Former undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos has offered to fight former interim lightweight titleholder, Dustin Poirier next – offering the Louisiana native a route to a welterweight division debut.
dos Anjos, a former undisputed lightweight champion, most recently featured in a main card clash against Bryan Barberena back in December of last year at UFC Fight Night Orlando, securing a second round neck crank win. The victory earned dos Anjos a Performance of the Night bonus.
For Poirier, the former interim lightweight titleholder, featured on the main card of UFC 281 back in November of last year at Madison Square Garden, also securing a submission win as he stopped Michael Chandler with a third round rear-naked choke in their grudge match.
Making his welterweight division return in his December win over Barberena, Rafael dos Anjos currently retains the #9 rank in his former lightweight stomping grounds, having recently suffered a knockout loss to Rafael Fiziev at UFC Vegas 58 in July of last year.
Rafael dos Anjos welcomes future fight with Dustin Poirier
Welcoming a potential welterweight division move in the future amid continual struggles to make the lightweight limit despite successfully making the scales, Lafayette puncher, Poirier was suggested as a potential next opponent for dos Anjos by a Twitter user – with the latter noting his interest in the clash.
“I like it!! @DustinPoirier do you?” Rafael dos Anjos tweeted. (Transcribed by MMA News)
A former undisputed lightweight champion, Niteroi native, dos Anjos managed to clinch the title with an eye-catching unanimous decision win over common-foe, Anthony Pettis in March 2015, before defending the title once with a rematch knockout win over Donald Cerrone in December of that year.
As for Poirier, the American Top Team mainstay managed to win interim spoils back in April 2019 in a rematch win over former undisputed featherweight champion, Max Holloway.