Conor McGregor not 'the same animal' he was before first Dustin Poirier fight says UFC commentator Joe Rogan
CONOR MCGREGOR isn't 'the same animal' he was when he first fought Dustin Poirier six years ago.
The former two-division champion suffered a devastating second-round TKO loss to his old featherweight rival last month in the main event of UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi.
Defeat to the American was McGregor's second in his last three octagon outings, the first of which was his 2018 loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
And UFC commentator Joe Rogan reckons the Irishman's recent woes could be the result of his hunger and motivation not being what they once were.
During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, he said: "Dustin is a different person.
"He's a different person than he was when they first fought.
"And Conor is a different person too. But I don't think he's the same animal that he was back then."
Despite having questions over McGregor's desire to comepete, Rogan admits the Dubliner performed well in the first round of the fight.
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He added: "And also, their strategies are different. Someone could say, 'Oh, it's tough to be a savage when you're waking up in silk sheets.'
"Yeah, [but] he fought well in the beginning. He fought well.
"He landed good shots and Dustin admitted there was one time where he was caught and he was in a little bit of trouble. But the strategy of those low kicks.
"Conor has that wide stance and he puts a lot of weight on that front leg. And he did not seem to have an answer for those low kicks.
"And that is just a f***ing new element of the game that seems unstoppable. Because you can only take a couple.
"Khabib [Nurmagomedov] was saying that when he fought Justin Gaethje that those low kicks were as hard as he's ever been hit before.
"Even he probably recognised he couldn't take too many of those."
McGregor, 32, is hoping to have a trilogy fight with Poirier later this year.
And the pride of Lafayette, Louisiana is seemingly open to running it back with The Notorious, recently dismissing the prospect of facing Michael Chandler or Charles Oliveira next.
The former interim lightweight champion told MMA Junkie: “I want to be the world champion, and Charles is a guy that’s paid his dues.
"He’s earned where he’s at, no doubt about it. Let him and Chandler fight for the belt.
"If they want Chandler in there for the title, and he’s calling for the title.
"Let them fight for the belt. I’ll take a step back and just watch."
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