Quelle surprise.
This could well be a pleasant case of 2+2 = 4.
We love it when maths works out. Social media is rife with rumours, this morning, that Joseph Duffy will be announced as the headliner for UFC Dublin, at the 3 Arena, on October 24.
It all began, in the early hours of Wednesday, with this tweet from lightweight fighter Dustin Poirier [18-4].
@LorcanaltyMMA maybe!
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) July 29, 2015
Online sleuths then hit upon the fact that Donegal lightweight Joseph ‘Irish Joe’ Duffy [14-1] is doing media interviews in Dublin today.
Those two factors, combined with Poirier’s recent step up in weiht divisions, and wishful thinking, has led to Duffy being installed as the new frontrunner for the main event.
In September 2014, Conor McGregor defeated the American at UFC 178 in Las Vegas.
Since then, Poirier has recorded first round stoppage wins over Yancy Medeiros and Carlos Diego Ferreira.
Duffy, who beat McGregor back in 2010, has impressed UFC chiefs since his debut with the promotion last year. In his two UFC fights so far he has easily dismissed Jake Lindsey and Ivan Jorge.
The early favourite to headline UFC Dublin, which will not feature McGregor on the card, was Iceland’s Gunnar Nelson.
Nelson, who trains out of John Kavanagh’s Straight Blast Gym, is lined up to fight Steve Thompson, although nothing has yet been confirmed.
Cathal Pendred confirmed, on Tuesday, that he has an opponent lined up for the event while Paddy ‘The Hooligan’ Holahan is set to battle Louis Smolka.
