Dustin Poirier reveals he accepted offer to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, promotion stopped responding to him
Former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has confirmed he accepted an offer to fight undisputed division titleholder, Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 last month – before the promotion eventually stopped responding to his messages, and then booked featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski into the bout.
Poirier, a former interim lightweight champion and the current number three ranked divisional contender, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 291 back in July of last year, suffering a massive second round high-kick knockout loss to fellow former interim champion, Justin Gaethje in the pair’s symbolic BMF championship rematch.
Prior to that, Poirier, who won interim lightweight gold in a 2019 rematch with former featherweight gold holder, Max Holloway, submitted Michael Chandler with a third round rear-naked choke in November of last year in Madison Square Garden.
Dustin Poirier discusses UFC 294 draft in against Islam Makhachev
And appearing to offer his services at a UFC 300 card next year, Lafayette native, Poirier has revealed the details surrounding a potential short-notice title fight with Makhachev last month, claiming he agreed to fight the Russian, before promotional Chief Business Officer, Hunter Campbell stopped responding to his messages.
“That’s exactly accurate,” Dustin Poirier told MMA Fighting during a recent interview. “I think it was 12 days, 11 days before the event. The thing is, dude, I just landed, I have a condo in South Florida, and the day they [the UFC] called me, I had just landed maybe two-and-a-half hours in Florida before the call to check on my condo. I stayed there for maybe five days to get some training in with the team there because I haven’t seen them in a while.”
“… 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.”
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