Tag: Dustin Poirier

Charles Oliveira unbothered by UFC champ Islam Makhachev pushing to fight Dustin Poirier

“I know that I’m the next in line, so that’s it,” Charles Oliveira said of a potential title shot after UFC 300.

[autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] isn’t too worked up about UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] angling for [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag].

Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) meets Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 on April 13, in what was declared a No. 1 contender bout. On the same night, Justin Gaethje defends his BMF title against Max Holloway.

But with Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) eyeing a June return, he fears that those competing at UFC 300 might not be able to turn around so quickly. That’s why he turned his attention to Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC), who knocked out Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 earlier this month.

“I don’t even think about that, to be honest,” Oliveira told MMA Mania through an interpreter. “This is information that comes from the internet, and people talk a lot on the internet. I’m not worried about that. I know that I’m the next in line. So, that’s it.”

After finishing Beneil Dariush last June, Oliveira was scheduled to rematch Makhachev this past October at UFC 294 but was forced out due to a cut. However, instead of a rebooked fight with Makhachev, Oliveira was matched up with Tsarukyan.

So why did Oliveira accept to fight Tsarukyan? The former champion said he wasn’t about to sit on the sidelines until Makhachev was done with Ramadan.

“If I was supposed to wait for the title, I would fight only at the end of the year, and I don’t like to wait too much to fight,” Oliveira said. “I would be waiting for one year almost. So, that’s why I accepted this challenge.”

Tsarukyan called Oliveira “nothing special” outside of grappling, but “Do Bronx” scoffed at his claims.

“For sure, he needs to be a confident guy,” Oliveira said. “He needs to be focused. He deserves all the respect in the world, but I’m not worried about what he’s thinking. I’m just focused on what I’m going to do inside the cage.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Daniel Cormier explains why Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier is ‘a no-lose situation for the UFC’

Daniel Cormier lays out a compelling reason for being all in on an Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier title fight.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] believes the UFC matching up [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] and [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] would be a win-win situation.

Based on availability, UFC lightweight champion Makhachev suggested Poirier for his next title defense. Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan are all competing at UFC 300 on April 13, which is what steered Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) toward “The Diamond.”

Makhachev doesn’t think Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) deserves it but wants to return in June. Cormier sees Poirier being a great fight to help build Makhachev’s star power.

“This is a no-lose situation for the UFC,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Islam wants to fight, so I think you’ve got to try and make that happen as soon as possible. It works. For Dustin Poirier, massive chance. For Islam Makhachev, another former champion you can put under your belt. That is storytelling.

“You can’t control the outcome, but you can put them in a position for someone to make magic and then you, as the company, capitalize on it. I love it. Book it right now, book it: Makhachev vs. Poirier. It will be a massive fight. It really will be the biggest fight that Islam Makhachev has ever had in terms of the box office.”

Cormier suggests Makhachev become a heel in the buildup. Makhachev already took aim at Poirier for falling short twice at becoming champion, and Cormier encourages him to continue this approach.

“I think this is the next logical step in the evolution of Islam Makhachev,” Cormier said. “Now you’ve got to be a little bit more forward. Look, he’s very blunt, a lot of the Dagestanis are. At times, that can get misinterpreted for being disrespectful. Nope, it’s just how they are. They’re very blunt, they’re very direct. While it may come off as (disrespectful), I would steer into that if I’m the champion. I would try to become the evil empire. I would try to become the villain.

“Islam needs to tell Dustin, ‘You’re never going to do it. You don’t belong on my level. You got here because there was no one else.’ That would make the people hate him. That would make people run to support Dustin Poirier. That would also make people think about it more, make people care more, make people tap into what they have going on more, and ultimately that’s what’s important. Nothing else. What’s important is people caring.”

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Javier Mendez ‘all for’ UFC champ Islam Makhachev facing Dustin Poirier next

Javier Mendez likes the idea of UFC champ Islam Makhachev defending his title vs. Dustin Poirier next.

[autotag]Javier Mendez[/autotag] likes the idea of UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] fighting [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] next.

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) wants to return in June. With top lightweights Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan tied up with fights at UFC 300 on April 13, Makhachev suggested Poirier – even though he doesn’t think he necessarily deserves it.

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) was knocked out by Gaethje at UFC 291 but rebounded with a finish of his own against Benoit Saint Denis earlier this month at UFC 299. Makhachev’s head coach, Mendez, thinks the timeline fits perfectly for Makhachev to face Poirier.

“Islam’s a true professional, and he wanted to fight at a time that he’s going to be ready to defend his title at the best ability that he can do,” Mendez told MMA Mania. “During Ramadan time, shortly thereafter, there’s no way. Not going to happen. If it’s Dustin, fantastic. If it’s Justin, fantastic.

“But from my perspective, because who’s available now, who would be available sooner: Dustin. I believe that’s the reason why this is going on. We don’t know what’s going to happen with Justin and the fight with Charles (vs. Tsarukyan). We don’t know. What if the winner gets injured, and now the fight’s delayed? Now Islam’s got to wait how much more time?”

Poirier is ready to face Makhachev in June. He also presents a fresh matchup for Makhachev, who’s already beaten both Oliveira and Tsarukyan.

“I’m all for Dustin because Dustin’s injury-free, he’s a great fighter, a great human being,” Mendez said. “He’s my pick also because of the circumstances fit perfect for Dustin and Islam. Perfect.”

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UFC champ Islam Makhachev jibes ‘permanent contender’ Dustin Poirier

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev clapped back at Dustin Poirier.

UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] clapped back at [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag].

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) told MMA Junkie he’s open to defending his title against Poirier at UFC 302 on June 1, even though he doesn’t think he’s deserving. Poirier rebounded from his knockout loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 291 by taking out rising finisher Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299.

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) responded to Makhachev’s undeserving claim by saying he’s done more in MMA, and can beat anybody in the world. Makhachev took the opportunity to remind “The Diamond” who’s champion.

“Dustin if you could beat anybody, you’d be holding this belt right now, not me 🤷🏼‍♂️.”

Poirier is a former interim lightweight champion, but fell short in his two attempts at becoming lightweight champ when he was submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov in September 2019, and submitted by Charles Oliveira in December 2021. His resume includes multiple wins over Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler, Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez.

“His level is: permanent contender 🙂 how many title losses, 2? 3?”

Makhachev claimed the vacant lightweight title by choking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He then notched his first title defense by edging out ex-featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284, but left no doubt when he knocked him out in the first round of their rematch this past October at UFC 294.

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Dustin Poirier thinks Benoit Saint Denis’ staph infection revelation is a bad look

Dustin Poirier thinks Benoit Saint Denis should have kept quiet about his staph infection.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Benoit Saint Denis[/autotag] should have kept quiet about his staph infection.

After Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) knocked out Saint Denis in the second round at UFC 299 earlier this month, the Frenchman revealed that he entered the fight with staph infection on his forehead, which he says hampered his performance.

The infection was visible on his head during fight week, but Saint Denis (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) later shared images which showed the worst stages of it. Poirier is not a fan of Saint Denis making excuses.

“You say those type of things like ‘I had an infection, I was battling something,’ you say that when you win, you don’t say that when you lose,” Poirier told USA TODAY Sports’ Mackenzie Salmon.

“I’ve gone into so many fights with staph infection, with fractured foot, with lacerated bicep, staph infection in my ear – all kinds of stuff. That’s fighting. We’re on the mats every day. Everybody has something going on going into fights, but you can’t say that when you lose. You’ve got to hush it up.”

With UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev looking to return in June, Poirier has now emerged as a potential title contender. The remaining lightweight contenders are currently tied up, with Justin Gaethje defending his BMF title against Max Holloway at UFC 300, and top contenders Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan also squaring off on the April 13 card.

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Dustin Poirier responds to Islam Makhachev’s claim of potential UFC 302 title shot being undeserved

Dustin Poirier can’t agree with Islam Makhachev when the champ says he’s not deserving of a potential title shot at UFC 302.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] doesn’t really care what [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] thinks about his worthiness as a UFC lightweight title contender – he just wants the shot.

Following Poirier’s (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) thrilling knockout finish of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 this month, reigning 155-pound champion Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) told MMA Junkie he wants to fight “The Diamond” next, ideally at UFC 302 on June 1.

Makhachev outright stated Poirier “does not deserve” the shot above the winners of either upcoming UFC 300 matchups of Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway, but the situation comes down to timing. Makhachev is hungry to defend his belt and sees Poirier as the most logical opponent right now.

Poirier is unbothered by the slight from Makhachev, and disagrees that he would not be getting an undeserved opportunity given his overall body of work in MMA.

“That’s on him,” Poirier told USA TODAY Sports’ Mackenzie Salmon. “I’ve done more in the sport of mixed martial arts than he has. I’ve been around a long time. I was doing this before it was cool, and I’m still here. Still here doing it at the highest level. I can beat anybody in the world, and I hope he’s next.”

Poirier did not reveal whether his management team has had productive discussions with the UFC brass about booking the fight at UFC 302. He’s ready and the champion is ready, though, and he will be ready to sign a bout agreement.

“One hundred percent that’s what I want,” Poirier said. “If I could pick a fight, the title fight – that’s my choice. That’s what I want.”

Poirier, 35, has been on the UFC roster since January 2011. He’s put on countless memorable fights during that stretch, and is currently tied for the most knockout wins in UFC lightweight history.

Although Poirier has claimed an interim UFC title before, he’s come up short in two undisputed bids. He was submitted in his first opportunity against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 in September 2019, then also succumbed to a submission against Charles Oliveira in his second chance at UFC 269 in December 2021.

Poirier, No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings, is confident he could make the best of a third crack at gold against No. 1-ranked Makhachev, and is hopeful it will happen in just a few months.

“It’s the only thing left for me to do,” Poirier said. “I’ve done everything else in the sport of mixed martial arts. I’ve created business – multiple businesses. I’ve headlined so many cards. I’ve been 30 times in the UFC octagon. My family is set. I’ve done everything I’ve set out to do but capture the title, and that’s the only thing left for me to do, and that’s what I want.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Dana White: Dustin Poirier’s knockout of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 ‘the sh*t that makes you a f*cking legend’

Dana White had high praise towards Dustin Poirier after UFC 299.

MIAMI – [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] had high praise towards [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] after UFC 299.

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) knocked out surging lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in Saturday’s co-main event at Kaseya Center.

Many were surprised to see former interim champion Poirier accepting a fight against lower-ranked Saint Denis, which is why White respects “The Diamond” that much more.

“The fight that he took tonight with Benoit, I mean, when the talk first started, everybody was like, ‘Oh, this is a bad fight for Poirier,'” White said during the UFC 299 post-fight news conference. “Then Poirier came out and said, ‘You know what, I didn’t sign’ and all this – this is the sh*t that makes you a f*cking legend. These are legendary fights – when you go in and face a guy who’s a savage and looks like you can’t win this fight or people think you can’t win this fight, and then you go in and do it in spectacular fashion the way that he did tonight.

“A lot of these fighters, you’ve heard it many times in the past, ‘They want me to lose,’ or ‘They’re trying to make me lose.’ I heard some nutty sh*t the other day from somebody that I won’t even mention, but we don’t determine whether you lose or whether you win – you do. What we try to do is put on the best match-made fights that we can possibly do. That’s why big stars are built in the UFC and legendary fights happen every weekend. … His stock again goes through the roof.”

With the win, Poirier may have positioned himself for another title shot. UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz told Poirier prior to the fight that he could be next with a win, and Makhachev and Poirier are both on board.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

5 biggest takeaways from UFC 299: Time for Sean O’Malley to do right by bantamweight division

Analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC 299, including Sean O’Malley, Dustin Poirier, Michael Page and more.

What mattered most at UFC 299 at Kaseya Center in Miami? Here are a few post-fight musings.

* * * *

[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] put himself back in the heavyweight contender title mix when he hammerfisted Jailton Almeida’s head into next week for a second-round TKO after get stifled by the Brazilian’s grappling in the first frame.

Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) called for a rematch with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall after his triumph, and it was pretty well received. Why? Because it makes sense given the messy state of the weight class at the moment.

We know the deal. We’re all waiting for Jon Jones to return from injury to fight Stipe Miocic. Aspinall has been annoyed by the situation, but has seemingly opened up to the idea of defending the interim belt while Jones and Miocic handle their business.

The problem with that, however, is there wasn’t a completely sensible opponent for him to face. Until now. Blaydes hold a 15-second TKO win over Aspinall from July 2022, but it came as the result of an injury when Aspinall blew out his knee just seconds into the UFC Fight Night 208 main event in London.

It’s always seemed logical to run that fight back, and now with Blaydes getting the emphatic win, it’s a good idea. And Aspinall agrees, as he stated on social media after the event (via X):

[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] got the most crucial win of his career when he outworked Song Yadong for a unanimous decision to snap his three-fight losing streak.

The former UFC bantamweight champion Yan (17-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) needed this one in the worst of ways. Many people, myself included, thought Yan was going to be a long-reigning champion when he won the belt. But it just got weird afterward, starting with becoming the first fighter in UFC history to lose a title by disqualification when he landed an illegal knee on Aljamain Sterling in March 2021.

There’s an argument to be made that Yan should have beaten Sean O’Malley in October 2022. He got thwarted by Merab Dvalishvili – like everyone does – but in this fight against Song he showed he’s still very relevant at 135 pounds.

Yan needs another top-ranked contender next. If he can win that and get some momentum, then look out.

Former Bellator title challenger [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] delivered in his debut with a unanimous decision win over Kevin Holland, proving many naysayers wrong that his unique style wouldn’t translate to the UFC level.

Holland largely was a willing participant in letting Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) style on him. That won’t be the case for many other welterweights in the promotion, but at minimum, “MVP” earned the chance to fight them.

At 37, it’s hard to think Page can make a legitimate title run. However, he does have an advantage if Leon Edwards continues to reign in that a fight between them would be huge in the U.K. He’s going to need a couple more wins, though, or some extreme luck to break his way.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] showed he’s still an elite lightweight contender when he stifled the rise of Benoit Saint Denis with a classic fight and second-round knockout finish in the co-main event.

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) took a huge risk in accepting the matchup with Saint Denis, which is the type of fight many accused him of never being willing to take. It looked like a bad idea to start, but Poirier’s boxing once again came through for him as he survived the storm and put the lights out on Saint Denis.

The result adds to Poirier’s many records, and keeps him in the mix for a 155-pound title shot. At this point, he’s not more deserving than Justin Gaethje if he beats Max Holloway, or the winner of Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan – both of which take place at UFC 300 on April 13. But if some reason things don’t line up right for other contenders, or the timeline somehow shifts in his favor, it’s not impossible he could find himself in another championship opportunity sooner rather than later.

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] got what he wanted for his first title defense in avenging his lone career loss against Marlon Vera by unanimous decision.

All due to respect to “Chito,” but he wasn’t the most deserving title challenger. It’s totally understandable why the fight happened from O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC), Vera and the UFC’s angle. The storyline of this rematch was juicer than anything else that could be done in the bantamweight division given the result of the first meeting, and it’s impossible to know when it would be at least logical to put it together any other time.

The outcome was a completely uncompetitive fight, though, and now it’s time to get serious.

We should all be happy O’Malley’s callout of featherweight champion Ilia Topuria for UFC’s debut in Spain seemingly fell on deaf ears with UFC CEO Dana White. That means it’s time to give a rightful challenger a shot at the belt, and that would be [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag].

With 10 straight wins and a style that’s seemingly a huge nightmare for O’Malley, a showdown with Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC is the most intriguing championship bout that can be made at 135 pounds. There shouldn’t be a slight consideration given to anything else, and if the UFC goes any other direction for O’Malley’s next fight, it would be a massive injustice.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Dustin Poirier after UFC 299 knockout win?

With his stock going “through the roof,” according to Dana White, Dustin Poirier positioned himself for another big fight at UFC 299.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] maintained his track record of never losing two fights in a row Saturday when he defeated Benoit Saint Denis in the UFC 299 co-main event.

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) bounced back from his BMF title loss to Justin Gaethje in August with a violent second-round knockout of Saint Denis (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in their key lightweight bout at Kaseya Center in Miami.

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Dana White heaped praise on “The Diamond” after delivering another Fight of the Night war, and with the 155-pound weight class in a curious state, Poirier is in line for something big.

Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Poirier’s future after UFC 299.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

Dustin Poirier still on the hunt for the UFC lightweight title: ‘That’s the only reason I’m fighting’

Dustin Poirier continues his search for the undisputed UFC lightweight title.

MIAMI – Despite his tenure in the sport,[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] is still hungry to become an undisputed UFC champion.

The former interim champion and seasoned veteran made it clear that he has all the intention of working his way back to the top, so he can challenge for UFC gold once again. Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) let the world know of his ultimate goal following his vicious KO win over Benoit Saint-Denis (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at Saturday’s UFC 299.

“That’s the only reason I’m fighting,” Poirier said at the post-fight news conference. “I started fighting to be the world champion, to be the best in the world, undisputed. We have to see. I have to get home, talk to my coaches, my wife, and my management, and we’ll see what’s next. I don’t know. But yes, I’ve done a lot in this sport.

“I’m not trying to brag, but I’ve done a lot in this sport. I’ve been fighting for a long time. I think this was around my 50th MMA fight, and I’ve done a lot, checked a lot of boxes. But there’s still one box unchecked, and that’s being a world champion.”

Poirier, who entered UFC 299 coming off a KO loss to Justin Gaethje back in July, was relieved to get his hand raised on Saturday and prove that he’s still among the elite in the division.

“It feels good to right the ship and get a win, take a chance and fight a guy outside the top 10,” Poirier said. “I don’t even know how many but my last opponents have all been former world champions, huge main events, huge fights, and now I have this young guy in his 20s, who finished his last opponents and is representing France and has a country behind him. I’m like, ‘You know what, let’s see if I still got it against these young guys.’ It feels good.”

Sunday, Poirier posted on social media that he’s interested in a shot at lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in June in Saudi Arabia – a possibility Makhachev’s manager mentioned earlier in the day.

“Islam in June,” Poirier posted on social media.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.