Dustin Poirier unsure about fighting at UFC 300, says “opponent needs to be right more than the event”
While UFC 300 looms large as the promotion's historic 300th event, Dustin Poirier is throwing a curveball at the promotion's plans for its landmark event.
Despite earlier interest in a potential showdown on the historical card, Poirier expresses hesitation, prioritizing the right opponent over the pageantry of a mega-event.
Appearing in an interview with MMAJunkie, 'The Diamond' had this say:
“I’m in a weird spot. This is the first time I’m in this position in my whole career. still at the top but kind of waiting for something big to happen. I kind of just always fought, fought, fought to try to climb and claw my way to big fights, and I feel like now I’m here. I’m also running businesses outside of fighting... I have a lot of things going on... So just really busy outside of the cage."
He further added saying:
"But waiting for something to really pop out that I know. I was kind of in this position before the Gaethje fight, but when they called and said Gaethje, it got me nervous and excited to fight. When I hear a name that does that to me, then I’ll know.”
Check out Dustin Poirier's comments below:
Dustin Poirier puts welterweight move on hold
Dustin Poirier has slammed the brakes on speculation about an immediate move up in weight class. Despite a simmering rivalry with top contender Colby Covington, the Diamond clarified his stance in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, citing the stark realities of weight-cutting and size disparities at the elite level:
"[The UFC and I] discussed my weight, I think I was 172 pounds when I was sitting the in office. I'm just too small for 170. People don't understand the fight game, and the weight cutting, and how big these guys are."
"You can't weigh 172, 173 pounds walking around, skip breakfast, weigh in and then fight the next day at 173 pounds when these guys are gonna be 195 [pounds]. People don't understand... At the top, if you give 20 pounds to somebody, it's just not good."
Check out the interview below (at 11:20: mark):
This clarification comes amidst increased anticipation surrounding Poirier's next move. Coming off a July knockout loss to Justin Gaethje, 'The Diamond's future path remains a captivating storyline.
While a welterweight showdown with Covington might have fueled fan excitement, Poirier's focus appears firmly within the lightweight ranks, seeking an opponent who truly ignites his competitive fire.