Getty Dustin Poirier
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier and perennial top 170-pound contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thomspon could be fighting this summer.
The possible fan-friendly clash came about on Friday after “The Diamond” took aim at both the welterweight and 155-pound divisions. After tweeting “170Lbs July 30th,” Poirier wrote: “Yall a bunch of (cat emoji) 155 or 170 anyone pull up July 30th. International call out. Get a deal done.”
Yall a bunch of 🐈 155 or 170 anyone pull up July 30th. International call out. Get a deal done 😤😤😤😤
“All smoke anyone July 30th,” Poirier continued.
Well, The Diamond’s challenge got the attention of Wonderboy, who is willing to fight Poirier at the end of July during UFC 277.
“Hey @DustinPoirier I’m down to scrap!” Wonderboy tweeted. “July 30th let’s go! #respectfully.”
Hey @DustinPoirier I’m down to scrap! July 30th let’s go! #respectfully
“Respect,” Poirier answered Thompson.
Both combatants are exciting strikers and as one Twitter user described it, the potential contest between the two is a “lowkey a certified barn burner.”
Poirier and Wonderboy are both in search of a win as well. Thompson has suffered back-to-back unanimous decision losses to Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns, whereas Poirier lost his UFC 269 lightweight title tilt against Charles Oliveira via third-round rear-naked choke.
Wonderboy Is Searching for a Striker vs. Striker Fight, Wants to Avoid a Wrestler for His Next Bout
Wonderboy’s defeats to Muhammad and Burns were largely due to the disparity between Thompson’s wrestling and there’s. During an interview with BJPenn.com in March, Wonderboy shared that he wants to battle a striker next. And at that time point in time, he was eyeing Jorge Masvidal for war in May.
“I would like to fight in May, we will see though,” Thompson said via the outlet. “I had some names thrown at me like Robbie Lawler and now Masvidal came off the loss so that would be a fun rematch. The NMF vs. the BMF, so yeah man those are the kind of the guys I’m looking at. Give me a striker for my next fight.
“Don’t give me a wrestler, and the wrestlers are just a different pedigree. I’ve fought wrestlers in the past but now they are on a different level.”
Wonderboy Doesn’t Want to Fight Someone Who Would Just ‘Hold You Down’
Thompson versus Poirier would likely produce an all-action thriller on the feet. And that’s exactly what Thompson was looking for in Masvidal.
“It’s not fun fights and the fans don’t like it when guys just hold you down and not really improve anything,” Thompson told the outlet. “With the Burns fight, he just held me there, he was hitting me with a few shots but nothing hurt. I want to get back into some exciting fights, let’s make a standup fight happen. Give me Masvidal, he’s on a losing streak as well so let’s make that happen…”
“We have been facing off with some wrestlers and they have been holding us down. So, let’s get two guys that want to stand up and throw hands,” Thompson continued. “We fought in the past but we both have made changes and are both coming off losses, so let’s put us together and give the fans what they want.”
Thompson versus The Diamond would likely take place at 170 pounders where Wonderboy is currently ranked No. 7, as per the promotion’s official rankings.
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Possible Dustin Poirier & UFC Star Barnburner Comes Out of Nowhere