Dustin Poirier opens up about daughter Parker Noelle sitting front row at UFC 302, details how "she was born into fighting"
Dustin Poirier has shed light upon his daughter, Parker Noelle Poirier, being set to attend his upcoming fight. Poirier will face undisputed UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev for his title at UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey, on June 1, 2024.
On The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani a few weeks ago, Poirier asserted that for the first time ever, his daughter Parker Noelle will be seated front row to watch him fight. The Louisianian suggested that he wants to show her she can accomplish her dreams, adding that it's probably his final title shot and he wants her to see him raise the title in the air.
It was subsequently revealed that Poirier would sport custom floral-themed shorts and walk out to a custom theme song for the title showdown. During his latest interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, he was asked about the song, shorts, and his daughter's expected UFC 302 appearance.
Olivi then welcomed Parker Noelle, whom she referred to as 'Sweet P,' and pointed out that she's known the child since Dustin's wife Jolie was pregnant with her.
When asked what it was like having Parker with him to witness everything, Poirier responded by explaining her lifelong connection with fighting. He harked back to the Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor rematch at UFC 202 (Aug. 20, 2016), the same day Parker was born. Implying that he watched the fight in Parker's presence, just hours after she was born, 'The Diamond' stated:
"It's great. It's incredible. I was just telling somebody back here, behind the stage, that the night she was born, August 20th, it was Nate Diaz-Conor McGregor 2. And, I mean, she was hours, hours she just entered the world, and we're in there, watching it on my laptop. You know, and she was born into fighting."
Poirier added:
"So, this is -- she's pulled stitches out of my face so many times. This is nothing new to her. She's old enough and understands enough now. I think she can be cage-side and watch what's going on."
Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below (2:04):
UFC 302 star Dustin Poirier addresses Parker Noelle's favorite part of fight weekend
The title fight between undisputed UFC lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier will mark the latter's third attempt at capturing the undisputed championship. A former interim UFC lightweight champion, Poirier came up short in his previous two attempts to win undisputed lightweight gold, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
Many believe that the aforementioned factors, in addition to it being the first fight with his daughter cage-side, underscore the magnitude of UFC 302 for Dustin Poirier.
Around the 2:55-minute mark of the interview with Megan Olivi, Parker was asked to reveal her favorite part of the weekend with her father. Olivi noted that perhaps it was getting ready for the fight, something she claimed Parker told her off-camera. Accompanying his smiling daughter, Dustin Poirier chimed in by highlighting that he'll take her to Times Square on Sunday. The 35-year-old said:
"I know her favorite part of the fight weekend is Sunday, after the fight, 'cause I told her I would bring her to New York. She's never been there; take her to Times Square. That's what she really wants."