"These are the type of guys I want to exchange with" - When Drew Dober offered to be the backup fighter for Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 3
Fan favorite lightweight Drew Dober has consistently existed near the bottom half of the UFC lightweight rankings and has typically been realistic in his callouts of fighters. However, in 2021, Dober had a chance to vault himself into the top 10 and campaigned to be the backup for the trilogy fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.
Leading up to his fight with Brad Riddell at UFC 263, Dober was asked at the event media day who he would like to face next should he get the win. The lightweight was coming off a loss to eventual champion Islam Makhachev, causing him to look in the direction of UFC 264, calling McGregor and Poirier the "type of guys" he likes to fight.
Dober said:
"I would love to be a backup for [the UFC 264 main event]. The reason I'm trying to put a win streak together is because these are the types of guys I want to exchange with and put on shows for you guys."
Watch Drew Dober's comments at UFC 263 media day from MMA Junkie on YouTube at 5:49 below:
Dober would unfortunately not pick up the win in the fight, giving himself consecutive losses for the first time since his opening two fights in the UFC. Both Dober and Riddell would be rewarded for their entertaining battle with a Fight of the Night bonus.
Drew Dober will face Jean Silva at UFC Denver
Seven fights after he met with Brad Riddell at UFC 263, Drew Dober competed in Denver for the first time since 2013 against Jean Silva at UFC Denver. Shortly after he debuted in the octagon, Dober moved to the Mile High City and joined the Elevation Fight Team.
In the fight with Silva, the 35-year-old will be looking to bounce back from a competitive loss to Renato Moicano at UFC Vegas 85. Silva accepted the fight on short notice two weeks after knocking out Charles Jourdain at UFC 303.
Silva will be making his lightweight debut in the matchup after picking up two wins at featherweight in the UFC.
As a decade-long resident of Denver, Dober is expected to get the support of the local crowd in a fight that sportsbooks expect to be near even.