with almost 250k likes.

A few days after the post went up, fans noticed McGregor had left a simple message: “Congrats bro.”

While many commenters were surprised by the response, it did not seem forced or insincere.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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