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I think you're writing Poirier off a little bit too soon. There are some fighters that haven't been the same after a knockout, but Poirier has been KO'ed in a past (by Johnson or McGregor) but managed to bounce back nicely. There's no reason to think it'll be much different after KO from Gaethje (who also got KO'ed and that didn't stop his way to the top).
Maybe you are right about Dustin Poirier and I surely never gave him credit for those fights that he bounces back from but for me, his boxing is just really good and for sure Justin Gaethje just did awesome if he can not defeat the Boxing of Poirier then give him a punch with the follow-up kick on the face will be very effective for boxers, well I have seen Chandler went for a kick that his opponent never seen to KO him in an instant and this is what Michael Chandler is doing, for me I might give Chandler a chance,
It is less than 2 weeks until UFC 294, and it was revealed that Paulo Costa had elbow surgery 3 weeks ago. That is just so stupid, you are a co-main event fighter and hide such things from your boss. Is it greed? Saying this so late so no one would replace you? Or the surgery was on a level of removing splinter ? Or this is a back-up plan (excuse) in case he looses or USADA find something besides "secret juice" in him?
For sure Paulo Costa doesn't want this fight to be canceled again that is why I think he didn't say it to the UFC, just so it would not get canceled well for sure he has back from his previous canceled fight against Ikram Aliskerov so for sure he can not afford to get this fight against Khamzat Chimaev get canceled as well because even if he lost this fight it will still be bigger pay for him for sure, so yeah Paulo Costa really need this fight it is a bigger ranking fighter and a bigger event for the UFC,