UFC 178 Recap: Conor McGregor Backs-up Trash Talk With Knockout Win Over Dustin Poirier

The way Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier talked up their match-up for UFC 178, many would have assumed that it was the marquee match-up. No, it was not. Demetrious Johnson and Chris Cariaso held that distinction but fight night all but erased those notions as McGregor delivered the most entertaining and intriguing win of the night.

The Irish brawler backed up all his talk of being mixed martial arts newest sensation as he put a big blow in the first round to count "the Diamond" out. However, the win did not come without any controversy as reported by Yahoo Sports.

The 26-year-old was light on his feet in the early moments of the round. There were good striking combinations here and there from both men but nothing too serious until McGregor landed a left hook to just behind the ears of an evading Poirier. After visibly hurting his opponent, he continued his barrage with strikes to the already downed Poirier prompting the referee to step in and end the match. The issue lies into the striking at the back of the head which technically is not allowed in mixed martial arts rules.

The win cements the rise of the Irishman and the legions of followers in his home country. White even attested that around 10% of ticket sales came from the followers of McGregor, remarkable given that it was just a preliminary fight of the night. The relentless attacks made believers out of doubters including UFC President Dana White.

"I'm a believer," White said during FOX Sports 1's post-UFC 178 show. "He did exactly what he said he was going to do. Did I think Conor was going to win? I had no idea. Did I think he was actually going to go out and stop Poirier in the first round? I did not."

The UFC head honcho was so impressed that he even said that McGregor is bigger in magnitude than Brock Lesnar and Georges St. Pierre , two of the most renowned fighters during their prime. This is a big ego-boost given that the Irish fighter just debuted in July 2013 and is now hailed as one of the biggest draw and even better than Lesnar and St. Pierre.

However, the trash talking brawler unexpectedly went on the low profile route and said that he was "cocky in prediction" but "always humble, in victory or defeat." Lastly, he also relayed during the post-fight press conference that his other colleagues do not understand that it transcends a whole other level when his hits connects and that he has set his eyes only at one prize -the world title.