Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Dustin Poirier went through a career and life-altering evolution following his loss to Conor McGregor in 2014.
Dustin Poirier has gone through many changes following his quick loss to Conor McGregor at UFC 178 on Sept. 27, 2014.
Poirier (26-6 1 NC) caught up with ESPN following his Fight of the Year candidate against Dan Hooker at UFC Vegas 4. “The Diamond” emerged victorious in the violent clash with Hooker, to extend his post-McGregor run to 10-2 with one no contest.
“It definitely started happening after the Conor McGregor loss,” Poirier told ESPN about his evolution as a fighter and person (h/t MMA Fighting). “That was the start of it. It’s been a long process, being a father, losing again, winning some and losing again, and winning another one. It’s just a long evolution of stop caring so much. You just stop caring about the noise and stuff that doesn’t matter.”
“A lot of times in my younger career, I felt like it was life or deat,” he further elborated. Every comment on Instagram and Twitter, every journalist who said something, I felt like everybody was against me. I felt like if I lost I would be written off, it’s the end of my career. I’m a bum if I lose this fight. And then you lose a few times and you’re like, ‘Oh s—t, I can still put this back together. Oh man, I’m still providing for my family. I’m still loving what I do.’ It’s like you’ve been bent but not broken a lot of times and I feel like it made me stronger and it made me the man I am today. I’m happy. I’m genuinely happy.”
Poirier has now bounced back from his loss to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and added Hooker to an impressive list of scalps that include Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway (twice), Anthony Pettis and Eddie Alvarez. After his latest victory, the former interim titleholder made it clear that he refuses to fight backwards in his next outing.
“I feel like I’m the best in the world,” Poirier said. “I made mistakes and I got beaten by Khabib, but I know that I can beat Khabib Nurmagomedov. I know I can. I can beat anyone of these guys… I don’t want to get anyone back. I’m not in the grudge match business. I want to be the best in the world. I want to be the undisputed world champion.”