Dustin Poirier confirms plans for huge summer fight return: ‘We’re working on UFC New Orleans’
Former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has confirmed plans to return to action — potentially as soon as July — claiming the promotion are working on booking his final Octagon walk in a storybook return to his native Louisiana.
Poirier, the current number four ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 302 back in June of last year, suffering an eventual fifth round D’Arce choke submission loss to Islam Makhachev in his third undisputed lightweight title charge.
And confirming plans for one fight outing in the promotion before likely hanging up his gloves from combat sports to boot, Lafayette striker, Dustin Poirier has been linked with a slew of potential opponents in his return to action, including clashes with the likes of Ilia Topuria, Paddy Pimblett, Rafael Fiziev, and even Max Holloway for a third time.
“He’s a legend, a former champion. For me, it’s like a miracle if I fight with Dustin [Poirier], but I’m not sure about this … I think it doesn’t matter who I fight against—Dustin is always a good fight because he likes to show a show for people,” Rafael Fiziev said of a potential fight with the former interim champion. “If I fight him, if it happens, yeah, for sure, it will be like fireworks and blood. Someone getting knocked out.”
Dustin Poirier leaks plans for UFC New Orleans retirement fight
However, ruling out a fight with Pimblett next — who has subsequently booked a high-stakes co-headliner at UFC 314 against soon-to-be common-foe, Michael Chandler, Poirier confirmed plans for a massive summer return — potentially in a swansong outing in New Orleans.
“It’s summer, July or August probably,” Dustin Poirier told MMA Fighting during a recent interview. “We’re working on UFC New Orleans.”
Most recently featuring on home soil in the organization back in 2015, Poirier landed a stunning first round body kick knockout win over Yancy Medeiros in his sophomore outing at the lightweight limit.
