Nate Diaz says he wants to call it quits on his MMA career after his next fight.
With one fight remaining on his UFC contract, Diaz has spent the last few months angling for a grudge match with Dustin Poirier. But despite both expressing interest in the fight, the UFC is yet to make it official.
Diaz, a veteran of 26 UFC fights since his debut in 2007, now says his potential next bout with Poirier will be his last.
“I would like to fight Dustin Poirier, like now,” Diaz told TMZ on Friday night. “ Like I’ve been trying to. So if there’s any mix up, it’s him, it’s them and the game, I’m tryna—you know what I’m sayin’? I want the fight now. What’s up? Dana White, let’s get this retirement fight crackin’ so I get get out of this f*cken game, I’m done with it.”
(via Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
This is the first time the Stockton-native has publicly voiced his intention to retire, and if he’s serious, it would see the UFC lose one of its biggest stars. Despite currently riding a two-fight losing streak, Diaz still looks like he has plenty to offer the welterweight division, having come close to earning a TKO victory over Leon Edwards in his last fight in June 2021.
Diaz has previously flirted with retirement, having taken a three-year hiatus from MMA following his loss to Conor McGregor in August 2016. He marked his long-awaited return to the UFC in 2019 with an impressive victory over Anthony Pettis, before losing via TKO to Jorge Masvidal later that year.
What do you think? Will Nate Diaz’s next fight really be his last?
The following article was published on this day one year ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day One Year Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 12, 2021, 6:47 PM]
Headline: Nate Diaz Curses Out Poirier & Points Out Rematch Double Standard
Nate Diaz was not happy to read the news about the trilogy fight between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor being targeted for this summer.
Earlier today, UFC President Dana White revealed that the UFC is targeting Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 3 for the summer. One of the reasons behind this move is because White confirmed what the public already knew: both Poirier and McGregor are on board with fighting one another again. Nate Diaz got wind of the big news and laid into Dustin Poirier in vintage Diaz fashion:
“Don’t forget who started this G shit. The real uncrowned King. No rematches ever given. Dustin you do what your told by your daddy’s u lil bitch ??,” Diaz posted on Instagram.
Nate Diaz Points Out Double Standard In UFC Rematches
Dustin Poirier would reply to Nate Diaz’s remarks in the comments section, writing “You lost the rematch Nathan. 1 was given lol.”
Unbeknownst to Poirier, his response supports a point that Diaz made earlier this week in an interview with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani. Diaz argued that there is a double standard between himself and Conor McGregor, with the Stockton bad boy pointing out that McGregor is granted rematches seemingly upon request after suffering a loss while he has never received the same courtesy.
“What I’m trippin’ off of, too, is the rematch shit,” Diaz began. “Like, they always try to roast my record, too. I got 11 losses. And they want to talk about how I got all these losses, right? And I tried to rematch all those losses. Never would they even consider or talk about it. Like, ‘Don’t even ask. You lost.’ And 95% are all decision losses that were hard-way lost. Most of them I won. So why was it so out of the question for me to have a rematch with somebody?
McGregor vs. Diaz 2 At UFC 202. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
“But this guy gets finished by me, he gets a rematch. He gets finished by Khabib, they build up the whole fight (with) Dustin Poirier for a rematch for him and Khabib,” Diaz continued. “And then, he lost to him, and now they’re talking about rematch. This guy just gets rematches? That’s crazy.”
For his next fight, it wasn’t a rematch that Diaz was after. He called out Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira, only to get shunned by both. Diaz did receive a callout from Leon Edwards today, but Diaz claims not to know who he is.
Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has given his thoughts on the upcoming title fight between reigning 155-pound king Charles Oliveira and challenger Justin Gaethje.
In a year full of memorable crownings, including Glover Teixeira at light heavyweight and Brandon Moreno at flyweight, it was perhaps the triumph of Oliveira that represented the greatest resurgence. From 10-8-1 in his first 19 Octagon outings, “Do Bronx” has built a 10-fight win streak, culminating in championship glory and a successful defense.
At UFC 274, Gaethje, who previously failed to reach the undisputed mountaintop against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, will have his second chance to mount the throne. “The Highlight” secured the shot with victory in a FOTY-worthy clash against Chandler last November.
Poirier: “It’s An Interesting Fight”
Having defeated Gaethje in 2018 and gone 11 minutes with Oliveira just two months ago, Poirier is in a unique position to analyze and predict this year’s first lightweight title clash.
During an interview with Robby Clark for InsideFighting, “The Diamond” discussed the may pay-per-view showdown. He suggested that while Gaethje has the power and striking prowess to finish anyone, that will be his sole way to leave the Octagon with the belt on May 7.
In comparison, Poirier believes Oliveira has multiple ways to emerge victorious and defend his title for a second time.
“You know, Charles has more ways to wins. Justin has to knock him out. I think Charles can knock Justin out, Charles can submit him, Charles can win a decision; he has more ways to win,” said Poirier. That’s not saying that Gaethje won’t knock him out.
“Charles is a guy who gets hit a lot. In his last two fights, he’s touched the canvas in both fights,” added Poirier. “And Gaethje’s a guy that if he gets you hurt, he usually puts you away, and he has big power. So, if you’re able to get touched, you might not recover. It’s an interesting fight. But Charles has more ways to win.”
OLIVEIRA VS. GAETHJE IS ON, per UFC president Dana White. Championship fight will take place May 7, location TBD. What a fight. And Still? And New? pic.twitter.com/MJv2mMaqtK
In his last two outings, Oliveira has recovered from knockdowns to find a finish. Whether or not he can do that against an instinctive killer like “The Highlight” remains to be seen.
Dustin Poirier has questioned why, aside from the lucrative paycheck, he would consider fighting Conor McGregor again.
While 2021 may have ended in another failed bid for undisputed champion status, the rest of Poirier’s year represented redemption, success, business, and the last laugh. He achieved all of those through back-to-back fights against the sport’s biggest superstar, McGregor.
Having been finished by the Irishman way back in 2014, the first task for “The Diamond” was leveling the score. In the UFC 257 main event, he did exactly that by becoming the first man to knock McGregor out.
After turning down a shot at vacant gold in favor of another money fight with the former two-division champion, Poirier met McGregor again in the main event of UFC 264 last July. Towards the end of what was a dominant opening round for the Louisianan, McGregor suffered a gruesome broken leg, handing Poirier another triumph.
As far as six-month success goes, not much can top two pay-per-view main events, both of which sold in excess of 1.5 million buys and a pair of victories over the biggest name in the sport.
After the conclusion to their trilogy clash, a fourth fight seemed inevitable. Following the anticlimactic ending last July, Poirier and McGregor both shared a sentiment along the lines of “this isn’t over yet,” and UFC President Dana White suggested as much, too.
During an interview with Robby Clark for InsideFighting, Poirier suggested the only factor that could draw him into a tetralogy with McGregor is the money. Beyond that, another date with the “Notorious” Irishman doesn’t intrigue him.
“I think, besides money, what would I be doing it for? I beat the guy two times in a row last year, you know; knocked him out, 10-8ed him in the first round of our last fight. It’s just like, we’ll see,” said Poirier. “We’re not currently talking about it with the UFC, but I’m sure it’s never out of the question. He wants to fight me. No doubt about it, he wants to get those wins back. We’ll see what happens when they call, but they haven’t said a word about it yet. I’m not sure if they have a plan for him.”
With two of his potential comeback opponents, Diaz and Poirier, looking likely to face each other, another leading contender in Michael Chandler reportedly set to share the cage with Tony Ferguson, and Justin Gaethje booked for the next shot at Charles Oliveira’s gold, it remains to be seen who McGregor will be standing opposite from when he returns.
Would you like to see Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor share the Octagon for a fourth time?
Dustin Poirier isn’t certain what his fighting future holds but doubts it will involve a fourth fight against Conor McGregor.
Poirier is coming off a submission loss to Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title and hinted at retiring after the fight. He now took to social media to provide fans an update on his career where he says he isn’t sure if he will fight again but says if he does, it probably won’t be a fourth fight against McGregor.
“Probably not,” Poirier responded to a fan asking if he’ll face McGregor next.
Although Dustin Poirier says the fourth Conor McGregor is unlikely to happen, it is a fight the Irishman has expressed interest in.
They had their rematch at UFC 257, which Poirier won by second-round KO. The trilogy match happened in July. The bout ended when McGregor broke his leg, which is why he wants the fourth scrap.
Dana White also said after the event he’s open to doing the fight for the fourth time.
“It sucks,” White said after UFC 264. “It’s brutal. It’s not the way you want to see fights end. Dustin Poirier will fight for the title, and when Conor is healed and ready to go, you do the rematch, I guess. I don’t know. The fight didn’t get finished,” he said. “You can’t have a fight finish that way, so we’ll see how this whole thing plays out. Who knows how long Conor is out, so Poirier will do his thing until Conor’s ready.”
Although Poirier says he’s uncertain if the fourth McGregor fight happens, he is interested in it being in boxing.
UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev has concluded that Dustin Poirier has given up on a championship legacy and is now solely pursuing cash.
Dustin Poirier’s 11-year WEC/UFC journey culminated at the year-ending pay-per-view of 2021 when “The Diamond” made his reach for some precious gold. Instead of having the lightweight belt in his residence to polish, Poirier is possibly looking for a new division to call home after losing his bid for the lightweight championship at UFC 269.
Charles Oliveira defeated Poirier by rear-naked-choke, the same method of defeat the Louisianan succumbed to in his first title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov two years prior.
Image Credit: Per Haljestam
Following the loss to Oliveira, some have questioned if Poirier is the same fighter who had always wanted to become world champion. Among them was former opponent Justin Gaethje, who wondered if the payouts from the McGregor fights impacted Poirier’s competitive hunger.
Meanwhile, heading into year 12 of his WEC/UFC tenure, Poirier has handled the loss by openly contemplating and subtly hinting at making a move up to the welterweight division, beginning with a desired fight against Nate Diaz in the weight class.
Makhachev Believes Poirier’s Potential Division Change Inspired By Money
Islam Makhachev, Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
If Poirier decides to make that plunge into the welterweight division, it could be viewed as a fresh start for the former interim lightweight champion. There are fresh opponents and opportunities that could await him at 170.
However, surging lightweight contender Islam Makhachev seems to think that this potential move would have nothing to do with any pursuit of gold, greatness, or glory—just green (h/t Sportskeeda).
“I think he just wanna make money,” Makhachev said of Poirier in an interview with Red Corner MMA. “He knows he’s not gonna be champion no more. That’s why he’s thinking about money now. He just wanna choose weight in where he can make more money. This is my opinion.”
After losing to Khabib at UFC 242, Poirier was able to pull himself back up by the bootstraps as he has become accustomed to doing, and he defeated Dan Hooker via unanimous decision in June 2020. Then, after defeating Conor McGregor at UFC 257, Poirier could have fought against Oliveira for the vacant lightweight championship in his next fight.
Instead, Poirier opted to fight McGregor again in a trilogy bout at UFC 264. Oliveira would go on to defeat Chandler via TKO last May while Poirier made his trilogy scorecard with McGregor 2-1 in his favor.
There were some fans who criticized Poirier’s decision to fight McGregor again instead of first challenging for the title. Even McGregor himself took a jab at his rival for choosing the money fight over a title shot, implying that Poirier is beholden to him. And after Poirier fell to Oliveira at UFC 269, Khabib Nurmagomedov, like his protégé Mkahachev, suggested that deep down, Poirier’s hunger to be the champion has been watered down by his recent cash flow.
If Dustin Poirier does decide to move up to welterweight, do you believe it’s just because of the money?
The UFC’s final pay-per-view event of 2021, UFC 269, was reportedly another great night of business for the promotion overall.
UFC 269 featured plenty of exciting fights and wild finishes inside the Octagon. Arguably the most shocking moment of the event came courtesy of Julianna Peña’s upset over Amanda Nunes in the co-main.
The event was capped off by UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira’s successful title defense against Dustin Poirier. After surviving an early barrage, Oliveira utilized his grappling and secured a third-round submission with a standing rear-naked choke.
T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was raucous from start to finish as the fights went on, with the athletes competing in front of another sold-out crowd. Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern recently reported the PPV statistics for UFC 269.
While the UFC managed to exceed a half-million PPV buys on ESPN+, the event didn’t outsell UFC 268. The card held at Madison Square Garden in New York City recorded around 700,000 PPV purchases.
It’s unclear how UFC 270 did in terms of PPV purchases, as president Dana White wasn’t present at the post-fight press conference to talk about the promotion’s business trends. Nevertheless, the recent bump in PPV price to $74.99 may have an impact on their business going forward in 2022.
The former lightweight title challenger put out “I’m gonna fight your ass,” kicking off what would be a numerous post discussion between the two.
Diaz responded hours later with a message to the UFC.
@ufc stop playing wit me consider this my signature to fight this fucker I been trying to fight for a minute quit slowing down the real fight game it’s time pic.twitter.com/6LTkbw9Fs0
“Stop playing wit me consider this my signature to fight this ,” said Diaz in a Tweet that had an image of him and Poirier attached. “I been trying to fight for a minute quit slowing down the real fight game it’s time.”
Shortly after, Poirier followed up with another vague post, simply saying “The real fight game.” Later in the night, he would share a mock poster for a fight between him and Diaz, potentially hoping to stir up excitement for the hypothetical fight.
Poirier would wrap up his day of calling for the fight by replying to reporter Ariel Helwani. After Helwani pointed out how long Poirier has been calling for the fight, Poirier responded with “Let’s go bic boi.”
Poirier and Diaz publicly shared interest in a fight last month, posting on Twitter about how they wanted to fight. This came after Poirier lost a title fight to UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. However, those negotiations stalled shortly thereafter, with Diaz then hinting at a streetfight instead.
The fighters had been previously booked to meet in 2018, but that booking fell through after Poirier suffered an injury.
It is not known at the moment what is the roadblock to a fight between Poirier and Diaz happening, as the fight has yet to be officially set for a date. As a result, it is unknown if this fan-friendly matchup will ever actually come to fruition.
Do you think Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz will ever happen?
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier is looking big ahead of a potential move to 170 pounds.
Poirier is coming off of a disappointing loss to Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title at UFC 269. After getting off to a good start in the opening minutes, he struggled with Oliveira’s grappling and was eventually submitted in Round 3.
Poirier has admitted to being at a bit of a crossroads in his MMA career. He’s alluded to a move to welterweight as the cut to 155 pounds becomes more difficult at this stage in his life.
While Poirier doesn’t have a fight lined up just yet, he looks to be getting in possibly the best shape of his life ahead of his Octagon return. He showed off his physical gains in a recent Instagram post.
“Bulking SZN,” Poirier said in the post’s caption.
Dustin Poirier Remains Interested In A Nate Diaz Fight
One name who has piqued Poirier’s interest is Nate Diaz. Shortly after his loss to Oliveira, Poirier pointed to Diaz as the one opponent who would excite him for a quick turnaround in the UFC.
Poirier and Diaz have gone at it on social media for years, as talks of a fight between them continue to ramp up. The two former lightweight contenders were supposed to fight in 2018 before fight negotiations fell through.
Despite the challenge of getting Diaz to the negotiating table proving to be difficult, Poirier remains optimistic about a fight with his Stockton-based rival. Both men are coming off of tough losses, and the winner of the matchup could get right back on track at welterweight.
How do you think Dustin Poirier would perform at welterweight?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes Dustin Poirier “ate his words” at UFC 269 after describing the vacant title fight at UFC 262 as a clash for “fool’s gold.”
At the start of 2021, the future of the lightweight division was uncertain. But after Khabib Nurmagomedov committed to his retirement by vacating the gold and Poirier pursued a third fight with Conor McGregor, the path was laid out.
While “The Diamond” and the “Notorious” Irishman faced off in a title eliminator at UFC 264, a champion was crowned two months prior at UFC 262. The main event pitched Charles Oliveira against former three-time Bellator champion Chandler.
In the aftermath of the final pay-per-view of 2021, Chandler wasted no time in criticizing the fallen challenger. In a couple of posts on Twitter, “Iron” suggested Poirier “quit” in his main event clash against Oliveira.
Discussing where his comments came from, Chandler brought up the fact Poirier had described the title as “fool’s gold” when he fought Oliveira for it last May. Given the fact the former interim titleholder then went on to lose to “Do Bronx,” Chandler believes Poirier ate his words at UFC 269.
“The reason I was critical of Dustin Poirier has been his dismissal and just downright disrespectful of me when I came into the UFC lightweight division,” claimed Chandler. “Even after Dustin made the decision that he didn’t wanna fight for the UFC title and he wanted to hold out for the money fight against Conor, when me and Oliveira were next in line and we said yes and we were gonna fight, instead of just saying, ‘Hey, I decided to fight Conor and let these guys fight for the title,’ he called the title ‘fool’s gold,’ and I think that was part of it.
“That’s what he called the title that Charles Oliveira won, and then Charles Oliveira went out there and finished him,” added Chandler. “My only regret was that I didn’t type in ‘fool’s gold’ somewhere in that statement because that was exactly what Dustin Poirier called the title that me and Charles Oliveira fought for. Dustin Poirier decided to take the money fight with Conor, which I don’t blame him (for) whatsoever, but that’s the decision you make, so don’t go ahead and discredit the guys who are fighting for the title and call the title ‘fool’s gold.’
“So the ‘fool’s gold’ champion Charles Oliveira went out there and finished Dustin Poirier, which is just a little bit ironic… I think Dustin Poirier ate his words that night.”
I would never ever quit…I went out on my shield after being separated from consciousness, congrats to Oliveira… #ufc269
In 2022, both Chandler and Poirier have their eyes on possible opponents but are yet to have one set in stone. Whilst “The Diamond” has his sights set on a welterweight clash with Nate Diaz, a prospect that also entices Chandler, “Iron” is looking at potential matchups with Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson.
But outside of these possibilities, Chandler is also open to settling his score with Poirier inside the Octagon. Given their exciting and fan-friendly styles, the fight would undoubtedly be highly anticipated and highlight entertaining.
Would you like to see Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier share the Octagon in 2022?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler still thinks a matchup with Dustin Poirier makes a lot of sense if Poirier stays at 155 pounds.
Chandler still has UFC title ambitions despite back-to-back losses to Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. He remains a big name in the lightweight division and could be back in the title shot conversation if he can get on a winning streak.
Poirier also lost to Oliveira at UFC 269, and both men are in somewhat of an uncertain position in the 155-pound division. Poirier has also alluded to a move to welterweight for the remainder of his career after losing his second title shot to Oliveira.
Meanwhile, Chandler has hinted at a possible matchup with Conor McGregor in 2022, although it’s unclear if the UFC will go through with it.
“That’s what I wanted to do when I came into the UFC,” Chandler said. “I wanted to fight all the top guys. Poirier was actually one of the guys that we asked for, and he declined at the very beginning, which I have no problem with that. He was at the top of the division and I was the guy from outside the UFC coming in.
“So he’s always been a name on the list. He’s a guy that I respect. A guy that I admire inside the sport of mixed martial arts. A guy who I would love to compete against.”
Chandler has recently taken back comments in which he referred to Poirier as a “quitter” following his UFC 269 defeat. After getting off to a good start against Oliveira, Poirier was submitted with a standing rear-naked choke in Round 3.
Chandler and Poirier are still fighting for championships, and a matchup between them would certainly make sense at lightweight. However, Poirier’s reluctance to commit to a future at 155 pounds may take the matchup out of the conversation.
Who do you want to see Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier fight next?
UFC star Dustin Poirier remains optimistic that a showdown with Nate Diaz can still happen next.
Poirier most recently fell to UFC lightweight champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. After the disappointing result, he has hinted at a potential move to welterweight to avoid harsh weight cuts at this stage of his career.
When asked about a name who would excite him to return, Poirier immediately pointed to Diaz. The two were supposed to fight in November 2018 at UFC 230, but the bout fell through and both men were issued different opponents.
Fight talks have been all over the place regarding a Poirier vs. Diaz bout, with Diaz appearing to dismiss the fight on social media and recent reports stating the UFC has moved on from the idea for the time being. But in a recent tweet, Poirier alluded to his targeted foe.
Both fighters have accused the other of the stalled negotiations. Poirier has alleged that Diaz doesn’t want the fight, and Diaz has indicated that Poirier’s recent loss makes him an unworthy opponent.
Poirier and Diaz are both also in the running for a rematch with Conor McGregor in 2022. Poirier most recently defeated McGregor via doctor’s stoppage at UFC 264 and a fourth fight is certainly on the table.
Poirier allegedly accepted a short-notice bout against Diaz slated for this month, but it never came to fruition. Despite Poirier vs. Diaz still being a question mark, the former interim lightweight champion still wants to make it happen.
Do you think we’ll see Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz in 2022?
Nate Diaz still wants to fight Dustin Poirier one day, even if it isn’t a sanctioned fight.
On Tuesday, Poirier said on Teddy Atlas’ podcast that he had agreed to a short-notice fight against Diaz. He wouldn’t reveal what card it was for, but many assumed it would be UFC 270 on January 22 in Anaheim or UFC 271 in Houston, as both cards could use the boost.
“Honestly – another thing that kinda got that flame going is a couple of days ago, I got a phone call – but I can’t talk about it,” Poirier said. “It’s a very short notice thing. Something I would hate to do is stack things against myself and take a fight on short notice, but, we’ll see what happens, man. I don’t want to give too much ‘cause I don’t know what I can say. No contract has been signed yet, but if this goes go through, I’m gonna take it. I said yes, now we’re waiting on him.”
After Poirier revealed that, many thought the fight was nearly official, yet reports then came out that the fight wouldn’t be happening anymore. Diaz then took to Twitter to say he talked to the UFC, but they didn’t want the fight.
Now, after years of the two taking shots at one another, Nate Diaz took to social media to say he will fight Dustin Poirier whenever and wherever.
“Still gonna fight u somewhere,” Diaz wrote in a since-deleted tweet along with the image below.
Nate Diaz hasn’t fought since UFC 263 in June, where he lost a decision to Leon Edwards. It was his second loss in a row after suffering a TKO doctor stoppage loss to Jorge Masvidal for the BMF belt in the main event of UFC 244. He also is on the final fight of his UFC contract, which could play a role as to why the Poirier fight never came to fruition.
Who do you think would’ve won, Nate Diaz or Dustin Poirier?
Dustin Poirier has always been up for new ventures, and now that includes owning his own whiskey company.
Poirier already has a hot sauce company, but on Wednesday evening, Poirier announced he has created his own whiskey called Rare Stash, and it got an immediate buzz from fans. Many thought that, by making it, Poirier was taking a shot at his rival, Conor McGregor, who also has his own whiskey company in Proper No. 12.
“What’s up man, I just want to say thank you to all my fans across the world, thank you for the love and support over the years,” Poirier said in the video. I’m excited to introduce you guys to my Rare Stash, check it out.”
With Poirier having his own whiskey business, it is another flow of income for him, as after his title fight loss to Charles Oliveira, he hinted he may retire. If he does decide to hang up the gloves, he now has the whiskey money and the hot sauce money coming in.
“I can do anything I put my mind to. I can fight for another belt, I can go on another streak, I can claw and climb and get back to wherever I want to be,” Poirier said. “It’s just, do I want to? That’s the question I’ve got to look in the mirror and answer. Do I want to do it again? Do I want to go down that road again? That answer will come in the next couple days or couple weeks.”
Dustin Poirier, as mentioned, is coming off the title fight submission loss to Oliveira in the main event of UFC 269 for the lightweight strap. Prior to that, he had back-to-back wins over Conor McGregor in 2021. Those victories made Poirier a big star, especially due to the fact he became the first person to KO the Irishman back in January.
What do you make of Dustin Poirier creating his own whiskey?
Rising UFC lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett says Charles Oliveira’s victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 has given him the confidence that he could do the same in a fight against “The Diamond.”
Having joined the UFC roster in 2021, Pimblett now has the privilege of having a front-row seat alongside his fellow stars at pay-per-view events. He made full use of that treatment for the final PPV card of last year, headlined by Oliveira’s first title defense.
Pimblett Fancies His Chances Opposite “The Diamond”
In the eyes of most, the win cemented Oliveira’s place as the best lightweight in the world right now. A victory over Poirier, a heavy favourite heading into the clash and the consensus best 155lber leading into UFC 269, certainly seems worthy of securing that title. However, one future star in the division had a different takeaway from the result.
During a recent appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, “The Baddy” suggested Oliveira’s ability to take Poirier’s back and lock in a submission has convinced him he’d be able to find the same success against the former interim titleholder.
“I went with Poirier over Oliveira. And lad, after watching that fight as well, I’m watching that thinking, ‘Lad, if Oliveira can do that to you Dustin, I can.’ It’s mad like, when you watch (it), MMA math doesn’t work, but when you watch fights, you’re just like, ‘Wow, if he can do that and get in that position, then fucking I can.’”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXll_-KsgqK/
While Pimblett certainly has a long way to go before he joins the same conversations as Poirier, he is highly touted by many. That includes by his fellow Englishman Bisping, who believes he has the confidence and mindset to one day become a champion on MMA’s biggest stage.
UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier has revealed the supportive message his wife and boxing coach gave him following his defeat to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
Poirier’s incredible journey towards the top in the UFC has always seemed destined to end in championship glory. But after two attempts at ascending the 155-pound mountain, “The Diamond” has failed to capture gold and now sits at a crossroads in his career.
After making his way back to the belt following his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, many expected Poirier, who some branded the “uncrowned champ,” to close out his 2021 with a memorable title-winning performance at the final pay-per-view of the year.
In his way was Oliveira, an underdog who has continued upsetting the odds and defying the narrative about his title credentials. Having won the vacant belt with a remarkable comeback against Michael Chandler earlier in the year, “Do Bronx” was tasked with a ferocious Louisianan for his first title defense.
Given the work he’d put in to earn a second crack at the title, which saw him record a victory over Dan Hooker and two wins against Conor McGregor, Poirier’s current state of mind is unsurprising. Alongside his immense disappointment has been a self-admitted dose of de-motivation and confusion at what lies ahead for his future.
Does he want to go through another resurgence to the title? Does he want to simply enter the Octagon for fun fights? Does he still enjoy the art of fighting? Those were all questions he said he has to ask himself during an appearance on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas.
“I’m still trying to figure it all out… (I’m having difficulty) seeing the (silver) lining of what I’m gonna learn from this, what is the lesson from this one. And also, looking in the mirror and asking myself, ‘What happens next?’ That’s the big question… If I’m out of the title picture, am I fighting to get myself back there? Or am I fighting for a pay check? Am I fighting because I love to get into fights? That’s the big question I have to answer. I’m still trying to process everything.”
Luckily for Poirier, whatever path he chooses to follow, he’ll certainly have the unwavering support of those closest to him, including his wife of 12 years and high school sweetheart Jolie Poirier.
As a part of his entire mixed martial arts journey, Jolie has seen and experienced the highs and lows of the sport. With that in mind, it’s unsurprising she has been supportive of Dustin since his latest setback, as “The Diamond” revealed to Atlas.
“Her (My wife) and my boxing coach told me the exact same thing. They both said they’re behind me 100 percent, whatever I wanna do moving forward, and that with the right mindset, I can beat anybody in the world. They both told me the same thing.”
Poirier vs. Diaz: On! Off? On! Off?
While his motivation to mount another title charge may have dwindled and his future at lightweight could be non-existent, the one matchup that has consistently had Dustin Poirier excited over the past few days and weeks has been a clash with Nate Diaz, something originally set to happen way back in 2018.
After an initial December back and forth and apparent agreement to fight in January or February appeared to collapse at the negotiation stage, it seemed that bounce-back opportunity was off the table for Poirier.
UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira hasn’t received Dustin Poirier’s promised donation yet, despite their post-UFC 269 conversations.
Oliveira defeated Poirier in the main event of UFC 269 via third-round submission, locking in a standing rear-naked choke in his first title defense. He had earned the belt after defeating Michael Chandler earlier this year.
Following their lightweight title fight, Poirier told Oliveira that he intends to donate $20,000 to a charity of Oliveira’s choice in his hometown of Sao Paulo, BR.
“I just tell people that the money didn’t arrive yet, but if Dustin really wants to make a donation and needs those bureaucracy documents, I´ll pick some local social project in my area,” Oliveira said. “The most important thing is helping people who need to be helped, but to tell you the truth, after all the headaches I´ve been dealing with due to that Octagon proposal, I really don’t know if it was good or not.”
Dustin Poirier Is Working With Charles Oliveira’s Team
After getting word of Oliveira’s comments, Poirier assured that he intends to live up to his promise and help the champ’s community.
For anyone asking about the $20k donation I promised, of course I'm going to honor it! We have been in contact with Charles and his team. We are waiting for them to figure out what project they want it donated to.
“For anyone asking about the $20k donation I promised, of course, I’m going to honor it!” Poirier said. “We have been in contact with Charles and his team. We are waiting for them to figure out what project they want it donated to.”
This isn’t the first time that Poirier has been involved in a donation-related controversy. Ahead of his trilogy with Conor McGregor, Poirier had accused the Irishman of failing to follow up on his promised donation to his charity, sparking a feud between the two lightweights.
It appears that Poirier intends to live up to his end of the deal, but it’s a bit surprising that it hasn’t come to fruition just yet after earlier tensions with McGregor regarding a similar issue.
What are your thoughts on this latest donation debacle?
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has accepted a fight with Nate Diaz on just weeks’ notice if Diaz wants it.
Poirier is coming off of his lightweight title loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. It was the second time in his career that he fell short of the lightweight title after losing previously to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019.
But Poirier appears to already be thinking about what’s next in his UFC career and has recently alluded to a move to welterweight. Just days after the loss to Oliveira, Poirier named Diaz as the one opponent who would excite him for his next trip to the Octagon.
The two have gone back-and-forth on social media for years, stemming from their scheduled fight that fell apart in 2018. Poirier and Diaz have teased a potential fight for the start of 2022, and according to Poirier, he’s been issued an official bout agreement to make it happen.
Dustin Poirier Is Waiting For Nate Diaz To Sign The Contract
Nate Diaz, Dustin Poirier (Image Credits: Steven Ryan/Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
During a recent interview with Teddy Atlas, Poirier revealed that he’s received an offer to fight Diaz with a notice of just six weeks.
“Honestly – another thing that kinda got that flame going is a couple of days ago, I got a phone call – but I can’t talk about it,” Poirier said. “It’s a very short notice thing. Something I would hate to do is stack things against myself and take a fight on short notice, but, we’ll see what happens, man. I don’t want to give too much ‘cause I don’t know what I can say. No contract has been signed yet, but if this goes go through, I’m gonna take it. I said yes, now we’re waiting on him.” (h/t LowKickMMA)
It’s unclear if Diaz will ultimately agree to fight Poirier after saying that Poirier wasn’t worthy of fighting him. Diaz most recently fought Leon Edwards at UFC 263 and has been waiting for an opponent ever since for his return.
Assuming that Poirier is correct, it sounds like the Diaz fight has a 50-50 chance of actually coming to fruition. Now, we await Diaz’s response and whether or not he’ll sign off on the short-notice bout.
Do you think Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz will happen in 2022?
After rebounding with a main event victory over a Dan Hooker in 2020, a bout awarded the Fight of the Night honours and widely considered a Fight of the Year contender, Poirier re-visited his rivalry with a certain “Notorious” Irishman in 2021.
Having leveled the score in the feud by becoming the first man to knock McGregor out at UFC 257, Poirier was seemingly in line for a shot at the vacant belt. Instead, he chose another money fight with the former two-division champion, one that ended with trilogy glory for the Louisianan.
But while most expected him to close out a spectacular year with title success, the formidable underdog presence of champion Charles Oliveira stood in his way. In the final pay-per-view main event of the year, “Do Bronx” submitted Poirier in the third round, a heartbreaking case of déjà vu for the perennial contender.
Following his latest setback, Poirier was unsurprisingly de-motivated and deflated. He even suggested he may never fight at lightweight again and claimed no potential fight excited him anymore. However, the thought of a clash with veteran fan-favorite Nate Diaz soon brought a glimpse of motivation back for the 32-year-old.
But while both parties appeared to accept the fight for early 2022, a stall in negotiations has seemingly left Poirier back in an uncertain crossroads in his career. That’s much to the confusion of Felder, who believes the Diaz fight was a no-brainer.
“It should be done (Poirier vs. Diaz). That should have written itself right then and there after Dustin lost that fight to Charles Oliveira. He needs a fun fight… He just needs to go out there against somebody and not be worried about titles, not have the pressure. Even a Conor McGregor fight I think is too much for him right now. Just go out there against another top dog, somebody who’s been around for a while, and try to get a W, and if not, go get paid, make people see it. I think he needs a light-hearted fight, not that any of them are easy, but he needs one with no title implications on the line.”
While all parties appeared to agree a fourth Poirier vs. McGregor clash is inevitable soon after UFC 264, the Irishman certainly isn’t short of other options and looks to have his sights set on Oliveira’s lightweight gold. Apart from that, potential bouts with Michael Chandler and Max Holloway also offer intriguing possibilities for McGregor’s comeback.
For Poirier, the options aren’t as clear heading into the new year. He’s previously teased a switch to welterweight, and with his potential departure from the 155-pound division, perhaps we’ll be seeing a grudge match between “The Diamond” and his former teammate Colby Covington in the near future, although that would certainly veer away from the type of fights Felder believes Poirier should be pursuing.
Do you agree with Paul Felder? Would a fourth fight against Conor McGregor be too much for Dustin Poirier at the moment?
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington claims he used to dominate former teammate Dustin Poirier so much in training that he’d “leave the gym crying.”
The rivalry between Covington and Poirier, who used to train together at Florida’s American Top Team gym, has existed for a number of years. It continues to grow with each social media exchange and interview, something that was evident when “Chaos” spoke with MMA News’ James Lynch.
Covington Claims He Was “Smacking” Poirier For Years
Given the animosity that exists between the pair, it seemed like Covington and Poirier were forging a path towards an inevitable grudge match inside the Octagon. The feud’s history can be traced back to their time at ATT. After the welterweight star went into attack mode following his departure, the foundation was laid.
With that in mind, you’d expect Poirier to want to get his hands on the former interim 170-pound titleholder. After “The Diamond” teased a move up to welterweight, it appeared the door was open for the two stars to settle their score inside the cage.
Covington told MMA News that he experienced enough success against Poirier in the gym to not care if his foe hangs up the gloves without facing him. According to the 33-year-old, he used to “smack” the Louisianan around so much that he’d leave the gym in tears.
“I used to smack him around so many times in sparring back in the day. I mean, for years, smacking him. He’d literally leave the gym crying. He’d go to Make Brown, just crying, ‘I can’t beat him, why’s his cardio so good, why does he just keep punching me in the face, I can’t do it.’
“I’ve had him literally leaving the gym more time than I can count on both hands. So I’ve already embarrassed him. He knows who daddy is. He knows who the real champ is. He knows who’s better. I wouldn’t care (if I never get to fight Poirier in the Octagon).”
Colby Covington, Dustin Poirier (Image Credit: @colbycovmma on Instagram)
Poirier, meanwhile, has suggested he may never fight at lightweight again, and recently saw a potential clash with Nate Diaz seemingly fall through. Should he commit to a welterweight switch in the coming months, perhaps we will see him collide with Covington after all.
How do you think a fight between Colby Covington and Dustin Poirier would play out?
Nate Diaz has initiated another Twitter exchange with Dustin Poirier as we head into the new year, this time questioning the Louisianan’s worthiness and desire to fight.
Both Diaz and Poirier recently took to Twitter to cryptically hint at there being issues with the fight being made. On Poirier’s side, he claims he told the promotion that he was available to fight at UFC 271 on February 12th, not stating any issues with the fight being made. But on Diaz’s end, he thinks the promotion doesn’t want to pay Poirier for the fight.
Maybe UFC 271 they couldn't make it happen on 270. I said yes
“Maybe UFC 271 they couldn’t make it happen on 270. I said yes,” said Poirier on Twitter recently.
Diaz was quick to respond: “The ufc don’t wanna pay for u dp sorry u suck. Loser.”
Both tweets had a mysterious layer to them, with neither directly addressing any previous comment made on the platform. Of course, the ambiguity of the situation leaves parts of what they said up for interpretation.
Nate Diaz Sends Another Shot At Poirier
Dustin Poirier, Nate Diaz, Image Credit: Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Thursday, Nate Diaz would again address Poirier, this time in a disrespectful tweet that questions his potential opponent on multiple levels.
“Your not worthy If u wanted to fight we would have already. Bring yourself back from the dead you suck Dp,” Diaz wrote.
Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz have both previously expressed interest in the matchup. Coming off a recent loss to UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira, Poirier called out Diaz on The MMA Hour. Diaz was quick to reply with enthusiasm. Dana White has also stated that he is willing to make the fight happen if it’s what everyone wants.
The next Octagon appearance for Diaz will be a chance to snap a two-fight losing streak. He last fought in June 2021, where he went five rounds against Leon Edwards for a decision loss.
A fight between Diaz and Poirier has been attempted before and even publicly promoted by the UFC. However, fans have yet to see the two meet. The UFC first tried to make the fight all the way back in November 2018 at UFC 230. That iteration of the bout never happened, reportedly due to an injury on Poirier’s side.
Should the fighters work out their issues behind the scenes, we may see the clash of fan-favorites after all.
MMA News will keep you updated on any response from Dustin Poirier to Diaz’s latest tweet and keep you apprised of any relevant traction on this fight finally getting made.
Do you think we will eventually see Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz?
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov believes we witnessed Dustin Poirier’s competitive fire go out following his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
Poirier’s inspirational journey to the top first fell short of championship glory at the hands of Khabib in 2019. A third-round submission in Abu Dhabi sent ‘The Diamond’ back to the drawing board. Like he’s done so often in his career, Poirier bounced back. He did so courtesy of a five-round victory over Dan Hooker and back-to-back triumphs over Conor McGregor in 2021.
Having found himself back opposite the champion at UFC 269, this time in the form of Brazilian veteran Oliveira, many expected Poirier to close out the year with his first undisputed crowning. Instead, the favorite fell yet again to a third-round rear-naked choke.
Charles Oliveira takes out Dustin Poirier by submission 🔥#UFC269
Having seen his post-fight attitude and disappointment, Khabib, who retired as champion following UFC 254 in 2020, believes we’ve seen the last of a motivated and hungry Poirier.
At a recent press conference, the Dagestani, who’d predicted the challenger would dethrone Oliveira, was asked what went wrong for Poirier at the final pay-per-view of the year. In response, Khabib described the inevitable decline fighters experience.
“I think every person has resources. You know, I think when a man starts a new business, in the beginning he is on fire. He is moving forward, his business is developing. But after comes a time when he goes out. He wants to withdraw money and to start a new business. And this is life… You launch a business. In the beginning, you think you are going to do it all life. But then comes a time you go out a little bit, you want to invest to other business.
“The same thing could happen with a fighter. There is a fire, a hunger, when you want it very much. Then comes a time when you still want it but not so hard. It happens when the fire went out, but there are still numbers in a contract. You think, ‘Wait, I can earn this money in a fight.’ The fighters have such moments.”
Having seen Poirier’s fire dim following UFC 269, Khabib believes he’ll never be able to find the motivation that brought him to the top again. But the former champion also described it as a natural process, something which will inevitably happen to new top lightweights like Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev.
“After the fight, he said he needs to think, does he need it at all? If such thoughts came to his mind, it means he will win, but he will win and lose. He will not go to the end when it will be necessary. Sometimes, you look at the athlete and see how fast he changes. I say it to my close friends. While there is a time you should stay active and keep fighting. If this switch clicks once, he will never go back. I think his switch clicked.
What a beautiful journey, the ups and the downs. Im grateful for all of it
“The time comes. There was Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson, Pettis, before me. Then Conor… No one stayed, everyone left. Now it is Charles Oliveira’s time. Charles came. Now it is the time of Islam, Beneil, Justin (Gaethje), Charles Oliveira. They will fight now, then they will leave too. Others will come. No one can control this and no one will be able to stop this. Time runs (out). I think everything is simple. Charles Oliveira was better; choked and left. Later, another one will come and (beat) him. He will go out, then we will talk about another one. It is such a carousel that will never be stopped.” (Transcribed by Fighting Flashback)
Khabib’s take is seemingly something Dustin Poirier himself agrees with on at least some level. Following his latest setback, he admitted he wasn’t sure what was next and suggested no potential matchup excited him.
There were three names present on Dustin Poirier’s hostile Christmas list that the former UFC interim lightweight champion revealed during the holiday.
Dustin Poirier is widely considered to be one of the nicest fellows on the UFC roster: family man, charitable, and just a general upstanding pillar of the MMA community.
All that may be true, but he is still human like the rest of us, which means he is just as liable to have people who’ve made the list.
On Christmas Day, Poirier took a moment to reveal his “naughty and nice” list of sorts. The naughty: Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, and Colby Covington. The nice: literally every other human being on Earth.
Merry Christmas to everyone!!… except Nathaniel, Conor and Colby but everyone else hope you have a great day!!
“Merry Christmas to everyone!!… except Nathaniel, Conor and Colby but everyone else hope you have a great day!!” Poirier wrote.
Christmas Banter Or A More Meaningful List?
Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Colby Covington
On the surface, Poirier’s tweet could easily be read as light social media banter for his followers to get a brief chuckle at in-between their holiday merriment. However, it is not outside the scope of reason that the Louisianian may have been hinting at his plans for 2022.
At UFC 264, Poirier picked up his second victory over Conor McGregor in 2021. With the tally now 2-1 in his favor, some may consider that rivalry closed and settled.
However, after the fight, Poirier stated that he was not fully satisfied with the second victory, seeing as how it came by way of doctor’s stoppage due to McGregor’s severe leg injury. And weeks ago, he directly stated that his chapter with McGregor will never be closed.
Furthermore, it is always difficult for anyone to turn down a McGregor payday, and Poirier has historically not been one to do so. So could Poirier be planting an early seed at a fourth bout with his Irish rival?
As for Nate Diaz, Poirier has been exchanging tweets with the Stockton superstar in recent weeks, with the two men informally agreeing to fight one another. In fact, Poirier even stated that Diaz was the only fight that excites him at this present moment in time. So of the three names mentioned in the tweet, the Diaz reference is the most likely to be connected to a future fight.
Colby Covington, Getty Images
But perhaps the most interesting mention in Poirier’s Christmas tweet is that of Colby Covington. Throughout 2021, Covington has gone out of his way to draw out a response from Poirier, even taking very repulsive shots at his family in an attempt to set up a fight. All the while, Poirier has rarely if ever mentioned his former training partner’s name this year and has all but ignored Covington’s inflammatory remarks.
Whatever the future holds for “El Diamante” in 2022, one thing is for certain: MMA News will be here to have you covered from day 1 all the way through the Christmas season with comprehensive updates.
If you could pick one of these three names for Poirier to fight in 2022, who would it be: Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, or Colby Covington?
Nate Diaz is happy to do some light trolling with the Paul brothers.
Diaz recently addressed Jake Paul in a social media post, claiming that he isn’t concerned about the celebrity-turned-boxer. He claimed that Paul and his brother Logan recently hired security to follow him around at a boxing event.
Diaz was in attendance last weekend for an event that was headlined by Jake Paul. The main event saw Paul score a knockout win, stopping former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley in the sixth round.
Diaz was there to support Chris Avila, a former Bellator fighter who picked up a decision victory against Anthony Taylor.
Thursday, Diaz posted a photo of him posing with two security guards at the event along with his accusation against the Paul brothers in the captions.
“The Paul sisters hired this security team to make sure I wouldn’t get to them, like I was actually trying too, but it’s alll good with u guys I don’t take this fight thang with u2 serious.you guys playing boxing with wrestlers who can’t box or lil a** Floyd and that’s not cool bruh but it’s good,” said Diaz via Instagram. “I’m a real fighter from the real fight game so don’t trip so hard when you see me fellas let’s just be friends it’s good.”
It’s unknown whether the Pauls truly hired security to follow around Diaz, or if it’s another lighthearted jab being thrown by the witty UFC legend. Either way, it doesn’t seem like the MMA talent plans to cross over and face Jake Paul anytime soon.
All recent activity from Diaz indicates that he wants to continue his MMA career. Earlier this month, Dustin Poirier and Diaz mutually expressed interest in fighting. However, public comment from Diaz has led people to believe negotiations on that fight might have stalled.
Diaz last competed over the summer, going five rounds against welterweight prospect Leon Edwards in a unanimous decision loss.
Despite admitting he was perhaps too harsh with his assessment of Dustin Poirier’s decision to tap at UFC 269, Michael Chandler has claimed that “The Diamond” has been dismissive of him “since day one.”
Like Chandler earlier this year, Poirier failed to dethrone UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 on December 11. The Louisianan, who entered his second shot at undisputed gold off the back of consecutive victories over Conor McGregor, was tipped by many to enter 2022 as the 155-pound titleholder.
But in his way of doing so was an underdog who loves to upset the odds and show his championship mettle. After recovering from an early knockdown in the year’s final pay-per-view main event, Oliveira imposed his will on the ground in the second frame before forcing a tap in the third with a standing rear-naked choke.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXyt0VsRCO/
In the aftermath of the incredible result, Oliveira’s former foe gave his take on the action, and he showed no sympathy for the losing party.
Taking to Twitter, Chandler suggested Poirier had “quit” by tapping out. The former Bellator champion, who has made his desire to face McGregor in 2022 known, also questioned why the Irishman would consider another fight with “The Diamond” after seeing him “quit” at UFC 269.
“I think the hardest part with chokes is there are so many chokes out there, rear-naked chokes, or any choke that has been put on somebody, where you think you’re never gonna get out of it. That’s why we love this sport, too. People say, ‘He’s done, he’s done, he’s done,’ and you can’t believe when they get out of it. You hear it with Joe Rogan cageside, Jon Anik, DC, cageside, and they go bananas when guys get out of it because you never quite know how deep a choke is. I think there’s always a little more fight left before a tap can happen.”
Chandler Admits He Was “Too Harsh”
Chandler later acknowledged that he’d perhaps gone a little overboard with his ‘quitter’ branding. However, he also revealed an underlying bitterness between the pair, suggesting Poirier has been equally dismissive of him from the very start.
“Yeah. I will admit, maybe I was a little bit too harsh, maybe the word ‘quit’ was not the right word to use. But I also think Dustin Poirier has dismissed me since day one. I don’t think Dustin Poirier’s a bad guy. I don’t think he thinks I’m a bad guy. But as a competitor, he called me and Charles fighting ‘fool’s gold.’ He dismissed me, saying he wouldn’t fight me in the UFC, even after I knocked out Dan Hooker. So he was just a little more dismissive of me.
(via Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
“I think he and I, I don’t think he’s a bad guy, I think he’s actually a great guy, I think he’s a phenomenal ambassador of the sport, but he and I, when it comes to the competition aspect of us both being fighters inside the same division, I think we both have a little bit of a bone to pick with each other.”
While he made a slight backtrack on the terminology, the point remains the same for Chandler. Citing his own ability to avoid falling into a choke with Oliveira on his back and reverse position at UFC 262, “Iron” hinted that the former interim titleholder could have done more.
“I also got my back taken by Charles Oliveira, he almost had that choke locked up, and I was able to fight out of it. So, I’ve been in that position, I was able to get out of it, so yeah. I will admit, I will concede that maybe using the word ‘quit’ was a little bit harsh, especially against one of the good guys, because people are probably gonna be like, ‘How are you gonna come for Dustin Poirier, man?’”
Having fallen to a unanimous decision in a Fight of the Year contender against Justin Gaethje last month, the veteran will be after another big name next, perhaps either Poirier or the returning McGregor.
Do you think Dustin Poirier could have fought Charles Oliveira’s rear-naked choke more?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/6971167/124_Nate_Diaz_vs_Conor_McGregor.0.jpg)
