UFC 281: Dustin Poirier tells Michael Chandler he was afraid to fight 'Iron' following their showdown at UFC 281

Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler delivered on the expectations of combat sports fans worldwide and more at UFC 281. The hotly contested matchup between two of the most exciting lightweight contenders had fight fans in attendance at Madison Square Garden on their feet.

Chandler started the fight strong by pressing the action and hurting Poirier on several occasions. 'Iron' teed off on 'The Diamond' against the fence with stinging body shots and powerful combinations.

The former Bellator champion went on to take Poirier down, however 'The Diamond' managed to avoid Chandler taking his back masterfully. When both combatants eventually got back on their feet, Poirier landed a huge blow on the break which swung the momentum in his favor.

The Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler fight was a BANGER! 🔥

Congratulations to @DustinPoirier on the big win! 👊 #UFC281 https://t.co/WfM70QSvZE

Chandler dominated the following round thoroughly due to his wrestling approach and attempted a number of submissions. However, the decisive moment came in the third round when 'Iron' attempted a massive slam that backfired.

During the scramble, Poirier managed to take 'Iron's back skillfully and sunk in a rear-naked choke, forcing a tap from Chandler at the 2:00 min mark of the final round.

DUSTIN POIRIER TAPS MICHAEL CHANDLER 😱 #UFC281
https://t.co/cbMDGIx7xA

Following the thrilling victory, Dustin Poirier shared a beautiful moment with Chandler inside the octagon. 'The Diamond' claimed that he was fueled by fear going into the fight at UFC 281:

"Hey, Mike! I was scared to fight you. It was coming from a healthy spot. Without fear, there is no bravery."

Watch the clip below:

"Hey, Mike! I was scared to fight you. It was coming from a healthy spot. Without fear, there is no bravery."

@DustinPoirier shared a moment with @MikeChandlerMMA prior to his interview with Joe Rogan 💎

#UFC281 https://t.co/wBV8kmkxhm

Dustin Poirier reacts to his victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 281

Dustin Poirier was evidently hurt in the first round when Chandler landed a flurry of punches on him before 'The Diamond' overturned the deficit to bounce back stronger.

According to the American, 'Iron' was moments away from snatching the victory had he selected his shots better.

Speaking in the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Poirier stated:

"Over here, against the wall [cage], I couldn't see what he was throwing. The thing is it was looping, if he would've thrown straight, he probably would have got me out of here man."

Speaking about the finish, he added:

"I was surprised I got the hook across his body as fast as I did. But I've seen in the past he's very explosive. I didn't want him to get dumped on my head or something like he did with [Charles ] Oliveira. So I tried to keep my weight back with his knees bent so he couldn't straighten them back out."

Dustin Poirier also seemingly addressed UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, criticizing his grappling abilities by saying, "Who ain't got jiu-jitsu?"

Watch the full post-fight interview below: