Going to fight in July - Dustin Poirier shares plans for next UFC bout
Dustin Poirier’s previous fight was a third-round submission loss against UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 in December 2021. There’s subsequently been widespread speculation regarding Poirier possibly facing Nate Diaz next. Poirier has now suggested that he’s likely to fight in the month of July, but it’s unlikely to be against Diaz.
Poirier and Justin Gaethje are currently tied in the official UFC lightweight rankings, with both former interim UFC lightweight champions holding the No.1 spot. ‘The Diamond’ has hinted that his next fight could be against the winner of the upcoming matchup between Michael Chandler and Tony Ferguson.
The No.5-ranked Chandler is set to face the No.7-ranked Ferguson in a lightweight bout at UFC 274 on May 7. A Twitter user recently pleaded with the UFC to not waste Poirier’s prime and give him a fight with Diaz at the earliest. Poirier responded to the tweet by posting:
“Gonna fight in July”
🏽Gonna fight in July 🤞 twitter.com/BurhanAbbasDar…
Additionally, another Twitter user opined that ‘The Diamond’ ought to face the winner of the Chandler-Ferguson fight next. Poirier replied to the user by tweeting:
“Prolly so”
Prolly so twitter.com/whoishaydee/st…
Furthermore, one Twitter user seemingly alleged that Dustin Poirier is “ducking” Nate Diaz again. The Louisiana native hilariously hit back at the user’s jibe by mimicking a duck and tweeting:
“Quack”
@DustinPoirier So I’m guessing you’re ducking @NateDiaz209 again
@barstowroo @NateDiaz209 Quack
Nate Diaz on wanting to fight Dustin Poirier and then retiring
UFC megastar Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier were set to clash in a lightweight bout at UFC 230 in November 2018. However, Poirier withdrew due to a hip injury, and the bout was resultantly canceled.
The Diaz-Poirier dream matchup has since been on the verge of materializing over the past few months. Diaz and Poirier have also indicated that they’d be willing to fight one another, potentially in a welterweight bout.
Assitionally, UFC president Dana White has also expressed interest in booking the fight. Diaz, who’s on the final fight of his UFC contract, spoke to TMZ Sports earlier this year and claimed that he’d like to face Poirier and then retire from the fight game. Diaz said:
“I would like to fight Dustin Poirier. Like now. Like I've been trying to. If there's any mix-up it's him, and them, and the game. I want the fight now. What's up Dana White? Let's get this retirement fight cracking so I can get out of this fight game. I'm done with it.”
Intriguingly, over the past several weeks, Poirier and Diaz have suggested that it’s the UFC that’s refusing to book the fight. Neither Poirier’s nor Diaz’s respective next fights have been officially announced as of yet.