Dustin Poirier confirms plans for fighting return at UFC 300 next year: ‘It’s kind of a cool opportunity’
Former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has confirmed his plans to make a fighting return as soon as two months time, however, claimed a comeback at UFC 300 in April of next year most definitely an “enticing” option for him.
Poirier, a former interim lightweight titleholder and the current number three ranked divisional challenger, has been sidelined since he featured in the main event of UFC 291 back in July in Salt Lake City, suffering a staggering second round high-kick KO loss to Justin Gaethje in the pair’s symbolic BMF championship rematch in ‘The Beehive State’.
Revealing earlier this week how he had been contacted on short-notice to potentially fight undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 back in October following the withdrawal of former opponent, Charles Oliveira, Poirier then revealed that the promotion elected against replying to him despite him accepting a fight with the Russian.
“… My phone rings, I see it’s Hunter (Campbell), and I’m all jacked up on Celsius,” Dustin Poirier explained. “I answer the phone, let’s go. I said, ‘What perfect timing, this is how life works.’ I just landed in Florida, my whole team is here, my coaches are in town, this happened for a reason. He asked me my weight, and I [told him] I can make the weight in 11 days, no problem. I thought that was it. He told me give him one day.”
“The next day, I didn’t hear back,” Dustin Poirier explained. “I’m like, ‘Hey, bro, I said yes, let’s go I got my team here, let’s book these flights, I need to get out there ASAP.’ Then he kept quiet for a while, and then all the news started breaking. But he didn’t tell me, ‘Hey, you’re the guy.’ He asked me if I would do it, I said yes, he told me to give him one day, and I guess he was waiting on Alexander (Volkanovski) to commit.”
Dustin Poirier eyes fighting comeback at UFC 300
With a quickfire return against Makhachev ultimately scuppered, Lafayette veteran, Poirier outlined his intentions to return in the opening quarter of 2024 – ideally at a monumental UFC 300 card in April.
“I think I fit where I have for the last decade,” Dustin Poirier explained during an interview with MMA Fighting. “I’ve been a top 10, top five fighter, and my track record proves that, for the last 10 years plus. So, I’m never far away from the biggest fights possible, and I train every day like it.”
“Right now, my current mindset, I’d fight in six weeks, I’d fight in eight weeks if the fight made sense and I was excited about it,” Poirier continued. “Other than that, the chance to fight on UFC 300 is a big feal. I’ve been in the UFC since UFC 125, I missed 200 I know I’m not gonna be around for 400 – so, it’s kind of a cool opportunity if it comes together… UFC 300 is enticing.” (H/T MMA News)
Who would you like to see Dustin Poirier fight in his return to the Octagon?
