"I jumped the gun" - Dustin Poirier says fight against Benoit Saint-Denis is on, apologizes for "misunderstanding" on his part
Dustin Poirier has thrown fans for quite the spin.
Shocking fans with a surprise social media announcement on Feb. 1, Poirier announced that his highly-anticipated clash with Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299 would be canceled due to failed contract negotiations. As fans mourned the apparent loss of the intriguing matchup, further details were released on the events that caused the matchup to fall apart.
Amid investigation, it would be reported by ESPN that the fight had been announced prematurely and there was never a signed contract.
Enraged by the disturbing turn of events, fans immediately criticized the UFC on social media for their seemingly unprofessional negotiation tactic.
However, just as fans took in the upsetting news, Poirier released another social media post with a complete 180-degree turn. The lightweight called his own bluff, claiming he "jumped the gun" on his cancellation tweet and that the fight would still be taking place.
Poirier said:
Sorry folks, I jumped the gun, I couldn't get a hold of my manager for a few days. I just spoke with him and Hunter. Misunderstanding on my part. Fight is on! See you March 9th Miami!!!"
Poirier stated that his false report was due to miscommunication between himself and his manager. Upon speaking to UFC CBO Hunter Campbell, 'The Diamond' was able to confirm that his upcoming bout was still intact.
Saint-Denis briefly responded to Poirier's initial tweet claiming the fight to be off, confirming that he is still 'counting the days' to UFC 299.
Since the most recent update, Saint-Denis has not made any statement and appears unaffected by the news releases.
Is Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint-Denis still happening at UFC 299?
Despite the brief scare, it appears that Dustin Poirier and Benoit Saint-Denis are still on track to meet at UFC 299 in a five-round co-main event.
With two of the most violent fight styles in MMA, fans were ecstatic for the matchup upon initial announcement. Despite coming off of a knockout loss to Justin Gaethje, While Poirier remains one of the most popular figures in the UFC, Saint-Denis is quickly becoming a fan-favorite with five straight finishes in the octagon.
UFC 299 is currently scheduled for March 9 and is headlined by bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley and Marlon 'Chito' Vera.