UFC fighter Dustin Poirier is still eying a potential opponent for his Octagon return, and he may have a willing adversary in Gilbert Burns.
Poirier is coming off an eventful 2021 in which he earned back-to-back wins over Conor McGregor and also challenged for the lightweight title. He had planned to face Nate Diaz next, but it appears the UFC is moving on from the idea of the booking due to stalled negotiations.
Despite not getting his preferred opponent, it appears that Poirier is rejuvenated and focused on a return to the UFC, potentially as soon as this summer.
In a recent tweet, Poirier re-iterated his desire for a fight later this year.
“I want to fight,” Poirier tweeted.
It’s unclear if Poirier intends to return at lightweight or welterweight for his 2022 debut. He has previously hinted at a move to 170lbs following his lightweight title loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
If Poirier intends on making good on his previous intentions, he seems to have a willing opponent in the form of Burns.
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) April 23, 2022
“170?” Burns replied.
Burns is coming off of a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273. After three rounds of nonstop action, Chimaev earned the win via a unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards.
A fight with Burns could make sense if Poirier moves up to welterweight. However, Poirier may also opt to stay at lightweight and potentially work his way towards a rematch with Oliveira.
Poirier and Burns both have their sights set on UFC title redemptions after falling short in their recent championship opportunities.
Who do you want to see Dustin Poirier fight next in his UFC return?
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