Conor McGregor says he only agreed to his January rematch against Dustin Poirier out of pity.
The pair first fought in 2014, with the Irish star winning by knockout. However, Poirier got his revenge as he knocked out McGregor earlier this year to set up a trilogy bout this Saturday.
McGregor has said he felt sorry for the American and was initially going to fight him in a charity match on a free-to-air channel.
He told The Mac Life: “It was going to be a charity event, not even under the UFC banner. It was just because he was a southpaw and I felt a bit of pity for him and whatnot, so I’d help him out.
“And that’s it, it went the way it went and I got a setback in there, but setbacks are a beautiful thing. Defeat is the secret ingredient to success, I say, and it’s put me right where I need to be.”
McGregor is famous for his trash talk and he didn’t hold back about Saturday’s fight as he said he is going to “kill” Poirier.
He added: “Every shot I have thrown in this camp is a kill shot, so that’s it. I’m going to kill this man.
“[It’s going to be] just a slaughter and a play with a scared little boy – he’s fighting scared like he always does, like they always do against me.
“So now I’m going to play with the little boy, play with my food, and then just devour it.”
McGregor is confident he can win but Poirier has also come out swinging, saying the fight is make or break for the Irishman.
He told ESPN: “It’s all on the line for him. He’s not doing this for money. He’s doing this for pride, for respect, to prove that he’s still an important piece of this 155lbs division. That’s a dangerous man.
“He’s not coming out here to dampen his name anymore, to get knocked out again or to get submitted again. He’s coming to build McGregor Enterprises back to where it was.”
The fight will take place in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as the main event of UFC 264.