Dustin Poirier excited by Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira, analyzes potential matchup: "He’s too smart"
Dustin Poirier swapped out his fighter hat for his fan hat during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, sharing his excitement for a possible Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira clash. 'Bones' expressed interest in the potential clash with the Brazilian several weeks ago, which has not yet been returned.
'Poatan' recently defended his light heavyweight title with an emphatic knockout over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303. His dominant performance has led to conversations about who could challenge Pereira at 205 pounds, prompting suggestions that he should move to heavyweight in search of a third UFC title.
The idea of a clash between arguably the most intelligent MMA fighter ever, in 'Bones', and the most lethal left-hook in the sport has created an enormous buzz amongst fans.
But with perennial contender Magomed Ankalaev waiting in the wings for his shot at Pereira, and Jones preparing to face off against Stipe Miocic, it appears unlikely that the heavyweight champion will meet the 205-pound champion in the octagon.
'The Diamond' recently appeared on The MMA Hour, hosted by Helwani, where he said this:
"In the light heavyweight division who's [Pereira] gonna fight? Ankalaev? Nothing against Ankalaev, but at the point [Pereira] is at in his career, he's a superstar, I want to see him versus Jones at heavyweight."
He continued:
"Jones is a lot bigger, longer. Jones has never been knocked out... Jones is not gonna play the game with him. He's too smart... It's the perfect time for it."
Watch Dustin Poirier's interview below (28:40):
Dustin Poirier would welcome a Nate Diaz boxing match
Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz were once scheduled to fight in the UFC, but for several reasons, including a hip injury on the side of Poirier, the fight was canceled.
The Stockton native has since left the UFC, whilst 'The Diamond' has grown into one of the promotion's biggest stars.
Poirier is known for his crisp boxing skills, and during his recent appearance on The MMA Hour, he was asked about potentially entering the world of boxing. The former interim lightweight champion shared his eagerness to partake in a boxing match, and named Nate Diaz as his ideal opponent, saying this:
"The whole training camp would be a lot less wearing on my body. No wrestling, no jiu-jitsu. It'd be boxing, running swimming. That's fun... I'd box Nate." [20:35-20:55 in Dustin Poirier's aforementioned interview]
With Diaz having recently clashed with Jorge Masvidal in the squared circle, a potential boxing clash with Poirier could certainly materialize.