Chael Sonnen disagrees with Khabib Nurmagomedov's suggestion of Dustin Poirier fighting Beneil Dariush
Chael Sonnen doesn't share Khabib Nurmagomedov's views regarding the next matchup that should be booked for Dustin Poirier in the UFC lightweight division.
In a recently released video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen mentioned that he disagrees with 'The Eagle' suggesting that Poirier should fight Beneil Dariush next. The former middleweight title challenger believes 'The Diamond' shouldn't feel the need to accept a fight with Dariush unless it's a title fight:
"This is a situation where, 'Sure, I'll fight Benny [Dariush]. Let him go have the world title fight. If he wins, I'll come fight Benny. If he doesn't win, he goes under me. I don't have to deal with him. He's gonna try and find me on his way back up? There is no way back up at that age, I never have to deal with him.' When you have those real hard fights, if there's a way to maneuver around it, maneuver around it."
Sonnen also alluded to how Dustin Poirier's recovery from his most recent win against Michael Chandler should be factored into his decision to decline a potential offer to fight Dariush:
"Dustin's gonna need to recover from that fight, the one he just had - two weeks, two week, nothing much - but he's gonna need to recover. But then once you've recovered, you have to re-find it. You might as well have taken two months."
It's also important to mention that 'The Diamond' didn't exactly defeat Michael Chandler with ease at UFC 281. It was a back-and-forth fight that tested both men's resilience and ended in the third round, with the former interim UFC lightweight champion submitting the former Bellator lightweight champion with a rear-naked choke.
Check out the full video:
Who should Dustin Poirier fight next?
Dustin Poirier will be at his most dangerous for Michael Chandler after an 11-month layoff. 💎
#UFC281 | Full story: bit.ly/3t1zQB5 https://t.co/690XYfBjRp
Dustin Poirier has plenty of options for his next fight. He could wait to see what transpires from the upcoming UFC lightweight title fight between champion Islam Makhachev and Alex Volkanovski before accepting another fight.
There are a few lucrative options as he is a big star for the promotion. Considering the fame he gained from his fights with Conor McGregor, and due to his hot sauce brand being the official hot sauce of the UFC, many opportunities could come knocking on his door.
He could fight Beneil Dariush or pursue rematches with either McGregor or Justin Gaethje because of how they'd appeal on pay-per-view. Another possible opponent that shouldn't be ruled out is Colby Covington. The two have gone back and forth, and there is clearly animosity between the two. 'Chaos' is viewed as a smaller welterweight, so if his rumored bout with Khamzat Chimaev doesn't come to fruition, a move down to 155 lbs to fight Dustin Poirier could be logical.