McGregor all set for UFC comeback with Poirier rematch

Conor McGregor has agreed to come out of retirement for a rematch with Dustin Poirier that finally appears to be signed and sealed. 

The 32-year-old Irishman will tackle American Poirier on January 23, and the Octagon showdown looks set to take place in Abu Dhabi. 

It has been a fight that has been spoken about for several weeks, with UFC president Dana White saying in October that McGregor had yet to sign the contract for the clash. 

On Thursday, the McGregor-affiliated website The Mac Life announced the paperwork had gone through. 

McGregor retweeted news of that report and included it in his Instagram story, although he did not immediately make any personal comment about the agreement. 

The clash will go ahead at lightweight, and it marks the end of a short spell away from the sport for McGregor. 

He announced his retirement in June, but the former featherweight and lightweight champion has been unable to resist another eye-catching clash.

McGregor and 31-year-old Poirier will be reunited, over six years after they went head to head at featherweight in UFC 178. 

That was a one-sided affair, with McGregor triumphing after just one minute and 46 seconds of the first round. However, Poirier is now ranked second, behind Justin Gaethje, in the division that has lost its champion Khabib Nurmagomedov to retirement. 

White has said the McGregor-Poirier battle will not be a title fight, and has indicated he expects Khabib to also come out of retirement. 

McGregor said of the prospect of his own comeback last week: "I am very grateful to be about to return and get to do what I love again.” 

In an Instagram post, he said: "I look forward to the fresh test Dustin will bring since our first bout, while also showcasing my own incredibly deep cache of weaponry. Whatever tool is needed on the night will be pulled from the duffel."