Dustin Poirier Demands Rematch With Eddie Alvarez
Dustin Poirier is coming off one of the biggest wins of his career as he scored a TKO win (rib injury) over former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis at the UFC Fight Night 120 event on Saturday night (November 11, 2017) at Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Virginia. The main card aired on FOX Sports 1 at 10 p.m. ET while the preliminary card was split broadcasted on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET and the promotion’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass, at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Following the fight, Poirier made it clear that he is rooting for former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez to beat Justin Gaethje when they meet next month at UFC 218.
Poirier has not forgotten about the chain of events that led to him fighting at UFC Fight Night 120 or the score he needs to settle with Alvarez.
“I hope Eddie wins, so we can build this up to what it should be,” Poirier told MMAjunkie after his third-round TKO over Pettis in the headliner of Saturday’s fight card at Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va. “I should have (had) an automatic rematch. He shouldn’t have been rewarded with a TV show and more publicity and another big fight against another ranked guy.
“He cheated and got out of a fight that he was losing, and he should have been forced to run it back with me.”
Poirier is talking about the no contest ruling in his first fight with Alvarez in May at UFC 211. As seen in the fight, Alvarez landed a trio of illegal knees against Poirier in the second round, but the blows were ruled accidental, and no winner was declared.
Despite the fact that Poirier later appealed the ruling, it resulted to no avail.
Now, Poirier hoped to get an immediate rematch with Alvarez. That fight won’t happen right away as Alvarez was booked as a coach opposite Gaethje on The Ultimate Fighter 26, which will culminate in a showdown at UFC 218.
The winner of Alvarez vs. Gaethje could be on the short list for a title shot. “I’m the guy who got robbed in that fight,” Poirier said. “(Alvarez) got rewarded.”
Following his latest bout, Poirier immediately walked to the cage and yelled at UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby to green light a showdown with the winner of Alvarez vs. Gaethje.
“100 percent,” he said. “I mean, I’ve earned it. I don’t deserve it. I’m not begging for it. I’ve earned it, and then we move on.”
