Dustin Poirier proved he’s still an elite lightweight last night (Sat., Mar. 9, 2024) at UFC 299 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla., when “Diamond” outlasted dangerous contender Benoit Saint Denis with a second-round knockout (punches).
Poirier was taking a major risk by putting his lightweight ranking on the line against a difficult newcomer in Saint Denis. The Frenchman came into this fight with five-straight finishes under his belt and even caught the eye of oddsmakers who made him the betting favorite. Hardcore fight fans knew Poirier had more to offer than his surprising underdog tag and he proved just that.
The first round was a difficult one for Poirier, though, as Saint Denis maintained a pace that was hard to match. Poirier was able to time some short shots in the pocket, but he had limited space. “Diamond” threatened with a multitude of guillotine chokes, but it just allowed Saint Denis to end up on top to land good ground-and-pound.
In the second round, Saint Denis looked to tire just a bit and he became a little sloppy with his entries. That gave Poirier the opportunity land a big uppercut that stunned the French contender. Saint Denis kept plodding forward, but Poirier was there again for a hard body shot and left hand. Poirier eventually capped his onslaught off with a crushing right hook. Saint Denis toppled to the canvas as Poirier leaped in for a final shot.
Check out the wild finish below:
DUSTIN POIRIER JUST SLEPT SAINT DENIS #UFC299 pic.twitter.com/sQkTedU0bo
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) March 10, 2024
For complete UFC 299 results, coverage, and highlights, click HERE.