The #11-ranked UFC lightweight contender Rafael Fiziev recently took to social media to announce that he has already been accepting fights and dates for his return. “Ataman” has been out of action since September last year where his main event clash at the Apex with Mateusz Gamrot unfortunately ended when he suffered a leg injury in the second round.
It’s been almost 2 weeks since I accepted the date and the opponent. Still waiting to hear back. Can’t wait to get back in the octagon, it’s been too long 👊🏼
With his manager reportedly stating that he had agreed a fight for the promotion’s return to Saudi Arabia in February, many fans hoped that this would mean a match-up with Dustin Poirier who has also spoken about wanting to fight early on in 2025 in one of his final Octagon appearances.
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Fiziev said that though it would be an honor for him to share the cage with “The Diamond”, he doesn’t think that it is likely to happen.
“Many people talking something about Dustin like I see some in internet but it’s good. If I fight Dustin, of course it’s good. He’s a legend, he’s a former champion. Yeah for me, it’s like a miracle if I fight with Dustin but I’m not sure with this.”
Fiziev said in the interview that he has will accept any date that the UFC offer him and would be open to fighting anybody up or down the rankings to get back in the mix. However, he did have one preferred opponent.
“After my last loss against Gamrot, like after I get surgery, I talk with my manager and I tell him ‘Bro, I want to fight this guy.’ I want a rematch because I still want to feel this pressure, like wrestling pressure and grappling pressure. I still want to fight with elite grappler like him and I still want to check myself against wrestlers like him.”
Following his loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308, Max Holloway made an announcement about his career going forwards. The former featherweight champion has spent most of his time in the UFC competing at 145-pounds but no more.
Before returning to the weight class to challenge Topuria for the title, “Blessed” defeated Justin Gaethje for the BMF title at lightweight and put in one of his best performances to date in the process. With Holloway announcing that lightweight is now his permanent home, this opens up some very exciting options for him.
In a recent YouTube video, he made it clear that he wouldn’t usually be campaigning to see a third fight between two opponents where one of them is already two up in the series. However, Sonnen also made the case for why the third fight could be different than the previous two.
Holloway’s first encounter with Poirier came in his UFC debut where he had just four pro fights under his belt at the time. The second time around at UFC 236, Poirier was able to break the Hawaiian’s incredible winning streak but this was Holloway’s first time moving up to 155-pounds and he didn’t look the same as he did at featherweight.
With him now committing to lightweight, Sonnen thinks this makes the trilogy more interesting than before.
“So let’s make a case for Max. Is Max better now than he was then? No. But, is Max different? Yeah, he definitely could be. Yeah, you bet your a** he could be different because one thing that is different is Max is not playing at 55 before he goes back to 45. He is done at 45, he has made that commitment, he has absolutely closed that book. That’s a big deal and you’ll never hear me act like 10 pounds is a lot but from 45 to 55, it is.”
Courtesy of his BMF title-winning knockout of Justin Gaethje this past April, Holloway already finds himself inside the top five at 155 pounds. With that in mind, a potential title eliminator against a high-ranked name could be awaiting him.
Cormier, though, hopes that isn’t the case.
During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier acknowledged that bouts against the top names in the lightweight division will be available for Holloway.
“DC,” however, would much rather see the Hawaiian start from the ground up.
“He’s asking for Dustin Poirier. That would be absolutely fantastic. But is there a better way to introduce Max Holloway into the lightweight division?” Cormier said. “Do we put him in there with a Dustin for a third time? Or do we see what happens with Michael Chandler after he fights Charles Oliveira? Or do we start to kind of look down the rankings a little bit, Chael, and say, ‘Well, it would be fun to watch him fight a Rafael Fiziev. It would be fun to watch him fight a Benoît Saint Denis. It would be fun to watch him fight a Paddy Pimblett.’
“I know that might not be fun for Max, might not be great for Max, but it would give him an opportunity to work his way back into contention without being in there with these absolute killers,” Cormier continued. “Personally, I would like to see Max Holloway not stand across from Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Alexander Volkanovski. … Something not as crazy of a challenge.”
Unfortunately for Cormier, his pleas may prove to be too little, too late.
A recent tweet from Dustin Poirier hints that he’s interested in facing Max Holloway for his final UFC fight. Holloway, coming off a tough loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308, made history as Topuria became the first fighter ever to finish him.
Poirier hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since his lightweight title shot at UFC 302 in June, where he lost to Islam Makhachev via fifth-round submission. After that bout, Poirier teased retirement but later confirmed plans for one more fight. The question remains: who will he face?
In recent months, Poirier has considered a range of opponents for his swan song, including Nate Diaz and Justin Gaethje. However, in a Twitter exchange suggesting a bout with Holloway for the “BMF” title, Poirier seemed to approve, sparking excitement over a potential showdown.
The two first faced off at UFC 143 in February 2012, which saw Holloway fall short to Poirier via submission. Seven years later, they met for the interim lightweight title at UFC 236, which saw Poirier hand Holloway a unanimous decision loss.
Dustin Poirier is not convinced by something Ilia Topuria has stated ahead of Topuria’s featherweight title fight at UFC 308 this Saturday. Topuria believes he is capable of knocking out Max Holloway with a single punch, but Poirier has expressed skepticism. Topuria’s confidence is undeniable—he has even suggested that it will be an easy feat. However, given Holloway’s elite caliber, Poirier doubts such a claim.
While appearing on The Bohnfire podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn, Poirier analyzed the matchup.
Dustin Poirier’s Dismissal
“To go out there and one-punch Max is going to be almost impossible, I think,” Poirier said. “It can happen, for sure. But I don’t think it will. This is a big test. If [Topuria] goes in there and beats Max, or lasts with Max in the volume game, outpoints him, outfights him technically on the feet—that’s going to say so much about Ilia and where he’s going to go. I can’t pick against Max. I could see Topuria winning, but Max’s experience and the championship fights he’s been in… it’s hard to bet against that.”
Holloway, the former featherweight champion, has won 5 of his 15 victories by knockout, including his most recent performance when he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298.
Though many fans are clamoring for him to run it back with Dustin Poirier, UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker doesn’t appear completely interested in “The Diamond.”
Following a tough stretch of results, Hooker has firmly bounced back in recent times. He most recently returned to title contention by upsetting the odds to outpoint the highly regarded Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 this past August.
With that result in Perth, Australia, “The Hangman” could be one win away from a possible title shot. And because of that, Hooker isn’t looking to face a contender on their “way out the door.”
Following his latest win, the City Kickboxing standout initially pointed to a rematch with multi-time title challenger Poirier as a desired next fight. But that interest has seemingly dissipated, as Hooker revealed during an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned.
While acknowledging other options such as a first-time clash with Justin Gaethje, Hooker showed a surprising lack of interest in a second dance opposite Poirier.
The New Zealander cited Poirier’s planned retirement in 2025 as the reason behind his reservations when it comes to that fight, stating that he’s not keen on doing battle with somebody who has one foot into retirement.
“I’ve had a lot of the guys in the top five say my name,” Hooker said. “Arman (Tsarukyan) mentioned it for an interim title. Gaethje mentioned my name. Poirier, obviously, mentioned my name. I’m keen on any of those fights. … Dustin, I don’t know.
He laid his gloves down in his last fight, then he’s coming out and he’s saying he’ll do another one but like, as a retirement fight. I don’t know. I’m not really interested in kicking someone on the way out the door,” Hooker continued. “Gaethje, that’s obviously a fight fan’s dream, that right there. Someone new, there’s something there that fans have wanted to see for a very long time and finally kind of makes sense.”
“The Diamond” originally looked set to hang up the gloves following his failed title bid opposite Islam Makhachev this past June, but he’s since recommitted to the continuation of his fighting career for the time being.
And Poirier could even be set for two more outings should the Louisiana-held UFC event at which he hopes to retire not be scheduled until the second half of 2025.
For now, it would appear fans can cut Hooker from their speculation when it comes to Poirier’s final foe/s. That is, unless “The Diamond’s” pitch for a BMF tournament comes to fruition…
Dustin Poirier recently confirmed that he will indeed fight in the UFC again despite contemplating retirement after his loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. “The Diamond” wants to plan his exit from the sport by going out in front of his home fans in Louisiana.
MMA retirements never tend to last too long, just look at Donald Cerrone’s recent comments, and this likely isn’t going to change as the sport continues to age.
During a recent episode of ESPN MMA’s Good Guy / Bad Guy show with Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen, Cormier said that he was never convinced that Poirier would step away. He said that the former interim champions ability to still compete at the highest level meant that he wouldn’t ride off into the sunset just yet, even if he was suggesting that this was more than likely.
Sonnen followed this point up by referencing something that he would do in his childhood in order to receive words or praise and encouragement from his peers. He said that in art class, which he was hit and miss at, he would parade his best pieces of work around and say how bad they were in order to draw compliments.
Sonnen believes that fighters do a similar thing in order to hear the kind of appreciation that makes them feel validated.
“I did this when I was a little kid. Daniel, as I became an adult, I still did little things like that, I just did it fewer and further between and I swear, I do feel that some of these guys just so that we’ll pat them on the head and tell them, ‘No you’re so great’, I swear they’ll say like something bad about themselves to get the rest of us to go, ‘No, hey, you’ve got more.’ I do feel that way sometimes.”
Sonnen then spoke specifically about Poirier and his decision to make the walk one or two more times.
“I imagine it is hard to go and physically, Dustin has it. Mentally, Dustin has it but he’s got that little kid in him somewhere that wants us to constantly tell him, ‘Hey Dustin, you still got it.’ Well, I’ll buy in. Dustin, you still got it.”
Retirement appears to be moving further and further away in the career of former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier.
Poirier initially looked set to bring his memorable stint as an active fighter to an end following a fourth-round submission loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 this past June — a result that marked his third failed bid to achieve undisputed champion status.
During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, however, Poirier revised his plans — in a positive way for fans of the Louisianan star.
Poirier confirmed that the gloves will not be getting hung up yet, and he even went a step further than before by revealing potential plans for two more competitive appearances inside the UFC Octagon.
“I will fight again,” Poirier said. “It’s just how this thing unfolds — we’ll see when I do retire. It could be uno mas (one more), it could be dos mas (two more). I had a good meeting at the UFC headquarters. I was out there with Celsius at a trade show and I had a good meeting.
“There are some things verbally that we’ve spoke about that are looking promising, but I can’t share yet. We’re close,” Poirier continued. “First quarter of next year. It’s looking (like two more fights). I haven’t signed anything, we’re just weighing out options and talking about timeframes. I love the chaos, so if a crazy fight is presented, I gotta do it.”
The key to how everything could unfold? Rumored plans for a UFC event in his home state of Louisiana, and the timeline for that coming to fruition.
“My goal is to get an event here in Louisiana. Whether that’s Lafayette, New Orleans — I want to lay the gloves down where I started fighting,” Poirier stated. “That is my goal. Just (depends on) opponent availability and when makes sense. … I’m about 95 percent sure that we get this done. It’s just, for me, on my part, do I fight before that? Because the longer I’m away from the sport, I just feel removed and I’m not with everything, not training every single day.
“I might train three times a week, I’m always staying in shape. But just technique and fundamentals and things, you have to be on the mats every day,” Poirier added. “I don’t want to wait until summer or end of next year before they can come back to Louisiana. So, maybe I need a fight before then just to stay in the mix, stay fresh, so I can retire how I want to be — on top.”
Having appeared on the brink of calling it quits just four months ago, 2025 now looks set to be a big year for “The Diamond,” as he prepares for a possible outing in the first quarter before a potential homecoming fight for his farewell toward the back end of the year.
Dustin Poirier’s final walk to the Octagon is incoming.
According to “The Diamond” himself on social media, an announcement for his next fight should be coming at some point in the near future. This bout is expected to ultimately serve as the last of his memorable career.
There were thoughts that Poirier’s UFC lightweight title showdown with Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 earlier this year, which ended in a submission loss for Poirier, would be his final fight. The Louisianan, however, ultimately decided to go for one final walk to the cage.
Dustin Poirier Teases News On Final UFC Fight
Poirier made his professional MMA debut in 2009, winning seven straight before dropping his WEC debut. He rebounded in his next fight with the promotion before joining the UFC when the two promotions merged. “The Diamond” made his Octagon debut with a win over Josh Grispi at UFC 125.
While he started his UFC career at featherweight, going on an 8-3 run that included a win over a young, debuting Max Holloway and losses to the likes of “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung-Jung, Cub Swanson, and Conor McGregor, he then moved up to lightweight in 2015.
At 155 pounds, Poirier went 8-1 (1 NC) before defeating Holloway at UFC 236 to win the interim UFC lightweight championship. He later lost his title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242.
“The Diamond” then pulled off a come-from-behind win against Dan Hooker and scored a pair of wins against McGregor on pay-per-view in 2021.
Including the loss to Makhachev, Poirier has gone 2-3 since the wins over McGregor, which also includes unsuccessful title shots against Charles Oliveira (lightweight, at UFC 269) and Justin Gaethje (BMF, at UFC 291).
Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has committed to one final night in the cage before hanging up his gloves, and he’s got a unique idea in mind for his farewell.
Poirier initially appeared set to call time on is career following a failed title bid opposite Islam Makhachev this past June. But while his immediate comments post-submission loss at UFC 302 leaned that way, he was quick to tease a return.
During a recent interview on SiriusXM’s MMA Today show with Din Thomas and Alan Jouban, Poirier suggested a four-man tournament comprised of three former opponents of his, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, and Dan Hooker.
The Grand Prix-style bracket would involve BMF stakes, with Hooker being the only one of the four yet to compete with the symbolic title on the line in the UFC.
“That excites me,” Poirier said. “Because that kind of stuff is for the dogs. That’s like old Pride days or Grand Prix. That’s a real ‘BMF.’ If you can fight a tournament in one night, multiple opponents, that’s the definition of ‘BMF.’
“That would be it,” Poirier continued. “If they put that together and it was a one-night tournament, that would be it (retirement).”
And “The Hangman,” for one, seems to be in…
Hooker Co-Signs Poirier’s BMF Tournament
Following Poirier’s remarks, which also got somewhat of a green light from UFC CEO Dana White following his latest post-Contender Series press conference, Hooker was quick to give his take on the idea.
Never one to shy away from the possibility of violence inside the Octagon, Hooker is unsurprisingly up for the same-night format.
Moicano has emerged as an anti-hero in the UFC lightweight division. He disses fellow fighters and the crowds but the “Money Moicano” gimmick has sat extremely well with the fans.
Moicano is arguably at his career best in terms of momentum and popularity right now. According to Chael Sonnen, Justin Gaethje is the ideal next opponent for the American Top Team fighter…
Chael Sonnen Explains How Justin Gaethje Could Make Renato Moicano A UFC Star
Sonnen discussed Moicano’s next UFC opponent on his YouTube channel recently. Although the UFC Paris winner called out the likes of Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett in his post-fight interview, “The American Gangster” has many reasons to believe that Gaethje is a better matchup.
“Moicano’s next fight is Justin Gaethje. Now, that is exactly what my response would be. For me, that’s like glaringly obvious.”
For starters, Gaethje is coming off a loss but he’s still one of the biggest draws in the promotion. The fight with Moicano gives the former title challenger hope to restart his run while for the Brazilian, it is a great opportunity to make himself known to as many mainstream fans as possible.
“If you got over on Dustin Poirier, you could then do anything. Fight for titles, main events, there’d be no argument that you couldn’t fit nicely into. And, Justin Gaethje brings those same accolades but there’s one difference which is you don’t have to be as careful with the bookings of Gaethje because he is not a in a situation where he’s saying my next one is my final.”
With a win over Gaethje, Moicano will have a name big enough to headline most of his events and even fight for the title. Sonnen’s thought process here isn’t new, to be fair. The UFC usually pits rising stars against veterans to build new names.
This is where Moicano’s age comes in, though. He’s not a prospect and in fact, has been in the UFC for over ten years. At 35, he’s likely on his final title run at lightweight and would want the biggest matchups out there.
According to Sonnen, Gaethje makes more sense than Poirier because “The Diamond” is adamant about retiring after his next fight and he might be hesitant to agree to Moicano who’s yet to become a top draw.
Sonnen also declined Pimblett as a potential opponent for Moicano because they both portray a likable heel personality. Instead of booking them against each other and derailing at least one hype train, the UFC would want to build them both and capitalize on a much bigger fight later on.
Dustin Poirier recently received accolades from MMA analysts for expressing his desire to take on a stylistically challenging opponent in his next fight.
After his setback, Poirier hinted that his last appearance in the Octagon might be behind him. However, just a few weeks later, the former UFC interim champion experienced a shift in perspective, revealing that he still feels a strong desire to fight—provided the matchup is enticing enough for him.
It appears that “The Diamond” has put an intriguing bout in place for himself, as he recently teased on X his desire to settle the score with Justin Gaethje in a highly anticipated trilogy match.
Considering Poirier’s 1-1 record against “The Highlight”, MMA analysts Josh Thomson and “Big” John McCarthy praised his determination to pursue challenging matchups, even as he nears the later stages of his career.
Thomson Says Poirier Never Wants The ‘Easy Road’ In His Career
During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast, both Thompson and McCarthy lauded Poirier for considering a trilogy bout with Gaethje. “The Punk” noted that the 35-year-old Louisiana native is driven by the prospect of facing Gaethje and never hesitates to embrace the toughest challenges in his career.
“The fact that Dustin’s calling for the fight means that this guy motivates him enough to say, ‘You know what? Let’s run this back; let’s do it a third time; let’s give the fans what they want,’” Thomson said. “I’ve never looked at Dustin as someone who wants the easy road; he’s not that guy.”
McCarthy remarked that the opponents “The Diamond” has faced over his career embody the highest level of competition in the UFC lightweight division, and that is truly commendable.
“If you’re going to look at it from a certain point, you know everybody he was fighting was either a champion or a former champion,” McCarthy said. “We’re talking top of the food chain with every guy that he was fighting, and it’s just amazing. You know, I think it was from the Dan Hooker fight; I could be wrong, but I mean, just crazy who that guy has been fighting. You can’t ask anything more from a fighter than what you get from Dustin Poirier.”
Few know that Moicano hones his skills at the prestigious American Top Team (ATT), working under the guidance of Mike Brown, ‘Parrumpa’ and more capable coaches. His training partners include the highly regarded lightweights Poirier and Thiago Moises, both of whom have faced “God of War” in the octagon before.
Moicano Reveals He Didn’t Want To Disrupt Poirier’s Time Off While Preparing For Saint Denis
During a recent episode of his Show Me The Money podcast, Moicano discussed his preparation and training camp for the upcoming clash with Saint Denis. “Money” revealed that he spent considerable time training with Moises, gaining valuable insights that he plans to apply in this fight.
“I trained a lot with Thiago Moises, and he told me that the guy is very strong, especially because he fought Benoit and then we trained together,” Moicano said. “We are both lightweights, of course, so he was telling me to be ready; he’s very strong. I’m not underestimating him; I know he’s tough, I know he’s strong. Dustin Poirier also gave me some tips, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. I have to go over there and do my job, and my job is to beat him.”
Moicano further shared that he wasn’t able to train with Poirier for this fight, as the former UFC interim champion was coming off his own grueling bouts, and Moicano didn’t want to interrupt his time off. “Money” mentioned that he caught up with “The Diamond” during International Fight Week in June, where they exchanged strategies for dealing with Saint Denis.
“I know he had a very hard training camp against Islam [Makhachev] and Benoit, and I didn’t want to bother him. Even though we talked in Las Vegas at the International Fight Week, and he was more than ready to come down and train with me to help me for the fight, he was on vacation or something. I said, ‘Hey, I’m not gonna message you; I’m not gonna be selfish and try to make him come to ATT just to train with me’… I’m glad that I didn’t have to train with Dustin Poirier because he would beat my a**.”
Moicano is currently riding a three-fight win streak, most recently securing a second-round TKO victory over Jalin Turner at UFC 300 this past April. Meanwhile, “God of War” saw his five-fight winning momentum come to an end at the hands of Poirier in his last appearance in the Octagon, and he will be eager to return to his victorious form.
A hunch or a leak? Dustin Poirier’s teammate appeared confident when predicting a month and opponent for his farewell fight in the UFC.
It initially appeared as though fans had seen Poirier make the walk for the final time this past summer. After a vintage knockout of Benoît Saint Denis in March, the former interim UFC lightweight champion had one last opportunity to achieve undisputed status.
But while he gave it his all through four rounds against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in Newark, “The Diamond” succumbed to a rear-naked choke in the final frame of the pay-per-view main event.
The veteran’s Octagon interview suggested that an official retirement was on the way, but the fire beneath Poirier has not fully diminished. And after pondering a farewell fight, the Louisianan has appeared to make that decision final.
A man who knows Poirier well from their ongoing stint as teammates over at American Top Team recently picked one out…
Dawson Predicts Poirier vs. Gaethje 3 In February 2025
During a recent interview with MMA News’ Ryan Jarrell, Dawson spoke on the current status of Poirier’s career and apparent plans to compete one final time before hanging up the gloves.
While reiterating his belief that “The Diamond” is not yet done, “KGD” predicted a February 2025 return for his ATT training partner but insisted that didn’t come from a place of insider knowledge.
“I think he’ll fight in February. I don’t have any insider information,” Dawson told MMA News. “I don’t know anything. There’s no (set) date or anything like that. I just don’t think he’s done. I’ve texted him a couple times and he sounds like a man who wants to fight again.”
But when pondering a date for his own next appearance inside the Octagon, the same month reared its head…
“Let’s do February, on Dustin’s card.”
In terms of an opponent, Dawson was 100 percent certain in stating that a rumored clash with former ATT standout Colby Covington is not on the table. Instead, the 30-year-old displayed a grin while producing a different name.
“I know for a fact he’s not fighting Colby Covington. I called him and asked him about it, and he said, ‘Heck no.’ He said something a little worse than ‘heck,’” Dawson said, before smiling and taking a long pause when asked who he thinks Poirier will face. “Justin Gaethje.”
Shot-in-the-dark prediction, educated guess or a statement of fact? We’ll let you decide.
Regardless, it would appear that Poirier’s mind is indeed made up and that his memorable championship clash with Makhachev won’t mark the final chapter in his story.
I will.
Once more into the fray, into the last good fight I’ll ever know. Live and die on this day, live and die on this day https://t.co/N9H3j2OR5p
Dustin Poirier has had an illustrious UFC career despite never winning an undisputed championship. He’s fought for the title three times, but came up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev. He did become the interim UFC lightweight kingpin by beating Max Holloway, though.
Colby Covington has had a similar run in the UFC welterweight division. He won the interim title by beating Rafael dos Anjos but is 0-3 in undisputed title fights against the likes of Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards.
Although both Covington and Poirier have still been adamant about fighting for titles, rumors suggest that they might meet in the Octagon soon. Here’s why Michael Bisping and award-winning broadcaster Adam Catterall are big fans of the matchup…
Michael Bisping Excited To See Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington As The UFC 309 Co-Main Event Under Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
Bisping and Catterall discussed the potential matchup between Poirier and Covington on the Michael Bisping Podcast YouTube channel recently. As soon as ‘The Count’ brought up the rumors, Catterall couldn’t hide his excitement.
“He’s [Colby Covington] got his opportunities. He’s not getting that opportunity again, anytime soon. He needs something big. He needs something juicy. He needs something to get himself up for it. Dustin Poirier is that name. A legend of the game. A guy that has been there, done it, got the T-shirt. You’ve just mentioned beef. Bit of bad blood. Dustin Poirier’s mates with Jorge Masvidal, he needs to get that one back for his pal, don’t he?”
The radio and TV presenter also highlighted that “The Diamond” is friends with Jorge Masvidal. The latter fought Covington in March 2022 after their long-time friendship turned bitter. Masvidal and “Chaos” have even had physical altercations outside the UFC, and their rivalry is as personal as it gets.
So, fighting Covington is a great way for Poirier to avenge Masvidal’s loss. He’s admitted to not liking the former interim UFC welterweight champion as well, and Bisping is very excited to see this beef getting settled inside the Octagon.
It’s unlikely for both Poirier and Covington to get title shots in their divisions now. However, as two of the biggest stars in the UFC, their fight can easily generate all the hype in the world. Bisping credited Covington for being an excellent promoter who can easily capitalize on the real resentment with his opponent this time around.
“Listen, Colby, say what you want about him. The man’s a promotion machine. With all like the personal stuff that they can go to, They would blow that fight up, like crazy. I’d want to see it.”
If the rumors are true, Poirier vs. Covington will be scheduled for UFC 309, the card expected to feature Jones vs. Miocic as the main event. It is safe to assume that tons of fans will tune in to watch the fight regardless of when it happens, though.
Should his expected shot at Islam Makhachev’s UFC lightweight title be delayed until 2025, Arman Tsarukyan is open to facing another contender for interim status.
Tsarukyan secured his first opportunity at gold on MMA’s biggest stage by recording his biggest win to date at the expense of former champion Charles Oliveira on the milestone UFC 300 card this past April.
With the promotion always looking to have Makhachev defend his belt in Abu Dhabi, Tsarukyan was expected to challenge his former opponent in the main event of UFC 308 this coming October.
While a patient wait until December would be welcomed by Tsarukyan, the top contender wouldn’t mind returning to action in the meantime should the latter of those two timelines come to fruition…
Tsarukyan Open To Poirier, Gaethje, Chandler Matchups For Interim Title
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Tsarukyan provided an update on the status of his title shot following confirmation that Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway for the featherweight belt will instead top the UFC 308 lineup on Oct. 26.
The Russian-Armenian acknowledged that he may need to wait until 2025 to compete with undisputed gold on the line. And if that’s the case, he’d be open to adding a second champ to the division by facing either Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, or Michael Chandler for an interim strap.
“My manager told me I was gonna fight in October versus Islam, and then he said to UFC that he got injured. Now, they’ve moved that fight to December or maybe next year,” Tsarukyan said. “Of course it’s sad, because I already started training really hard and I’m in shape. … But it is what it is.
“If it’s December, for me it doesn’t matter. I’m gonna wait and train as much as I can,” Tsarukyan continued. “If Islam can’t fight this year, for sure I would like to fight for the interim title, and it doesn’t matter who is gonna be in front of me. Dustin Poirier, he is a solid fighter and he has a lot of experience. Yeah, it would be great. Dustin, Gaethje — Michael Chandler as well.”
During his rise up the lightweight ladder, Tsarukyan frequently accused the likes of Gaethje and Chandler of holding their top five positions hostage by not fighting up-and-comers.
More recently, his focus has been on Chandler’s continued wait for Conor McGregor’s comeback, which was recently scrapped from the UFC 303 card in June due to an injury to the Irishman.
Dustin Poirier has become one of the biggest UFC stars ever, despite never becoming an undisputed champion in the promotion. Fans have always appreciated his aggressive fighting style, endurance, and consistency.
Throughout 39 pro fights, Poirier has interestingly never lost two bouts consecutively. Since his last loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, “The Diamond” has been considering retirement instead of bouncing back again.
Here’s whether Poirier has officially retired and the conditions he’s laid down for returning to the Octagon…
Is Dustin Poirier Retired From The UFC?
No, Poirier is yet to confirm his retirement from the UFC. He recently appeared on the official MMA Junkie YouTube channel and discussed his latest vacation with friends and family.
The former interim UFC lightweight champion needs more time to confirm if he will never fight for the UFC again. He also aims to get back to training and evaluate his performance and conditioning.
When asked whether spending time with loved ones helped him decide about his career, here’s what “The Diamond” said:
“We’ll clean it up. Go 30 days, August, and just make a decision after that, you know. Get in shape, see how you feel. So, we’ll see man, I don’t know. I need to make a solid decision so I can get out of the limbo, you know, because I’m still kind of like fighting myself every day not sure what I’m doing.”
Poirier also revealed that his body has been recovering well after the Makhachev fight. He needs nose surgery that can be delayed if he wants, but his knees and ribs feel better. So, his priority is to get back to training.
Dustin Poirier Admits Interest In Fighting For The Interim UFC Lightweight Championship
Poirier has agreed to fight Arman Tsarukyan for the interim UFC lightweight championship if Makhachev cannot compete in October due to injury. Considering that the division has no other solid contenders, the fight could be more realistic than it seems.
An interim belt win would ensure Poirier gets another shot at the UFC lightweight title. This explains why he’s not equally interested in other popular opponents like Charles Oliveira, Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, and Alexander Volkanovski.
“Yeah, I wonder what they’re going to do with that, you know. Who’s? Arman’s gonna continue to like wait for Islam. I don’t know when Islam’s going to be back but I saw a thing he said is, he might have to have surgery so we’ll see man.”
Overall, fans can look forward to learning more concrete details about Poirier’s retirement or upcoming fight in the coming weeks.
Dustin Poirier recently lavished accolades on Paddy Pimblett for his triumphant performance against King Green at UFC 304.
“The Baddy” showcased arguably the most remarkable outing of his UFC career to date this past weekend. He decisively overcame Green with a spectacular triangle-armbar combination in the first round of their lightweight bout, thrilling the home crowd at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Pimblett delivered several potent calf kicks that visibly unsettled “King.” In response, Green attempted a takedown midway through the opening round, but the Brit skillfully countered with a guillotine choke, then seamlessly transitioned into a triangle choke from the bottom. He deftly converted the choke into an armbar, and as Green began to lose consciousness, the referee intervened, halting the fight at 3:22.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Poirier was asked to share his thoughts on Pimblett’s victory at UFC 304. “The Diamond” remarked that the Scouser not only impressed him but also validated his brash personality with a commanding performance against a formidable opponent like Green.
“He’s another one of those guys whose trajectory is like if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s going to be – not that he’s not massive – but he’s on the right track,” Poirier said. “Dude, when you talk like that and people like your personality, and you go out there and finish guys, you know, vets and legends like Bobby. Of course, going into the fight, I knew he could win, but to finish Bobby Green like that, I was very surprised. He’s talking the talk, walking the walk, man.”
Poirier Opens Up About Return Timeline & Possible Opponent
After the fight, Poirier took to social media to reveal he had sustained a partially torn ACL, a broken nose, and a broken rib during his bout with Makhachev. These injuries could potentially sideline him for an extended period.
During the aforementioned interview, “The Diamond” delved into his potential return schedule. The former UFC interim lightweight champion revealed that if he feels better within the next 30 days, he might consider a comeback later this year. However, he emphasized that this decision would depend on numerous factors.
“I think I could fight at the end of this year. If I felt good after the 30 days and there was a big opportunity, the names – obviously, the opponent matters big time – but where, the timing, and the position on the card and stuff like that, those [things] come into play as well.”
He found the idea of fighting Tsarukyan for the interim title quite appealing, seeing it as a way to keep the lightweight division active and moving forward.
Charles Oliveira lost a razor-close decision to Arman Tsarukyan last time out at UFC 300, and he’s now looking for a new opponent.
With 19 post-fight bonuses, the Brazilian’s easily one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC and there are several intriguing matchups for him.
Oliveira bagged the UFC lightweight championship by beating Michael Chandler in May 2021. He defended it against Dustin Poirier before being stripped after missing weight prior to his victory over Justin Gaethje.
Since failing to regain the title in his clash with Islam Makhachev, he’s defeated Beneil Dariush and is looking for another high-profile win to get a another shot at the gold.
From Makhachev to Colby Covington, here are all the fighters that Oliveira is open to facing in his UFC return…
Oliveira Eyes Rematch Against Makhachev, Also Open To Money Fights With McGregor, Covington, Poirier
Oliveira recently posted training footage on Instagram and asked his fans to choose his next opponent. He’s willing to fight the following names on the UFC roster:
Islam Makhachev
Arman Tsarukyan
Dustin Poirier
Conor McGregor
Max Holloway
Justin Gaethje
Alexander Volkanovski
Colby Covington
Alongside the list, Oliveira declared his intention to fight shortly.
“Who would you like to see me fight next? The Lion is ready!!”
“Do Bronx” has already fought Tsarukyan, Makhachev, Poirier, Gaethje, and Holloway. While Makhachev submitted him in the second, he fought through adversity to beat “The Diamond” and “The Highlight.” The fight with Holloway ended due to the Brazilian sustaining a shoulder injury, and fans could look forward to seeing the rematch more than ever now.
The other matchups on the list won’t necessarily move the needle in the UFC lightweight division. McGregor has lost three out of his last four fights and will most likely return to face Michael Chandler. Volkanovski, meanwhile, is 0-2 in the lightweight division and has yet to rematch Ilia Topuria for the UFC featherweight title.
Covington is another opponent that “Do Bronx” would fight to entertain the fans. The former interim UFC welterweight champion decisively lost to Leon Edwards in his last fight and appears unlikely to fight for the title again.
Regardless of the opponent, it is safe to assume that Oliveira will bring the fight to the Octagon and give fans another gritty performance.
The former interim welterweight champion’s high profile split from American Top Team meant that some relationships weren’t able to be rebuilt.
Most notably, he and his former training partner Jorge Masvidal will probably never see eye-to-eye again after what happened between them both before and after they met inside the Octagon at UFC 272.
There is another former teammate of his who will also not bury the hatchet, and with Covington still living and training around the same area, they’re bound to cross paths…
Colby Covington Says Dustin Poirier Had His Chance But Didn’t Do Anything Last Time They Met
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Covington was asked whether he has encountered Dustin Poirier whilst being out in Florida. He said that this exact scenario actually played out not that long ago.
In Covington’s version of events, “The Diamond” got up and left without saying anything.
“Chaos” has called to fight his former ATT teammate several times in the past, but with lightweight fan favorite Poirier seemingly being ready to wind his career down, this looks unlikely.
Covington stated that despite Poirier previously claiming that it was “on sight” between them, there wasn’t much of an interaction.
“That’s funny you say that. I crossed paths with him about three months ago at NYY Steakhouse, Coconut Creek Casino, which is in the same city he trains at, the gym. He came by the steakhouse and I looked at him eye-to-eye and I was like, ‘What’s up b****? It’s on sight? Do something, say something,’ and he just walked right out the restaurant because he knows.
“You can talk big to the media, you can talk big in front of a camera, but when you’re in front of someone’s face and you feel their energy and you know what they’re capable of, that’s when it’s a different story. Now you can’t run your mouth, now you can’t do anything. If you wanted to do something, he could have done something. I stood up, I looked him right in the eyes and he walked right out of the restaurant like a good little b****.”
Colby Covington reveals recent run-in with Dustin Poirier in a local Restaurant! 😤
“I looked him right in the eyes, and he walked right out of the restaurant like a good little b****!”
The last two years has brought about a sea of change in some of the UFC’s weight divisions, with new champions such as Dricus Du Plessis, Ilia Topuria and Leon Edwards ousting some established names on their way to the top.
With this influx of new title holders comes a changing of the guard. Some former champions have to get back in line and attempt to climb the mountain once more, while some other members of the ‘old guard’ may be watching their last opportunities at claiming UFC gold slip through their fingers.
Today, let’s take a look at five fan favourites who should have won UFC gold, but most likely won’t.
Dustin Poirier
Poirier fell short of the mark during his third (and likely final) attempt at winning an undisputed UFC title when he was submitted by the pound-for-pound number one Islam Makhachev in the fifth round of their encounter at UFC 302 earlier this year.
https://youtu.be/V6qcxW2dwMc?si=3NFUKh2HZTy4c09x
“The Diamond” made his UFC debut way back in January of 2011 when he faced Josh Grispi at UFC 125. After originally competing as a featherweight, a defeat to Conor McGregor in 2014 convinced Poirier to make the switch to 155lbs. He won nine of his next ten fights to earn a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019.
Unfortunately for him, he suffered the same result as every other fighter who has ever stepped into the Octagon to face Khabib: heartbreaking defeat. Undeterred, he worked his way back into title contention, memorably picking up two consecutive wins over his old foe Conor McGregor, before again suffering a submission loss in a world title fight when he faced Charles Oliveira in December of 2021.
To add insult to injury, Poirier was knocked out in spectacular fashion by Justin Gaethje when the pair fought for the vacant BMF title in 2023.
Back in 2011, “El Cucuy” knocked out three opponents to make it to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter Season 13, where he stopped Ramsay Nijem inside the first round to earn himself a UFC contract.
The UFC booked the pair to fight on five separate occasions between 2015 and 2020, but the match up seemed to be cursed and destined never to happen. A combination of injuries to both fighters, a global pandemic, and a bizarre incident with a TV studio cable that resulted in torn knee ligaments for Ferguson meant the fight never came to fruition.
The fifth and final cancellation (due to Covid pulling the plug on UFC 249 ) cost Ferguson a shot at glory, as by that time Nurmagomedov had won the 155lb title by beating Conor McGregor.
When the event eventually did take place, Ferguson found himself standing across from a new opponent: Justin Gaethje. He was soundly beaten in what has turned out to be the first of seven consecutive losses inside the Octagon.
Gaethje, much like his former opponents Poirier and Ferguson, is another fighter who will likely look back on his career when all is said and done and think “what if?”
The former World Series of Fighting world champion arrived in the UFC in 2017 with a reputation for a wild and reckless approach to fighting. After a mixed start to career inside the Octagon, he linked up with coach Trevor Wittman and refined his game, before embarking on an impressive winning run.
The dominant victory over Tony Ferguson at the height of the pandemic in 2020 earned him a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Much like Poirier, however, he was submitted with relative ease by the Dagestani, who announced his retirement immediately afterwards.
A victory over Michael Chandler upon his return a year later was enough to earn him another shot at glory, and he took on Charles Oliveira at UFC 274. “The Highlight” fell short of the mark once again, as “Do Bronx” submitted him in little over three minutes.
After returning to winning ways against Rafael Fiziev, Gaethje took on Dustin Poirier for the BMF title at UFC 291. The second-round head knockout remains one of the finest moments of his storied UFC career and elevated him back into the number one contender spot in the lightweight rankings.
Gaethje put that ranking on the line when he agreed to defend his BMF belt against Max Holloway at UFC 300 earlier this year, and the gamble failed miserably. Gaethje was knocked out in the final second of the five-round match up, and fellow contenders Dustin Poirier and Arman Tsarukyan leapfrogged him in the title picture at 155lbs.
Thompson transitioned into MMA in 2010 after an insanely successful kickboxing career. Between his amateur and professional careers in the kickboxing ring, “Wonderboy” amassed a record of sixty-two wins and zero defeats.
Image: Stephen Thompson IG
After an unbeaten start to his MMA career, he announced his arrival in the UFC with a first-round headkick knockout win over Dan Stittgen in 2012. Thompson won nine of his first ten fights inside the Octagon, beating some notable names such as Johnny Hendricks, Robert Whittaker and Rory McDonald before earning a title shot against then-welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
Their five-round clash at UFC 205 finished as a majority draw, a result which meant Woodley kept the belt, but many fans felt Thompson should have won. The rematch four months later was ruled a majority decision victory for Woodley, but again many observers had felt that Thompson should have been the one getting his hand raised.
Four wins and five defeats in the years since have meant Thompson being seen as somewhat of a gatekeeper in the welterweight division, and the 41-year-old will surely look back at those two title fights and wonder what might have been.
Nick Diaz
For younger fans of MMA, Nick Diaz’s younger brother Nate will be regarded as somewhat of a superstar in the world of combat sports. For the generation of spectators old enough to remember promotions such as Elite XC, Strikeforce and Pride, 40-year-old Nick Diaz will always be known as a true “O.G.” of the sport.
In two separate stints in the UFC between 2003 and 2011, the older Diaz brother beat legends such as Robbie Lawler and BJ Penn, while also racking up impressive wins over Franks Shamrock, Paul Daley and Takanori Gomi during his sabbatical in other promotions.
In 2012, Diaz lost an interim title fight to Carlos Condit, before losing to UFC welterweight champion George St-Pierre in a title fight the following year. His fight against Anderson Silva in 2015 was retrospectively changed to a “no contest” and a five-year suspension due to a marijuana violation followed.
“The Diamond” hinted pre-fight that it could mark his farewell win or lose, and his Octagon interview in the aftermath of being submitted in the fifth and final round suggested it was the end of a memorable career.
But in the weeks since, Poirier has had somewhat of a change of heart, revealing that he’s actually leaning toward another appearance in the cage in an attempt to exit the sport on a win.
And by the sounds of it, “The Diamond” has a small group of possible foes in mind…
Poirier’s Next Opponent ‘Definitely’ On Anik Shortlist
During a recent appearance on the Anik & FlorianPodcast, Poirier further addressed talk of his retirement and the potential for one final fight post-title defeat to Makhachev.
“After the Islam fight, when I got back home, I thought like, ‘Maybe this is it.’ And then a few weeks went by, injuries started hurting less and less post-fight, and I was like, ‘I gotta do this again.’ I’ve never lost two in a row. I can’t leave this sport on a loss,” Poirier said. “But at the same time, I wanna be 100 percent in it if I’m gonna do it again because I don’t want to disrespect the sport.”
And with close to confirmation that “The Diamond” will indeed feel the Octagon canvas beneath his feat at least one more time, Anik presented a list of potential opponents for the Louisianan.
Poirier was asked whether he expects his next rival to come from a shortlist of seven major names — Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, Alexander Volkanovski, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, and Colby Covington.
“100 percent,” Poirier said. “Yeah, for sure. If I do fight again, and when I do fight again, it’ll be definitely one of those guys you just said.”
Poirier has direct history with all but former featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski, having already fought McGregor, Gaethje, Holloway, and Oliveira, trained with Covington before his bitter split from American Top Team, and had a previously booked showdown with Diaz fall through.
It remains to be seen which big name will get the call for what could be “The Diamond’s” farewell. But whoever it is, the matchup will no doubt be highly anticipated should it come from that seven-figure list.
He will take on Jean Silva who will be making a quick turnaround for this fight after stopping Charles Jourdain just two weeks prior at UFC 303.
Given both men’s track records for putting opponents away with their heavy hands, the judges aren’t likely to be called into action in this fight.
If Dober is able to secure a knockout or TKO victory in this fight, he will overtake Dustin Poirier for the most finishes of this kind in lightweight history.
The two contenders have constantly added tallies to their records and you’d need to go all the way back to his 2018 fight with Jon Tuck to find the last time that Dober won a UFC fight via the scorecards.
Drew Dober Says He Purposefully Tries To Ignore Knockout Stats Because It Has Impacted Him In The Past
Currently tied with Poirier at 9 each, Dober has the opportunity this weekend at the Ball Arena to become the first 155-pound fighter to hit double figures in the UFC.
He recently revealed in an interview with Mike Bohn for MMA Junkie that this isn’t just something that he doesn’t spend much time thinking about – he actively chooses to ignore it.
Dober stated that he believes keeping these achievements in mind has negatively affected him in the past. Nowadays, he mentioned he rather wait for the knockouts to come than trying to look for them.
“The thing is, I received that record not even thinking about it and I think the moment I started thinking about it, my performances kind of dipped. So no, I stopped thinking about it, knockout record is great, we’re also tied for guillotine record so these are the things that you guys tell me after the fact, I get in there and I just do me.”
UFC lightweight star Dustin Poirier expects Benoît Saint Denis to lose a second straight fight to an American Top Team standout this fall.
Poirier and Saint Denis shared the Octagon in the co-main event of March’s UFC 299 pay-per-view event in Miami. Supporters of the Frenchman tipped him to continue his rise at the expense of the veteran contender.
But although he looked to be on track to doing so through one round, “God of War” faded in the second and ultimately fell to his first UFC defeat at 155 pounds by way of a brutal knockout.
“The Diamond” went on to ride that result into a title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last month. Saint Denis, meanwhile, recently had his chance to rebound confirmed, and it’ll see him up against ATT once again.
Poirier and the ATT gym’s experience going up against Saint Denis could come in handy on fight night, and the Louisianan himself is expecting his team to go two up on the Frenchman…
Poirier Offers Moicano Helping Hand For Paris Prep
During a recent in-studio appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Poirier addressed the confirmed matchup between his stablemate and recent opponent.
Having gotten the better of Saint Denis mere months ago, “The Diamond” revealed he’s offered to aid in the latter part of Moicano’s training camp.
And in terms of how he thinks the bout will play out at Accor Arena, Poirier noted his experience seeing the Brazilian’s jiu-jitsu talents in the gym to back a submission victory for him and ATT on September 28.
“I actually saw Moicano during International Fight Week. … I went and talked to him and I told him, if he needs help, I’ll fly back to Florida,” Poirier said. “I’ve been nursing a few injuries from this last one (against Makhachev), but I think they’re fighting in September. … So probably like, August or something like that, maybe end of August I can go help him out a few weeks.
“Honestly, I think he submits BSD,” Poirier continued. “His (Moicano’s) jiu-jitsu is really good. And he’s strong for that weight, and big.”
Moicano has shared similar confidence when it comes to his chances of departing France with a major victory added to his record.
While Saint Denis’ form pre-UFC 299 and early success against Poirier has left many backing him to bounce back at the Brazilian’s expense come fight night on September 28, Moicano is promising to upset the odds and spoil the night for the Paris locals.
🤬😂 Renato Moicano reacts to all the doubters who said yesterday that Benoit Saint-Denis is a too hard matchup for him.
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 11, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Hall tells interesting story behind highlight reel finish
Parkin says Pereira may struggle with bigger grapplers
Anik suggests Poirier vs Diaz
Uriah Hall Says Michael Jai White Deserves Credit For His Finish Over Gegard Mousasi
Back in 2015, UFC middleweight Uriah Hall secured one of his greatest ever wins when he stopped Gegard Mousasi in Japan.
Hall spoke about the way he was able to secure this second-round finish during a recent episode of the Jaxxon Podcast, where he revealed an interesting story behind this win.
He stated that when watching Mousasi’s previous fight with Lyoto Machida, he noticed a tell where the Dutchman dipped his head whenever Machida feinted with his hips.
Hall then combined this with a technique that he learned during his final preparations that came courtesy of Hollywood star Michael Jai White.
“Two weeks before that fight, I was hanging out with Michael Jai White, that m*********** is legit by the way, and he was showing me how to throw techniques without no fat, no tell, no telegraph. It was the hardest s*** ever, I’m still working on some of it. He was showing me the spinning back kick and I think I was this close to him and he was like, ‘You can do it from here’ and I was like what?! He showed me how to move my body that way so when I did that jump spinning back kick, I took away the fat a little bit because I expected him to move a certain way and it just lined up perfectly.”
UFC Heavyweight Mick Parkin Says Alex Pereira May Struggle At Heavyweights With Keeping Opponents Off Him
“Poatan” went from middleweight up to 205-pounds seamlessly and with his ferocious power, he clearly has the ability to put anyone out cold.
Heavyweight contender Mick Parkin believes that Pereira may encounter one issue if he does decide to compete with the big boys on the roster.
Parkin, who regularly trains alongside the interim champion Tom Aspinall, is looking to match the longest active win streak in the division when he returns at UFC 304.
He spoke in a recent interview with Violent Money TV about how despite Pereira’s improving grappling defense, this could become an issue for him against larger opponents.
“It’s a lot different, the size. I think he’s amazing, he just keeps taking these fights and knocking everybody out. He hits so hard that he could definitely hit as hard at heavyweight and knock any heavyweight out in the world. His defensive wrestling is actually looking good but with a bigger guy it’s a lot harder so it might be a bit harder for him to get a bigger guy off on top of him. He might come up and get huge, he’s still got a big frame for it.
“But yeah, the bigger guys, I don’t know if he’s that confident as well that he would just walk the big guys down and think I’m knocking you out or if he’d be a bit more, ‘oh I don’t want to get taken down by these guys’. I don’t know how his mindset is but I definitely feel he could do good.”
Jon Anik Believes That Nate Diaz Makes A Lot Of Sense For Dustin Poirier’s Farewell Fight
There aren’t too many options out there right now that make sense for Dustin Poirier following his lightweight title fight loss at UFC 302.
“The Diamond” recently said that he was leaning towards this being his last outing because at this stage, what is he fighting for if he isn’t trying to become the champion.
One match-up that UFC commentator Jon Anik believes would be a great way to close out his career is one of the few big names in and around his weight class that Poirier is yet to face.
He was booked to fight Nate Diaz in what would have been a massive fight at Madison Square Garden back in 2018 but it never took place due to Poirier withdrawing due to an injury.
“Nate Diaz is a massive superstar and that is among a myriad of reasons why Dustin Poirier is of an appetitive nature for that particular fight and match-up and part of the reason we talked about this in context was not just Nate Diaz suggesting that he wants to come back to the UFC and pursue a championship but also because I was with Dustin Poirier recently and there aren’t that many fights that make sense for him and even some of the match-ups that have been suggested have some relative downside.”
