Picture: Dustin Poirier Is In Frightening Shape Ahead Of Joseph Duffy Fight

Then everything came crashing back to earth. It was to be Duffy’s first UFC main event – and it was taking place in his home city.

The fight between the pair was supposed to headline UFC Fight Night 76 in Dublin in October, but Duffy was forced to withdraw due to concussion.

Duffy was recently interviewed by MMAjunkie at his home training base at Tristar Gym in Montreal to promote the UFC 195 preliminary bout.

It was all gone in an instant.

UFC 195 will have to be a cracker to better 194, but the card undoubtedly has the potential to do so.

Duffy says he spoke to Poirier in Ireland after he was yanked from the main event and despite their shared disappointment, he appreciated that the American Top Team lightweight handled the entire situation with class.

“As soon as the fight got rescheduled, my head was straight back into training and getting back to work”, Duffy said.

That was UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler talking as he packed up his vehicle in Florida, before leaving earlier this week to Las Vegas, where he will defend his title against Carlos Condit.

Still, he was ready to go whenever the UFC decided the fight should take place.

Duffy goes to the MGM Grand having won his two UFC fights to date in the first round while Poirier has switch from featherweight to light this year. Him being from Birmingham, I was training in Wales, so it’s only an hour-and-a-half up the road and we knew a lot of the same people. “For me, it’s just about how I feel and where I feel I’m at and also my coaches; I’m not going to try to prove it to everyone else”. I just can’t wait to finally get in there. I feel like I’ve been in fight camp for a full year. “We’re going in there obviously to win, first and foremost, but if there are any mistakes made along the way, I’m sure we’ll pay the price, so I definitely think this makes for a fight for the fans”.

Yet 21 days after 2015’s second Irish invasion followed Conor McGregor to Nevada, Joseph Duffy won’t be backed up by vast hordes of holidaying green-clad MMA supporters.

McGregor was a different fighter five years ago, and the UFC is a different beast.

The Donegal native certainly doesn’t spark as much interest as Conor McGregor, but he has been included in the “Fight Pass” prelims to make his bout more accessible to European viewers.