"On the fence" Dustin Poirier believes he's "gonna fight again": "I still love this"
Dustin Poirier hinted at retirement leading up to his UFC 302 title bout against Islam Makhachev. After losing the bout via fifth-round submission, 'The Diamond' shared that he was unsure about his future and whether or not he would continue to compete in mixed martial arts.
Poirier recently revealed that he is leaning towards returning to the octagon. Speaking to Jose Youngs of MMA Fighting, the No.4-ranked lightweight was asked where he is at in terms of his thoughts on retirement. He responded:
"I'm still in the same spot like I'm kind of on the fence. If a big fight came along that was exciting, that was dangerous, I would probably take it. But, I still love this. That's the problem. I still love fighting. I love the lifestyle. I love waking up and having a goal to prepare for, a battle. I'm the kind of person I need that everyday or I'd go crazy. So, we'll see.
"I'm trying to - I'm touching my toes in the civilian life, but it doesn't feel right, but I'm still training, still running, still lifting. I haven't been doing much MMA or jiu jitsu because my ribs and my knee and my nose can't yet, but we'll see. I think I'm going to fight again."
Check out Dustin Poirier's comments on returning to the octagon below:
Poirier has been with the UFC since he was 21 years old, making his promotional debut all the way back in 2011. He holds a record of 22-8 (1), having unsuccessfully challenged for the undisputed lightweight title three times.
Jon Anik suggests final opponent for Dustin Poirier
While Dustin Poirier has been hinting at retirement, he appears likely to continue his mixed martial arts career.
Jon Anik recently revealed that he is hoping to see 'The Diamond' face Nate Diaz. Speaking on the Anik & Florian Podcast, the UFC commentator stated:
"Dustin has intimated that he wants to fight one more time and on the very short list of opponents that actually make some fiscal and competitive sense is Nate Diaz so we'll see if that is something that actually materializes."
Check out Jon Anik's comments below:
Poirier was previously scheduled to face Diaz at UFC 230 in 2018. 'The Diamond' was forced to withdraw from the bout with a hip injury, and the pair were rebooked. 'The Stockton Slugger' has expressed that he would be open to returning to the UFC for the right bout.