Dustin Poirier recently received accolades from MMA analysts for expressing his desire to take on a stylistically challenging opponent in his next fight.
"The Diamond" came up short in his third—and possibly final—quest for the undisputed UFC lightweight title against reigning champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 this past June. Poirier endured a grueling back-and-forth battle before ultimately succumbing to a submission in the fifth round.
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.
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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.
Poirier suffered a devastating knockout at the hands of "The Highlight" in their rematch for the 'BMF' title at UFC 291 in July 2023. However, in their initial encounter back in April 2018, Poirier emerged victorious, finishing Gaethje after an intense showdown.