Poirier lists opponents for UFC return: ‘I want to have fights that are meaningful’

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“I want to have fights that are meaningful, I want to have fights that are exciting, and I want to be excited about the matchup.” It’s only been one month since Dustin Poirier’s sub…

UFC 242: Khabib v Poirier

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“I want to have fights that are meaningful, I want to have fights that are exciting, and I want to be excited about the matchup.”

It’s only been one month since Dustin Poirier’s submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242, but ‘The Diamond’ is just itching to get back into the Octagon.

Poirier isn’t just going to step into the cage against any Tom, Dick or Harry, however, as the UFC veteran is only interested in ‘meaningful’ fights at this critical stage of his career.

Speaking to MMA Junkie in a recent interview, Poirier said he is open to possible match-ups with Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson and of course Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“I would give Gaethje a rematch if he wanted it, (or) Conor obviously,” Poirier said. “I would love to fight Tony. I’ve been wanting to fight Tony. A rematch with Khabib, that feels so far away looking at the whole picture, but if there was a fun fight at 170, I would go to 170. I wouldn’t stay there; it wouldn’t be my home. But I would definitely go there for a fight or two if it made sense.

“That’s just where I’m at right now. I want to have fights that are meaningful, I want to have fights that are exciting, and I want to be excited about the matchup. It all depends on the opponent and what they call me with. The when, the where, the who.”

Poirier is currently ranked #2 in the official UFC lightweight rankings and #13 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings, and a matchup with any of the aforementioned fighters (bar Nurmagomedov) would be a more than suitable fit for the Louisianan.