Zahabi gives McGregor ‘60-40’ edge over Poirier, predicts early KO

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Georges St-Pierre’s head coach Firas Zahabi gave his thoughts on the UFC 257 main event.

Firas Zahabi isn’t giving Dustin Poirier no chance against Conor McGregor at UFC 257, but the Tristar head believes ‘The Notorious’ will have a sizeable 60-40 advantage over ‘The Diamond’ on fight night.

McGregor, who has predicted a 60-second KO finish, TKO’d Poirier in the first round of their 2014 featherweight matchup at UFC 178 and Zahabi believes the Irishman will pull off a similar feat at UFC 257, predicting another early KO victory for the Irishman.

Zahabi, who used to coach former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre, believes McGregor’s striking is simply on another level to Poirier’s.

“I’m not saying Dustin has no chance to win,” Zahabi said on his podcast (h/t Abhinav Kini of Low Kick MMA). “I’m giving it 60-40 in McGregor’s favor. I don’t usually go 60-40 especially at this level. Two elite guys who were world champions. They both have ways to win, they’re both super seasoned, super experienced, super dangerous, they’re both finishers.

“Why am I being so generous? Well, I think this has a lot to do with styles. Conor McGregor is the best counter-puncher in UFC history. There’s never been a counter-puncher like him in MMA. Dustin Poirier‘s number one weapon is boxing so he’s kind of feeding the McGregor machine — exactly what McGregor wants. But because he’s primarily a puncher, and he’s a very good puncher, he’s just not a puncher at the level of a McGregor.”

“McGregor has reached, in my opinion, the highest level of MMA so far,” he added. “I don’t think it will go that far. I think McGregor is going to get his job done in the first two rounds.”

UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor II takes place on Jan. 23 at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.