Dustin Poirier reveals how he 'shoulder-rolled' all negativity coming his way in the lead up to rematch against Conor McGregor at UFC 257
Dustin Poirier has evolved in many dimensions, whether it be as a fighter or a person. One thing that he made sure to better as a fighter was the ability to take into stride the psychological warfare going into a fight.
Bret Okamoto interviewed Dustin Poirier after his win at UFC 257. Drawing reference from his previous fight with Conor McGregor, Bret Okamoto asked if Dustin Poirer felt bothered with any article or people that doubted him, or whether there were those who doubted him this time around. Dustin Poirer said,
"Well, they definitely were doubting me. But, I was shoulder-rolling all the hate and the naysayers. It doesn't matter, you know. I know who I am. I know what matters. I know what I care about. That (doubts) is all noise."
Dustin Poirier shocked the entire world in his second outing with Conor McGregor at UFC 257. Leveling the score with 'The Notorious One', Dustin Poirier TKO'd Conor McGregor midway through the second round in the main event.
This is quite the opposite of what happened back in 2014 when Conor McGregor knocked Dustin Poirier out in the first round. Back then, Dustin Poirer, as he himself claimed, had let Conor McGregor's mental warfare meddle with his mental preparedness. However, evolving as he does, he did not let the 'articles of doubt' affect him at all this time around.
In fact, Dustin Poirier stated that he is now used to being the underdog, and actually enjoys it.
What is next for Dustin Poirier?
Dustin Poirier now stands very close to realizing his championship dream. He stated on his Twitter account that he already feels like a champion and wants the crown now.
However, the lightweight division is bursting with fighters looking greedily to mount the throne. Conor McGregor has even started asking for a trilogy fight, which Dustin Poirier himself showed interest in.
Besides that, there is an interesting matchup in Charles Oliveira 'Do Bronx' displayed a spectacular climb up the rankings, with his last performance being an absolutely unforgettable one against Tony Ferguson.
The Brazilian completely dominated one of the best Lightweights in UFC history as Tony Ferguson struggled to keep up with the pressure that he brought with him. Therefore, Poirier vs Oliveira too is on the table.
On the other hand, Nate Diaz, too, called Dustin Poirier out for a fight at Lightweight. Therefore, there is no shortage of options for 'The Diamond' to fight next.