Bad blood between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor has been simmering since their first encounter back in 2014. While “The Notorious” dismantled Dustin Poirier with a first-round TKO in their initial meeting, the Louisiana native returned the favor years later with a dominant and brutal stoppage of his own.
McGregor’s trademark trash talk played a significant role in getting under Dustin Poirier’s skin early in their rivalry, but it was the buildup to their third clash that truly crossed a line. The former two-division champion escalated matters by launching personal, salacious remarks aimed at Poirier’s wife, comments that deeply angered the American.
Although their trilogy bout ultimately ended in Dustin Poirier’s favor, it appears McGregor’s words have never entirely faded. That lingering resentment resurfaced when Ariel Helwani asked Poirier whether the long-running feud had finally been put to rest following McGregor’s recent congratulatory message.
No Forgiveness Given – Dustin Poirier Brutally Rejects Conor McGregor’s Message
McGregor’s message, delivered amid his extended absence from competition, struck a noticeably different tone from the chaos that once defined their rivalry. For some fans, it appeared to be an olive branch, an acknowledgment of mutual history and perhaps a signal that hostilities had cooled with time.
Poirier, however, made it abundantly clear that forgiveness is not on his agenda. In the build-up to their trilogy bout, the 37-year-old unleashed a relentless stream of trash talk, pushing the line even further by directing jabs at Poirier’s wife.
However, when the fight finally arrived, the words rang hollow. Poirier silenced the noise with a dominant first-round TKO, a night that ended with McGregor being carried out of the cage on a stretcher after suffering a broken leg.
Even in defeat, “The Notorious” initially refused to let the rivalry cool, continuing his verbal attacks in the immediate aftermath of his second loss to Poirier – “Your wife is in me DM’s. Hit me back baby!”, but the fire has since faded. The Irish southpaw has not competed again, and his once-constant provocations have noticeably slowed.
In a sign of a softened tone, McGregor recently offered his congratulations to Poirier following the birth of his newest child. But when asked about the message by Ariel Helwani, the American made his feelings unmistakably clear. “(Expletive deleted) no, man. (Censored) Conor (McGregor),” Poirier shot back without hesitation.
Dustin keeping it honest 😭
Via @arielhelwani pic.twitter.com/DfoLEFE6yd
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) January 19, 2026
Helwani, apparently startled by the response, followed up by suggesting the message seemed well-intentioned. Dustin Poirier wasn’t buying it. He shook his head in clear contempt before delivering a firm, “No.”
For Poirier, time hasn’t softened the memory of what was said or how far the rivalry went. While McGregor’s tone may have changed, the damage was done long ago, and no congratulatory message can erase it.
Some MMA feuds fade quietly into history. This one, however, at least for Dustin Poirier, remains very much unfinished, regardless of whether the two ever share the Octagon again.
