UFC superstar Dustin Poirier did not rule out a potential rematch with Justin Gaethje.
Poirier is scheduled to face Michael Chandler at UFC 281 on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Coming off a second unsuccessful title shot against Charles Oliveira in his last outing at UFC 269 in Dec. 2021, ‘Diamond’ is confident he will maintain his record of never dropping two bouts in a row.
The 11-year UFC veteran has enjoyed one of the most stellar careers in the sport, racking up notable wins over former two-division champion Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, and Eddie Alvarez. Poirier also shared the octagon with fellow fan favorite Gaethje in Apr. 2018, coming out on top of the contest by a TKO finish in the fourth round.
In an interview with Heavy, CELSIUS-sponsored athlete Poirier shared his thoughts on taking on the human ‘Highlight’ reel once again inside the cage.
“Yeah, we had Fight of the Year or might have been the runner-up for the Fight of the Year in 2018 when we fought,” Poirier said. “That’s another stylistic fight that the fans would love to see and it’s going to be chaos in there. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens. I think Justin just had surgery and he’s going to come back maybe at the end of the year or the beginning of next year. We’ll see how he looks when he returns but I’m a big fan of his as well.”
Poirier Would Love To Retire at UFC but Needs the Prize To Be Right
Nate Diaz became the first bonafide star to leave the promotion when he completed the final bout on his deal against Tony Ferguson at UFC 279. Having served 15 years under the banner, Diaz will now explore opportunities as a free agent.
Poirier got asked whether he would like to follow a similar route as Diaz or hang up his gloves in the UFC. He gave an honest take, acknowledging the promotion’s elite status and making it clear that the value needed to be fair for him.
“I feel like UFC is the biggest mixed martial arts organization in the world. Of course, I would love to end my career with the UFC,” Poirier said. “But I’m a prizefighter and the prize has to be right. I think it’s great for the young fighters out there to see a guy like Nate, who’s earned his keep in the company and fought his way to free agency.
“Now he can go test the market and see what he’s really worth. When offers start coming in for him and those things become public, other fighters see what the going rate is, or what other companies are willing to toss on the table out there, it only helps lift up the sport for everyone.”
Poirier Has a ‘Good Bit of Fights’ on His Contract With the UFC
When asked about the prospect of competing against Diaz outside of the UFC, Poirier revealed that he still had a good amount of fights left on his contract. He also reiterated his stance of being a lightweight as opposed to contending at welterweight.
“Outside of the UFC? He’s a free agent now, I still have a while to go before that’s even a possibility. I still have a few fights, actually a good bit of fights left on my contract. There are certain fights that make sense on a day’s notice at 170 pounds but I don’t need to be fighting at 170 pounds if I can continue to make the weight smoothly.”
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Dustin Poirier Is a ‘Big Fan’ of Barnburner Clash With UFC Fan Favorite