5 potential opponents for Dustin Poirier following his loss to Charles Oliveira
Following his heartbreaking loss at UFC 269, Dustin Poirier is at a crossroads of sorts in his career. He has now been defeated in two UFC lightweight title bouts, losing via rear-naked choke to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 and Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
Thankfully, ‘The Diamond’ has no shortage of potential opponents to attempt to bounce back against. With viable foes at both lightweight and welterweight, who should Dustin Poirier fight next following his loss to Oliveira?
Thank you all for the continued support! I have prepared my mind and body for battle. Destiny doesn't make mistakes and im prepared for whatever awaits me⚔ https://t.co/HgdG66A1G8
A lot depends on his goals at this point. Does Dustin Poirier still have dreams of becoming the UFC lightweight champion – or after his latest setback, will he now target potential “money fights”?
Either way, there are plenty of options for him. That being said, here are five potential opponents for Dustin Poirier following his loss to Charles Oliveira.
#5. Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler
If Dustin Poirier wants to face an opponent who could put him straight back into title contention, he should look no further than Michael Chandler.
The former Bellator lightweight kingpin announced himself in the UFC back in January with a sensational knockout of Dan Hooker. He is now widely recognized as one of the promotion’s best fighters at 155 lbs.
Sure, Chandler has since suffered losses to both Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. However, he’s still ranked No.5 and a win over him would probably go a long way towards propelling Dustin Poirier into a rematch with Charles Oliveira.
Chandler just EATS these punches from Gaethje and then walks him down 🤯 #UFC268 https://t.co/Y1hfd2U9vq
Additionally, Chandler's heavy-handed style and willingness to exchange bombs with his opponent could provide ‘The Diamond’ with an amazing stylistic clash.
Would Dustin Poirier’s pressure-boxing style allow him to defeat Chandler in a similar fashion to his wins over Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez? Or would Chandler's power prove to be too much for ‘The Diamond’ to handle?
The UFC could easily promote this matchup. A bout between Poirier and Chandler is guaranteed fireworks and would be a welcome addition to any of the promotion's pay-per-view cards in 2022.
With both men coming off losses – albeit in huge fights – it just feels like this clash would make a lot of sense for all parties involved.