UFC legend Dustin Poirier opened up on his arrest for being drunk in public at an Atlanta airport on Father’s Day.
It was on June 21 that reports emerged that Poirier had been arrested for public drunkenness in Atlanta, and then several days later, the bodycam footage came out. It was an ugly incident that was no doubt embarrassing for Poirier, as he was belligerent and threatening towards police officers and airport staff, leading to his arrest. He was later released, though he faces up to one year in prison if convicted.
Since then, Poirier has come out and admitted he has a problem with alcohol and is seeking help for it.
Now, he’s opened up even more about what happened that day.
Dustin Poirier Opens up on Airport Incident
Speaking to Steven Bartlett of “The Diary of a CEO,” Poirier talked about what happened that day when he was arrested at the Atlanta airport, explaining that his father has substance abuse issues, and with it being Father’s Day, he took a page out of his dad’s book that day, leading to the embarrassing incident at the airport.
“He’s ruined his marriages, he’s ruined his relationships. He’s ruined his friendships, he’s ruined his relationships with his family, with his kids. My little brother is on and off talking to him, but he has two kids who don’t speak to him at all and won’t. He’s been in jail plenty of times for alcohol-related stuff. If I can paint a picture of a classic drunk or alcoholic, very selfish and continues to go back to it — he’s actually homeless right now,” Poirier said.
“Part of that, me getting in trouble at the airport, was I just felt, and it’s not my weight to carry, but I try to help him out and he’s back out on the street. He almost doesn’t want help. And on Father’s Day, I was traveling to work, and I couldn’t stop thinking about my father, and I started drinking at the airport, and that’s what led to the incident.”
He explained that his father lost his relationships and is now homeless
Dustin Poirier Admits He Has Been Going to Therapy
In addition to opening up about his father, the UFC legend also admitted that he has been going to therapy for years, and he knew that day that he shouldn’t have been drinking that day at the airport, but he did anyway, which led to his arrest and the bodycam footage coming out.
“I’ve been going to therapy — years ago I started going to therapy — and when I started feeling better, I started practicing everything I learned through therapy, and then I felt that feeling again. I guess you call it depression, I just didn’t feel well. And when I feel like that, I know I shouldn’t drink, and I drank anyway. Not that my father or anything’s an excuse, obviously I did what I did, but I knew better in the moment when I’m feeling like that (not) to drink,” Poirier said.
“Alcohol’s never benefited me, especially times where I’m mentally not the best.”
Dustin Poirier Opens up on Father’s Day Airport Arrest