Conor McGregor received a special gift from rival Dustin Poirier as the pair weighed in for their upcoming rematch – a bottle of hot sauce.
The lightweights were going through the motions of the ceremonial weigh-in in front of several hundred fans ahead of their clash this weekend when the Irishman, 32, was surprised with the offering.
Having officially made weight on Friday morning, the American fighter, 32, produced a bottle of Louisana Style Hot Sauce from his own range, named Heatonist, from his pocket and handed it to his rival.
McGregor, known for his rage both in and outside the cage, was a fan of the gift and appeared to laugh before the pair posed for photos and shook hands.
Upon receiving it, he said said: “It’s great to be back here, I’m delighted with the Louisiana hot sauce and I look forward to bringing the hot sauce to the fight tomorrow.
“I’m excited to be back and you’re in for a treat tomorrow.”
Poirier, who was KO’d by McGregor in their first meeting in 2014, added: “My whole career has aligned me for tomorrow night. I’m here to be victorious and have my hand raised by any means necessary. I’m leaving it all out there, let’s go.”
Earlier, McGregor weighed in alongside three of the other top lightweight contenders ahead of UFC 257 but the name on everyone’s lips this week has been Khabib Nurmagomedov, the retired champion in that weight class whose successor has yet to be crowned.
McGregor tipped the scales in Abu Dhabi at 155lb for his main event match-up with Poirier, and Dan Hooker and Michael Chandler also made the lightweight limit for their co-main event.
There is no title up for grabs on Sunday, but the victors from those bouts will likely contest for the belt in their next match, provided Nurmagomedov does not return.
UFC president Dana White has been making no secret of the fact that he would like to see Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated after beating Justin Gaethje last October, come back for a lucrative rematch with McGregor.
The Dagestani beat the Irishman via submission in 2018 in the main event of the most successful pay-per-view card in the organisation’s history.
However, Nurmagomedov’s father and coach Abdulmanap passed away in July last year and though the fearsome wrestler took the Gaethje fight, he promised his mother not to enter the octagon again without his father in his corner.
White has said that Nurmagomedov would consider a comeback if any of the four lightweights on Sunday’s card can show him something worth getting back in the cage for.
McGregor insists he is not giving too much thought to a rematch and is instead focusing on his second meeting with Poirier, whom he beat at featherweight during his meteoric rise.
“I have so many weapons in my arsenal, they are all fine-tuned, I’m in a phenomenal place,” he said.
“I look forward to getting out and showcasing them, painting my picture and putting on a beautiful performance for the fans around the world.”
