Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight standout Dustin Poirier had been gearing up for his Eddie Alvarez rematch, after their unsatisfactory ending at the UFC 211 pay-per-view (PPV) event back in May.
Then came a big slap in the face.
Alvarez, who landed illegal knees to the “Diamond’s” dome and forced a no contest, will no longer have to make good on his gentleman’s agreement to set things right, thanks to a coaching gig on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 26.
Poirier said he was “shocked” to hear the news on social media.
“I’ve had talks with my management and with the UFC. We were going to get the rematch, that’s what the game plan was. So it was really a slap in the face,” Poirier told The MMA Hour. “He probably doesn’t want the fight again. (UFC) offered him another fight and he jumped on it.”
Alvarez will coach opposite lightweight contender Justin Gaethje (details).
Losing that rematch puts Poirier in a weird spot. Ranked No. 8 in the division, the former featherweight may have trouble scaring up a new opponent. Fellow contender Kevin Lee is coming off five straight wins and the first person ranked behind him is Michael Johnson, who stopped him last September.
Any suggestions?