Dustin Poirier Is Here To Stay At 155 Pounds
A former top-5 featherweight, Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier’s 145-pound title hopes were put to rest when he dropped an upsetting first-round TKO loss to now title challenger Conor McGregor at UFC 178 last September.
Looking to reinvent himself, “The Diamond” decided to lessen his weight cut, and become a more comfortable and happy fighter at lightweight, and it looks as if the move has worked out immensely. Poirier started his second stint out at lightweight back in April at UFC Fight Night 63, getting the ball rolling on a potential title run with an impressive first-round knockout win over Carlos Diego Ferreira.
Although it was a solid win, fans weren’t all convinced due to the level of competition, but “The Diamond” returned to action last night (June 6, 2015) at UFC Fight Night 68 in his home of New Orleans, Louisiana. Looking to impress the Louisiana faithful and a make a statement in his new weight class, Poirier came out strong against tough and gritty opponent Yancy Medeiros.
Poirier was able to back Medeiros up against the cage, landing a brutal body kick, and a barrage of follow up shots to score yet another first-round finish. Wow! Check out the highlights here.
Although we can’t get ahead of ourselves just yet, due to the fact that “The Diamond” hasn’t beaten a top-10 opponent at lightweight, he sure has looked impressive and a top-10 opponent should be on the horizon for him next.
Now in a better state mentally, it seems as if Poirier’s full talents are being on display as he is more fluent, more technical, and even more vicious and relentless. With a multitude of top lightweights being injured, “The Diamond” has a chance to secure a big fight in his next outing, and we could see him sitting towards the top of the rankings very soon if he keeps this up.
Many fans may not be convinced just yet, but I think Poirier is proving that 155-pounds is the right place for him, and that he’s here to make some noise and here to stay.
Who should “The Diamond” meet next?
