The third battle between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, according to Khabib Nurmagomedov, isn't much different from the second.

Nurmagomedov (29-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC) believes that if his former adversary McGregor (22-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) is to win the rematch at UFC 264 Live on July 10 in Las Vegas, he must knockout Poirier (27-6 MMA, 19-5 UFC) in the first round of the lightweight main event.

If McGregor fails to finish the job in the first five minutes, Nurmagomedov believes the Irishman's chances drop considerably, and the opportunity for Poirier expands significantly.

“If it's the first round (for a finish), I'd support Conor,” Nurmagomedov told RT. “From the second round onwards, Dustin wins.”

Similar insight was provided by Nurmagomedov and other analysts before to the Poirier vs. McGregor rematch at UFC 257 in January. McGregor delivered several good punches in the early going, but as the fight progressed, “The Diamond” took control.

Poirier's leg kicks slowed McGregor as the fight progressed, and in the second round, he landed a blow that wounded "The Notorious" and led him his first knockout defeat in MMA.

The two will now square off in a decisive trilogy bout, with the winner expected to face lightweight star Charles Oliveira for the title later this year.

Nurmagomedov chose to relinquish Oliveira's championship after he withdrew from combat sports competition with an unbeaten record. For years, “The Eagle” dominated the 155-pound division, but his retirement has opened things up, and it's difficult to predict how frequently the championship will be handed around.

Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, said he enjoys the division's volatility and believes it will peak before the end of the year.

“The division has always been the most intriguing and strongest,” Nurmagomedov remarked. “By the end of the year, it'll be a lot of fun.”