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Conor McGregor finds himself on the cusp of another shot at the UFC lightweight title.

It is a position that no one had deemed feasible following his UFC 257 defeat to Dustin Poirier, in which the Notorious, 32, was stopped via knockout for the first time in his career.

The Diamond, also 32, had avenged his spectacular 2014 defeat to McGregor and in so doing had used the Irishman as a launchpad to what appeared to be a undeniable shot at Khabib Nurmagomedov's vacant throne.  

Conor McGregor has been offered a lifeline and is on the cusp of a shot at the lightweight title

McGregor appeared to spurn his chance to fight for UFC gold after his defeat to Dustin Poirier

'Who else has put the resumé together that I have in my last six, seven fights, whatever it has been?' Poirier told ESPN's Ariel Helwani in February. 

'Also beating Conor, a two-weight world champion, adds another world champion to the list of guys I've taken out. ... I think I'm most deserving to be in a title fight out of all these guys.' 

Yet the Louisianan has opted to get back in the Octagon with McGregor, in a move that can be explained by a combination of both the riches on offer and the chance to settle their rivalry once and for all. 

As a result, Poirier has snubbed the chance, for now, to challenge Charles Oliveira for the 155-pound belt. It may be a move the Diamond comes to rue, although Dana White believes that is not the case.  

McGregor had been calling for a rematch with rival Khabib Nurmagomedov (right) and was in talks with Manny Pacquiao (left) but lost focus on the target in front of him

'Dustin wants the rematch [with Conor McGregor]. That's smart,' the UFC president said. 'That's what he should do. He should take the rematch, take that fight. It's a big fight for him.

'Kid's worked hard his whole life, his whole career to be in a position like this. That's the fight you take.

'We've been in positions like this before with others who have made the mistake of not taking that fight, and [it was the] biggest mistake of their lives.'

For McGregor, it is the lifeline that he surely hadn't expected to be tossed his way, but it has landed in his lap at an opportune moment. A win in Las Vegas on July 10 will see the Irishman snatch the guaranteed title fight from Poirier's grasp. 

Poirier seemed destined for a title fight but has instead opted to offer McGregor a trilogy fight

As a result, a win for McGregor on July 10 would snatch Poirier's title shot from his clutches

Charles Oliveira is looking for an opponent and McGregor could put himself in that window

The Irishman has made his ambitions of once again scaling the dizzy heights of the UFC known for some time.

From recapturing the lightweight title to challenging Kamaru Usman for his 170-belt, the targets of the determined 32-year-old know no bounds. 

The goals can be as lofty as you want, but ultimately it is the results in the Octagon that determine whether your UFC dreams will be realised.

McGregor learnt that the hard way in January, when he rocked up on Fight Island campaigning for a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov, while there was talk of a potential crossover boxing fight with Manny Pacquaio.

The Irishman has long expressed his desire to return to the top of the UFC mountain

McGregor has enjoyed great influence in the UFC but winning is the most important currency

'[I was] a little single disciplined in my approach and stance with mostly boxing,' McGregor reflected on Instagram. 'It's what I get for picking this bout and opponent as a precursor to a boxing match against Pacman [Pacquaio].' 

Those two fights slipped through the Notorious' fingers because he had not kept his eye on the target in front of him. Should he make the same mistake again, the damage could be critical.

For all of McGregor's showmanship, UFC fans simply will not buy into a lightweight title fight involving a fighter who has not won at the weight since 2016.

The UFC has grown in popularity owing to its ability to match the best with the best, preventing any star from 'ducking' any other fighter and providing the most compelling, and justified, match-ups.

UFC fans would simply not buy into a McGregor title fight if he moves to one win in four

While a win would open many doors, defeat would see McGregor's options take a big hit

McGregor has used the power of his stardom and the magic of his sensational run to double champion status to wield considerable influence in getting the top fights since returning from his foray into boxing four years ago.

But right now the Irishman is at a fork in the road, and there is very little room for manoeuvre.

A win over Poirier instantly puts credit to his name as a genuine lightweight title contender and, with Oliveira not having a standout challenger for his first title defence, would almost certainly book his place in a championship bout.

A trilogy bout with Nate Diaz would appear one of very few fight options for the Irishman

Victory over the Brazilian would inevitably give McGregor the rule of the roost over the 145, 155 and the 170-pound ranks. Turning one win in three to three wins in five could, feasibly, put McGregor on the brink of double champ status again.  

However, a defeat leaves McGregor with limited options. Remember, this is a man who needs a certain calibre of opponent to make him want to step foot in the Octagon, and beyond the fighters at the top of the rankings there are very few who could draw McGregor's interest.

That is not to say McGregor has no wiggle room in defeat. There is still the score to settle with Nate Diaz, with the pair tied at one win apiece over the other. 

McGregor knows victory in Sin City could move him within one win of double champ status

However, the impact of defeat could be staggering for McGregor's lofty UFC ambitions

Diaz, 36, is on a two-fight skid, having lost to Leon Edwards last weekend, and his popularity has come on leaps and bounds since they last met in 2016.  

'All the marbles are on the line,' McGregor told FOX Sports this week. 'I feel very, very confident. I'm very focused and driven.

'And I'll go in there and put on one hell of a performance and get it back on July 10th.' 

At this stage, with so much on the line, the performance doesn't matter. All McGregor needs is a win.