Benoit Saint-Denis wants another crack at Dustin Poirier. After coming up short against ‘The Diamond’ in March, Saint-Denis will…
Benoit Saint-Denis wants another crack at Dustin Poirier.
After coming up short against ‘The Diamond’ in March, Saint-Denis will look to bounce back when he headlines Saturday’s UFC card in The City of Light. Meeting him inside the Octagon will be streaking Brazilian standout Renato Moicano in a battle that could launch the winner into the lightweight division’s coveted top 10.
Speaking with the promotion ahead of his highly anticipated return at UFC Paris, the ‘God of War’ hopes that a decisive win against Moicano this weekend will earn him an opportunity to run it back with Poirier at some point.
"It is going to be hell for Moicano on Saturday night."
Benoît Saint Denis (@BenoitSt_Denis) details what fans can expect when he faces Renato Moicano in the main event at #UFCParis
“I fought a warrior and the only way to get back at him is to get the belt from Makhachev. The only thing Poirier doesn’t have is the undisputed UFC belt. Right now, I’m concentrating on Moicano, Moicano is my goal, getting that victory,” Saint-Denis told the promotion.“I’m very happy to be part of Dustin’s journey as a fighter because he is a great fighter, but I want it back. I will work for it and I have a lot of work to do” (h/t BJPenn.com).
Benoit Saint-Denis knows a win over ‘Money’ would be huge
With Poirier already having one foot outside the Octagon, it’s hard to imagine Saint-Denis ever booking a sequel scrap with ‘The Diamond.’ Regardless, ‘God of War’ only has one thing on his mind right now, and that’s getting his hand raised against another one of the lightweight division’s elite.
“I mean it’s huge, he’s only been losing to guys like Aldo, Ortega, Fiziev, top-five guys, elite guys, former champions stuff like that. Everything can go very fast with the UFC. it’s the way you fight, the way you engage, the way you promote fighting, and the UFC and mixed martial arts will give you the opportunity to rise and I’m here to do that,” Saint-Denis added.
Saint-Denis heads to Accor Arena on Saturday with an overall record of 13-2. Before his loss to Poirier, he was riding a five-fight win streak.
Dustin Poirier recently received accolades from MMA analysts for expressing his desire to take on a stylistically challenging opponent in his next fight. “The Diamond” came up short in his third—and possibly final—quest for the undisputed UFC lightweight title against reigning champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 this past June. Poirier endured a grueling back-and-forth […]
Dustin Poirier recently received accolades from MMA analysts for expressing his desire to take on a stylistically challenging opponent in his next fight.
After his setback, Poirier hinted that his last appearance in the Octagon might be behind him. However, just a few weeks later, the former UFC interim champion experienced a shift in perspective, revealing that he still feels a strong desire to fight—provided the matchup is enticing enough for him.
It appears that “The Diamond” has put an intriguing bout in place for himself, as he recently teased on X his desire to settle the score with Justin Gaethje in a highly anticipated trilogy match.
Considering Poirier’s 1-1 record against “The Highlight”, MMA analysts Josh Thomson and “Big” John McCarthy praised his determination to pursue challenging matchups, even as he nears the later stages of his career.
Thomson Says Poirier Never Wants The ‘Easy Road’ In His Career
During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast, both Thompson and McCarthy lauded Poirier for considering a trilogy bout with Gaethje. “The Punk” noted that the 35-year-old Louisiana native is driven by the prospect of facing Gaethje and never hesitates to embrace the toughest challenges in his career.
“The fact that Dustin’s calling for the fight means that this guy motivates him enough to say, ‘You know what? Let’s run this back; let’s do it a third time; let’s give the fans what they want,’” Thomson said. “I’ve never looked at Dustin as someone who wants the easy road; he’s not that guy.”
McCarthy remarked that the opponents “The Diamond” has faced over his career embody the highest level of competition in the UFC lightweight division, and that is truly commendable.
“If you’re going to look at it from a certain point, you know everybody he was fighting was either a champion or a former champion,” McCarthy said. “We’re talking top of the food chain with every guy that he was fighting, and it’s just amazing. You know, I think it was from the Dan Hooker fight; I could be wrong, but I mean, just crazy who that guy has been fighting. You can’t ask anything more from a fighter than what you get from Dustin Poirier.”
In the eyes of many, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of, if not the greatest mixed martial artists of all…
In the eyes of many, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of, if not the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.
Walking away from the sport in 2020 amid an impressive 29-0 run and a UFC lightweight world title reign, ‘The Eagle’ has continued to have a significant impact in the sport through those he trains — most notably the UFC’s current 155-pound champion, Islam Makhachev. Nurmagomedov has also helped his cousins, Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov achieve greatness in the cage.
The former is the reigning Bellator lightweight champion while the latter is the UFC’s No. 2 ranked bantamweight and is the odds-on favorite to challenge new titleholder Merab Dvalishvili.
But we’re not here to talk about their accomplishments. Today, we look back at the five greatest moments of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s illustrious career.
No. 5 – ‘The Eagle’ Makes his Debut at UFC 148
When talking about the best moments in Nurmagomedov’s career, it’s probably best to start at the very beginning. On July 7, 2012, ‘The Eagle’ introduced himself to fight fans at UFC on FX 1 against WEC veteran Kamal Shalorus.
Nurmagomedov put on a relentless pace from the get-go and dominated the ‘Prince of Persia’ before finishing things just past the two-minute mark of the third round with a rear-naked choke. It was just the first of 13 total fights Nurmagomedov would win inside the Octagon, including seven finishes.
No. 4 – Khabib Chokes out ‘The Diamond’
After securing a successful defense of the UFC lightweight championship 11 months prior, Nurmagomedov returned to headline UFC 242 against a streaking Dustin Poirier at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi — otherwise known as Fight Island. The Diamond’ went into the bout riding a massive wave of momentum, earning wins over Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, and Max Holloway.
Many thought that Poirier’s impeccable boxing skills would get the job done against the Dagestani’s grapple-heavy attack. Unfortunately for fans of Poirier, that was not the case.
Khabib dominated the fight with his relentless pressure and smothering top game before finally forcing the Lafayette, Louisiana native to tap out before the halfway point of the third round. With Poirier walking into the bout as the interim lightweight champion, ‘The Eagle’ successfully unified the belts and further established himself as one of the P4P best in the world.
No. 3 – Dominating Michael Johnson
Though it was his eighth career fight inside the Octagon, Khabib Nurmagomedov had not quite reached superstar status — until this fight.
At the time, Johnson had established himself as a formidable foe going 5-2 in his last seven fights, including wins over Joe Lauzon, Gleison Tibau, Edson Barboza, and Dustin Poirier. However, he was no match for the Dagestani. As Johnson tried to let his hands go, Nurmagomedov took ‘The Menace’ down swiftly and completely overwhelmed the American on the mat.
While in top control, ‘The Eagle’ infamously yelled at Dana White cageside, lobbying for a UFC title fight in the middle of a scrap. Nurmagomedov’s ability to nullify an elite striker while simultaneously negotiating with the promotion’s CEO made the undefeated star must-see TV overnight.
Khabib Nurmagomedov talking with Michael Johnson while mauling him on the ground:
Nurmagomedov’s final career fight came against one of the UFC’s most celebrated strikers, Justin Gaethje. ‘The Highlight’ earned his shot via a five-round shellacking of former interim titleholder Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Gaethje hoped to deliver a similar performance, but ‘The Eagle’ had other plans.
Despite carrying the heartache of losing his father three months prior, Nurmagomedov was on top form during their UFC 254 headliner in Abu Dhabi.
As he’d done so many times before, Nurmagomedov’s relentless pressure right out of the gate put Gaethje into survival mode early. 94 seconds into the second round, things came to an end after ‘The Eagle’ seamlessly transitioned into a triangle choke and put Gaethje to sleep.
Following the win, an emotional Nurmagomedov announced to the world that he was officially retiring from the sport, vowing to never fight again following the loss of his father. He walked away with a perfect 29-0 record and three title defenses against three of the absolute best fighters the lightweight division has ever seen.
No. 1 – Khabib Throws Down with Conor McGregor
This one should come as no surprise.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor was without a doubt the most anticipated fight in UFC history. It was just a battle between the two biggest names in the lightweight division — it was a clash of larger-than-life superstars who had completely dominated the competition up to that point. Adding to the intrigue of their matchup was the all-too-real hatred between the two combatants.
Long before the two titans stepped into the Octagon at UFC 229, McGregor and Nurmagomedov made headlines after the Irishman and his entourage infamously attacked a bus they believed was carrying the Dagestani. McGregor launched a dolly into one of the vehicle’s windows, shattering a glass that caused both injury and trauma to fighters onboard, including ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas and Michael Chiesa.
Once the two were locked inside the cage, it was clear that Nurmagomedov was levels above the former two-division titleholder. ‘The Eagle’ dominated the action from the opening bell up until the moment he forced ‘Mystic Mac’ to tap out via a rear-naked choke at the 3:03 mark of round four. Of course, the fight was far from done.
McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov had everything. Drama, chaos, technical mastery, and the highest of stakes. That’s why their iconic clash in Las Vegas is still one of the highest gates in UFC history and the hottest-selling pay-per-view of all time, securing 2.4 million buys.
Renato Moicano recently explained why he chose not to train with his teammate Dustin Poirier ahead of his upcoming bout against Benoît Saint Denis. “Money” is stepping into enemy territory as he gears up to face Saint Denis in a crucial lightweight clash, headlining UFC Fight Night Paris this weekend at the Accor Arena in […]
Few know that Moicano hones his skills at the prestigious American Top Team (ATT), working under the guidance of Mike Brown, ‘Parrumpa’ and more capable coaches. His training partners include the highly regarded lightweights Poirier and Thiago Moises, both of whom have faced “God of War” in the octagon before.
Moicano Reveals He Didn’t Want To Disrupt Poirier’s Time Off While Preparing For Saint Denis
During a recent episode of his Show Me The Money podcast, Moicano discussed his preparation and training camp for the upcoming clash with Saint Denis. “Money” revealed that he spent considerable time training with Moises, gaining valuable insights that he plans to apply in this fight.
“I trained a lot with Thiago Moises, and he told me that the guy is very strong, especially because he fought Benoit and then we trained together,” Moicano said. “We are both lightweights, of course, so he was telling me to be ready; he’s very strong. I’m not underestimating him; I know he’s tough, I know he’s strong. Dustin Poirier also gave me some tips, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. I have to go over there and do my job, and my job is to beat him.”
Moicano further shared that he wasn’t able to train with Poirier for this fight, as the former UFC interim champion was coming off his own grueling bouts, and Moicano didn’t want to interrupt his time off. “Money” mentioned that he caught up with “The Diamond” during International Fight Week in June, where they exchanged strategies for dealing with Saint Denis.
“I know he had a very hard training camp against Islam [Makhachev] and Benoit, and I didn’t want to bother him. Even though we talked in Las Vegas at the International Fight Week, and he was more than ready to come down and train with me to help me for the fight, he was on vacation or something. I said, ‘Hey, I’m not gonna message you; I’m not gonna be selfish and try to make him come to ATT just to train with me’… I’m glad that I didn’t have to train with Dustin Poirier because he would beat my a**.”
Moicano is currently riding a three-fight win streak, most recently securing a second-round TKO victory over Jalin Turner at UFC 300 this past April. Meanwhile, “God of War” saw his five-fight winning momentum come to an end at the hands of Poirier in his last appearance in the Octagon, and he will be eager to return to his victorious form.
A hunch or a leak? Dustin Poirier’s teammate appeared confident when predicting a month and opponent for his farewell fight in the UFC. It initially appeared as though fans had seen Poirier make the walk for the final time this past summer. After a vintage knockout of Benoît Saint Denis in March, the former interim […]
A hunch or a leak? Dustin Poirier’s teammate appeared confident when predicting a month and opponent for his farewell fight in the UFC.
It initially appeared as though fans had seen Poirier make the walk for the final time this past summer. After a vintage knockout of Benoît Saint Denis in March, the former interim UFC lightweight champion had one last opportunity to achieve undisputed status.
But while he gave it his all through four rounds against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in Newark, “The Diamond” succumbed to a rear-naked choke in the final frame of the pay-per-view main event.
The veteran’s Octagon interview suggested that an official retirement was on the way, but the fire beneath Poirier has not fully diminished. And after pondering a farewell fight, the Louisianan has appeared to make that decision final.
A man who knows Poirier well from their ongoing stint as teammates over at American Top Team recently picked one out…
Dawson Predicts Poirier vs. Gaethje 3 In February 2025
During a recent interview with MMA News’ Ryan Jarrell, Dawson spoke on the current status of Poirier’s career and apparent plans to compete one final time before hanging up the gloves.
While reiterating his belief that “The Diamond” is not yet done, “KGD” predicted a February 2025 return for his ATT training partner but insisted that didn’t come from a place of insider knowledge.
“I think he’ll fight in February. I don’t have any insider information,” Dawson told MMA News. “I don’t know anything. There’s no (set) date or anything like that. I just don’t think he’s done. I’ve texted him a couple times and he sounds like a man who wants to fight again.”
But when pondering a date for his own next appearance inside the Octagon, the same month reared its head…
“Let’s do February, on Dustin’s card.”
In terms of an opponent, Dawson was 100 percent certain in stating that a rumored clash with former ATT standout Colby Covington is not on the table. Instead, the 30-year-old displayed a grin while producing a different name.
“I know for a fact he’s not fighting Colby Covington. I called him and asked him about it, and he said, ‘Heck no.’ He said something a little worse than ‘heck,’” Dawson said, before smiling and taking a long pause when asked who he thinks Poirier will face. “Justin Gaethje.”
Shot-in-the-dark prediction, educated guess or a statement of fact? We’ll let you decide.
Regardless, it would appear that Poirier’s mind is indeed made up and that his memorable championship clash with Makhachev won’t mark the final chapter in his story.
I will.
Once more into the fray, into the last good fight I’ll ever know. Live and die on this day, live and die on this day https://t.co/N9H3j2OR5p
Former interim UFC lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has once more confirmed plans to make one final Octagon appearance off…
Former interim UFC lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has once more confirmed plans to make one final Octagon appearance off the back of his latest undisputed title charge loss — revealing he plans to step into the “fray” for one last time.
Poirier, the current number four ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 302 back in May, suffering a fifth round D’Arce choke submission defeat against current pound-for-pound number one, Islam Makhachev in the pair’s heated grudge fight.
And weighing up his fighting future in the immediate aftermath of his submission loss to the Russian, veteran lightweight star, Poirier failed to hang up his gloves, and in the weeks following the defeat, maintained he may fight one final time.
Dustin Poirier confirms plan for one final Octagon walk
On social media this weekend to boot, the Lafayette striking favorite once more confirmed plans to compete just once more in the UFC — amid links to a slew of high-profile bouts at his 155lbs home.
“I will,” Dustin Poirier responded to a user on X who questioned if he would fight again. “Once more into the fray, into the last good fight I’ll ever know. Live and die on this day, live and die on this day.”
I will.
Once more into the fray, into the last good fight I’ll ever know. Live and die on this day, live and die on this day https://t.co/N9H3j2OR5p
In his most recent win, the Louisianan fan-favorite turned in an impressive rallying win over French contender, Benoit Saint Denis — snapping the Nimes prospect’s impressive winning run with a blistering knockout success as recent as April.
Earlier this week, however, the American Top Team staple confirmed he would not even entertain a potential grudge fight with former training partner, Colby Covington, claiming the outspoken veteran would not be making any sort of money off his name in a long-rumored pairing.
https://t.co/Xkc9xPfJ3v
In the eyes of many, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of, if not the greatest mixed martial artists of all…
Former interim UFC lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has once more confirmed plans to make one final Octagon appearance off…
