Dustin Poirier claims he almost submitted Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242
At UFC 242, Dustin Poirier failed to capture the Undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship, falling short to the undefeated and reigning champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Having tapped-out to a rear-naked choke by Nurmagomedov, Poirer recently looked back on his loss to 'The Eagle' and claimed that he almost submitted the former to capture the title.
Dustin Poirier says he almost submitted Khabib at UFC 242
While speaking on a recent edition of the UFC Unfiltered podcast, Dustin Poirier spoke on his last fight in the Octagon from UFC 242, as he looked back on the moment when he almost submitted Khabib Nurmagomedov.
'The Diamond' stated that the fight was definitely close and claimed that he would've finished a lot of guys in the UFC with the choke and has submitted a lot of training partners in the gym but Nurmagomedov is a different beast. (H/T: BJ Penn)
“It was close. It was as close as it can get. I would have finished a lot of guys in the UFC with that choke — a lot of guys. If there’s a centimeter of space where [Nurmagomedov] can roll his hips to the mat and just create a little bit of space and a little bit of breathing space. I should have went full guard and controlled his whole body and his hips. I could have really folded him over. Simple things like that which would have finished 90 percent of the guys — that ten percent or five percent that Khabib is in, you just don’t finish guys with that."
Poirier further added that the submission had to be perfect and took the complete blame on him for not properly executing it during his fight against Khabib at UFC 242. 'The Diamond' claimed that it was a lag and a mistaken technique on his behalf.
“It has to be perfect, and it’s my fault. It’s a lag and a mistake in technique and it’s all on me.”
What's next for Dustin Poirier?
Dustin Poirier is expected to make his return to the Octagon in 2020 and it remains to be seen who his next opponent is.