Dustin Poirier has plenty of options for his next fight in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) whether at Lightweight or Welterweight. But if he stays put at 155-pounds, there may be one option that’s more logical than the rest.
Following his stellar second-round knockout win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 earlier this month (May 7, 2022) (watch highlights), Michael Chandler took to the microphone in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan to put the winner of Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje and Conor McGregor on blast. In the days following the event, he’d continue to mention more next possible options like Nate Diaz, and essentially everyone but Poirier.
Noticing this, Poirier took to social media to throw his name in the mix. When the idea was presented to Chandler, he stated his lack of interest in Poirier and that he “forgot” about him along with questioning his drawing ability. Chandler went on to note it may be slightly personal due to Poirier’s dismissal of the former three-time Bellator champ upon his UFC debut at UFC 257, and from Poirier’s perspective, he wasn’t shy to let it be known that Chandler was accurate in his assessment.
“For sure, yeah. He’s never beaten anybody coming off a win in the UFC,” Poirier said on The MMA Hour. “He’s been dropped in his last three fights. He’s never beat somebody coming off a win. What are Dan Hooker’s last five fights and what are Tony Ferguson’s last five fights? The two guys he beat in the UFC. What are their records in their last fights? I’m not talking trash, I’m stating facts. It’s whatever, bro. I’ll fight him, too. I don’t care anymore. Just book me something. Somebody’s gonna get sparked out, let’s go.”
When it came to the questioning of Poirier’s drawing ability, “The Diamond” was amused by that as well.
“You think the guy forgot about me? The route to the title shot?” Poirier said. “Charles is still No. 1, the champion. I’m No. 1 [contender in the rankings], you know? And who’s a draw? Bro, I’m not that guy to point out and pick on people and do this and stuff like that, but if we go to the numbers which don’t lie, you were supporting cast in the last pay-per-view you fought on with two title fights. Look at the numbers. What did we (Oliveira and Poirier at UFC 269) sell? Six-something? What did they sell? Over 400 [thousand]? Who’s a draw? I don’t know, I don’t play that because I don’t really care but don’t say stuff that you can find out the numbers and see whose watching more.”
Open to fighting anyone at this point, Poirier revealed that UFC did offer him a July 30 Welterweight bout against Colby Covington or the option to wait for a top contender bout at Lightweight later in the year.