Watch: When Dustin Poirier suffered his first loss at lightweight against Michael Johnson via spectacular knockout
Dustin Poirier is currently the No.1-ranked lightweight in UFC. He is set to face Charles Oliveira for the belt at UFC 269, which is slated to take place on December 11.
But back in 2016, well before he had cemented his place as an elite contender in the division, Poirier was beaten in spectacular fashion by fellow lightweight Michael Johnson.
At UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson, 'The Menace' knocked Dustin Poirier out with a barrage of punches in the first round.
Watch the highlights of the fight and the finish below:
The bout marked Dustin Poirier's first loss in the lightweight division and the fourth of his UFC career.
Michael Johnson is well known for having rapid hands. He even posed problems for Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 205. 'The Eagle' is arguably one of the greatest fighters of all time who retired from MMA with an undefeated 29-0 record, but he had a hard time getting the better of Johnson.
Watch Michael Johnson trouble Khabib Nurmagomedov with his fast striking:
Since losing to Johnson in 2016, Poirier has enjoyed a great run in the lightweight division. He has beaten the likes of Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Pettis. The Louisiana native has lost just once since 2016 - to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242.
Dustin Poirier's coach thinks Charles Oliveira is one of the best fighters in the UFC
Dustin Poirier's coach Mike Brown has hailed Charles Oliveira as one of the best fighters in the UFC at the moment.
In a recent interaction with MMA Fighting, the American Top Team head coach said there's something special about Charles Oliveira. He made special mention of the fact that the Brazilian is highly respected in the fighting community.
He said:
"I give him a lot of respect. I mean, I think he's a fan favorite, I think he is, you know, people are excited to see him fight and he is the champ. Guy's got most subs in UFC history, this is something special. Maybe the circles that I'm in or the circles that I am involved in give him a lot of respect. Maybe the media a little bit is what you're referring to but where I'm sitting he gets a lot of respect."
Check out Mike Brown's interview with MMA Fighting below: