Dustin Poirier doesn’t need to retire on a loss.
That’s why “The Diamond” is at present working with the promotion to safe his last UFC struggle, which might come on the finish of 2024 or maybe early 2025. His most up-to-date look resulted in a submission defeat to light-weight champion Islam Makhachev.
“The shift must be internally for what the motivation for combating is,” Poirier informed the Anik & Florian podcast. “As a result of if it’s not in regards to the world title, why am I combating? And after the Islam struggle, after I received again residence I believed, ‘Perhaps that is it?’ A couple of weeks glided by, accidents began hurting less-and-less, and I used to be like, ‘I’ve received to do that once more.’ I’ve by no means misplaced two in a row. I can’t go away this sport on a loss.”
Poirier, 35, stands at 30-9 (1 NC) with 13 finishes.
“On the similar time, I need to be 100% in it if I’m going to do it once more, as a result of I don’t need to disrespect the game,” Poirier continued. “I honor these items. I do. I simply need to do it proper and get my hand raised and go away on my phrases with a win. However that’s no assure. I might return on the market and any individual might whip my ass. That’s the factor.”
So who will “The Diamond” struggle subsequent?
BetOnline.ag has longtime rival Conor McGregor main the pack at +350, even with “Infamous” (loosely) connected to a Michael Chandler struggle later this yr. Poirier was first stopped by a featherweight McGregor at UFC 178, then joined the Irishman at light-weight to seize consecutive wins at UFC 257 and UFC 264 in 2021.
Listed below are the present “Who’s subsequent?” odds for Poirier’s subsequent struggle:
Conor McGregor 7/2 (+350)
Charles Oliveira 4/1
Michael Chandler 11/2 (+550)
Beneil Dariush 6/1
Arman Tsarukyan 7/1
Rafael Fiziev 8/1
Max Holloway 9/1
Renato Moicano 10/1
Jalin Turner 12/1
Bobby Inexperienced 14/1
Rafael Dos Anjos 14/1
Dan Hooker 20/1
McGregor broke his leg at UFC 264 and has but to return.
“Do you imagine that your subsequent opponent will come out of this batch of names?” Anik requested. “Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, Alexander Volkanovski, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, and Colby Covington.”
“100%,” Poirier responded. “For certain. If I do struggle once more and after I do struggle once more, it is going to be positively a type of guys you simply stated.”
Perhaps this daring prediction was proper all alongside?
