Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“He is a special individual, but I can beat him. I just let myself down that night and it sucks.”
Dustin Poirier was thoroughly dominated by reigning lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 but, like any true competitor, ‘The Diamond’ still believes he has what it takes to hand the undefeated Dagestani his first loss inside the Octagon.
Poirier flirted with retirement shortly after the bout but, after having had time to reflect on the issue, the former UFC interim lightweight champion is determined to return to the Octagon stronger than ever.
“I promise you I am going to rise again and I am going to get my hand raised, beat who I have to beat and I will be back. I’ll be knocking on that door again, I just hate to have to dust myself off over and over again, but this is my story,” Poirier told Ariel Helwani in a recent interview, per MMA Mania’s Adam Guillen Jr.
“This is my path. I don’t try to look for an explanation as to why this happened. I know I am one of the best in the world, and when it all does finally come together, It is going to be beautiful and it’s my story. It’s a love and hate relationship. Sometimes I love this so much and sometimes I hate it. It’s something that keeps breaking your heart but you keep going back to it. I can’t stop and I will not stop. I know have greatness in me, and I just have to show the world, keep rising.”
Speaking of Nurmagomedov, Poirier acknowledged that the Russian is a ‘special individual’ but believes he would topple the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) standout in a rematch,
“He is a special individual, but I can beat him. I just let myself down that night and it sucks.”
Poirier is also hoping to secure a rematch with former UFC two-division champ Conor McGregor, who he lost to via first-round TKO in a featherweight bout back in 2014.
I think me and Conor running it back makes a lot of sense at this point.
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) September 10, 2019
McGregor hinted that he may be interested in the match-up, teasing of a possible rematch with Poirier on Dec. 14 in his hometown of Dublin, Ireland.
Dublin, December 14th.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 16, 2019