Dustin Poirier plots UFC return following recent fight offer from Rafael dos Anjos: ‘What’s next?’
Yet to make his Octagon return since November last, former interim UFC lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has questioned fans and followers – “what’s next” for him, as he plots a return to active competition.
Poirier, the current #2 ranked lightweight contender, most recently featured on the main card of UFC 281 back in November of last year at Madison Square Garden, defeating Michael Chandler with a third round rear-naked choke submission victory.
The triumph returned Poirier to the winner’s enclosure, off the back of a third round standing rear-naked choke loss to former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira back in December 2021 in an undisputed title fight.
The defeat came as Poirier’s second undisputed title fight loss – following a prior Abu Dhabi, UAE title unification loss to former gold holder, Khabib Nurmagomdov.
Winning interim lightweight gold back in April 2019, Dustin Poirier defeated two-time opponent and former undisputed featherweight champion, Max Holloway in a close, unanimous decision win in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dustin Poirier questions fans and followers who he should share the Octagon with next
Questioning fans as to who he should fight next, American Top Team mainstay, Dustin Poirier – took to his official Twitter account to seek advice.
Receiving a recent offer from former undisputed lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos to fight at the welterweight limit in a much-rumored debut at 170lbs, Poirier was also offered a rematch with fellow former interim titleholder, Gaethje – who claimed he would attempt to avenge a loss to the former if it would land him a championship fight following his UFC 286 return.
“I have a gold belt hanging in my house, but it’s an interim title,” Justin Gaethje said ahead of his UFC 286 fight with Rafael Fiziev. “I’m sitting at number three [at lightweight], very close, a big win over (Rafael) Fiziev puts me right back there, you know. You got (Beneil) Dariush and (Charles) Oliveira fighting [at UFC 286]. They got to figure that you and then the winner’s going to fight the champion [Islam Makhachev].”
“And if I need to fight [Dustin] Poirier in between that, I will,” Justin Gaethje continued. “If not, someone’s gonna fight that winner and that’ll be me.”
Headlining UFC Fight Night Glendale against Gaethje back in 2018, Poirier defeated the former with a fourth round standing TKO victory.
