The UFC thinks it may have found the next Conor McGregor in the last man to defeat its Irish superstar. Joseph Duffy is Irish but hails from Donegal by way of Wales rather than the island nation's metropolis of Dublin. He's soft-spoken by any standard but especially compared to the brash and rarely silent McGregor.
Duffy is also an exceptionally talented young fighter. He's 27 years old and in his prime, and he has racked up four consecutive finishes since returning to MMA from a three-year stint in professional boxing. With a win here, the Irishman could become a major factor in a market that's suddenly become a hot and lucrative one for the world's biggest promotion.
Dustin Poirier will be Duffy's opponent in his Irish homecoming, which takes place Saturday afternoon on the UFC's Fight Pass platform. The American has been on a great run since moving up to lightweight, racking up a pair of impressive knockout victories, and he represents a massive step up in competition for Duffy.
The main event of Duffy vs. Poirier is a crackling scrap. The card loses much of its luster after that, particularly since an injury to Stipe Miocic robbed it of its co-main event. Instead, the second fight will feature Irishman Paddy Holohan against Hawaii's Louis Smolka in a solid but hardly can't-miss flyweight matchup.
Northern Ireland's Norman Parke takes on Sweden's Reza Madadi, who returns from an absence of several years due to a stint in prison. Talented prospects Nicolas Dalby and Darren Till clash in the main card opener in what promises to be an outstanding fight.
The prelims include talented prospect Tom Breese in a bout against Ireland's Cathal Pendred and a promising women's strawweight matchup between Aisling Daly and Ericka Almeida, but the early fights are otherwise not terribly promising.
Let's take a look at each matchup.
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