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McGregor: Poirier loss a 'bitter pill to swallow'

Jeff Bottari / UFC / Getty

Whether he's in the middle of a heated press conference or doing a postfight interview, Conor McGregor almost always knows what to say.

But a second-round TKO loss to Dustin Poirier on Saturday left the UFC superstar a little speechless.

"It's a bitter pill to swallow," McGregor said at the UFC 257 postfight press conference, according to MMA Fighting. "I don't know even know whether I'm that upset."

"I have no excuses here," he added. "It was a phenomenal performance by Dustin. I don't know what to say. I'm going to go back, I'm going to chill out, and I'll watch the full fight and get a better grasp on it."

The bout marked McGregor's first knockout loss in mixed martial arts and his fifth defeat overall. The former two-division champion came back after a one-year layoff to face Poirier, the No. 2-ranked lightweight contender.

UFC president Dana White said the loss will either make McGregor hungrier or lead to his retirement. "The Notorious" is confident he'll return stronger, mentioning trilogy bouts with Poirier and Nate Diaz as potential options down the road.

"I'll certainly regroup," McGregor said. "I'll regroup and pick myself up - get up off the floor and go again."

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