UFC 302: Dustin Poirier continues dogged pursuit of elusive undisputed title with retirement fast approaching

When Dustin Poirier recalls the aftermath of his head knockout loss to Justin Gaethje in their rematch last July for the ceremonial BMF title, he admits to having fallen into the kind of depression that many don’t easily escape.

“I was mentally in a dark place because I was at a crossroads,” Poirier told the “UFC Countdown” cameras earlier this month. “I’m 35 years old and I got knocked out. How am I going to come back? Are people going to write me off? Where am I in my career?”

Poirier (30-8, 1 NC), the former interim lightweight title holder, called his attempted mental recovery last summer after UFC 291 one of the most difficult moments of his life thus far.

But after taking a hard look at himself, the proud Louisiana native decided to simply do what he’s always done when reinvention was needed, similar to how he bounced back from two undisputed title losses in the 155-pound division to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira in recent years, both by devastating submission.

“When I set that big goal and don’t accomplish it,” Poirier said, “I usually set another big goal and get back to work.”

What happened next was simply par for the course in the inspiring and moving experience that is Poirier’s journey as a UFC action hero.

Poirier asked for a fight against lightweight stud Benoit Saint Denis, who entered the March bout on the back of five consecutive rough stoppage victories and had already signed a contract to fight current champion Islam Makhachev with a victory over the aging Poirier. But even BSD, who succumbed to a riveting second-round knockout at UFC 299, was forced to find out the hard way just how much “The Diamond” shines when put under extreme pressure.

“I wanted to throw myself into that fire,” Poirier said. “It makes sense to me when I look at my career that ‘let me fight this young man and see if I can still do it.’ It was a tough first round for me and I put myself in some bad situations. [like] jumping guillotines, staying on bottom. But man, that second round got him.

“I’m Mr. Bounceback. It’s what I do. I’m always one big win away from a title shot. I knew if I got there sooner, I could get here again. And here I am.”

On Saturday, Poirier will make his third – and, what he calls, final – attempt at the undisputed UFC title when he challenges Makhachev in the main fight of UFC 302emanating from inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

As expected, Poirier is the decided underdog (at odds of nearly 5 to 1) against Makhachev (25-1), who is universally regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. Makhachev will also have the services of Nurmagomedov by his side when the Hall of Famer returns to training after an extended absence, just in time to share insights into how he needed just over two rounds to eliminate Poirier in 2019. And the The fact that Poirier has openly toyed with the idea of ​​retiring regardless of Saturday’s result only adds to the mythical nature of what the fan-friendly fighter is trying to accomplish despite the overwhelming odds stacked against him.

From a style standpoint, Makhachev is all wrong for Poirier, whose only hole in his game remains his inability to fight at an elite level, which has previously cost him in both title fights. The burly Makhachev, a 32-year-old native of Dagestan, Russia, is also on the kind of run during his current 13-fight winning streak that few fighters manage thanks to wins over Arman Tsarukyan, Dan Hooker, Oliveira and former Libra king for pound Alexander Volkanovski (twice).

But the same criticisms that both Makhachev and Nurmagomedov have echoed in recent weeks about Poirier’s game – and the fact that it hasn’t improved all that much – is the same basis that explains why the aging slugger is so confident that a turnaround is around the corner. come over. order. Namely, that Poirier is still here because he has continued to perfect his craft and rely on his strengths as a fighter who is willing to risk defeat by staying within striking range, but who has the delivery system to take down his opponents before they can. they can do this. the same for him.

“I’m at my best physically and mentally [right now]; I feel very good and confident. And I know I can submit anyone in the world at 155 pounds,” Poirier said. “I truly believe in my skill set and the techniques I have developed over 17 years of fighting. I feel like I’m talented and I find ways to win in the most chaotic moments. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s where I do my best work – when I’m an underdog and my back is against the wall. That’s where I find the will to win.”

“This guy is as tough as they come and as mean as they come when he’s out there,” said American Top Team coach Mike Brown. told CBS Sports. “He’s training hard and has elite conditioning and strength. He can knock you out in minute one or minute 25. He’s never checked out… I would never consider him a shutout.”

The fact that Poirier continues to consider retirement at the end of each interview would normally be seen as a red flag when talking about a fighter who may already have one foot out the door. But Poirier is, and has always been, for lack of a better term, different.

So the threat of retirement in this case only adds to what makes Poirier dangerous and so willing to go deeper than his foes over the course of a series of big-name action fights since he moved up for good to 155 pounds in 2015, which rival any in modern history. And along the way, Poirier has built a rare resume – thanks to wins over elite players like Anthony Pettis, Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Hooker, Max Holloway (twice), Conor McGregor (twice) and Michael Chandler – that probably won’t it happens. The presence of an undisputed title is not necessary to guarantee first ballot for the UFC Hall of Fame.

“I feel like when he beat Max for the interim title, it felt like a world title to me,” Brown said. “This felt like a world title as much as anything else. This was against a world champion, against a Hall of Famer and one of the best of all time. Max was the reigning featherweight champion. It felt like a world title.”

That doesn’t mean Poirier’s legacy can’t use the full title. Especially considering how he currently finds himself in discussion over the kind of nickname UFC stars hope to leave the sport without, which is the title of “best UFC fighter to never win an undisputed title,” placing him alongside other sketchy legends like Dan Henderson. , Urijah Faber and Wanderlei Silva.

All Poirier needs to do is overcome the greatest MMA fighter on the planet.

“I have 30 fights in the UFC, I’ve done it all. The only goal I can achieve in the UFC is to put the undisputed belt around my waist,” said Poirier. “It’s safe to say this is my last chance to be world champion. It’s a personal thing. It’s not for the fans or the Hall of Fame. It’s up to me and my wife to embrace it and say, ‘You really did it.’ That’s it, you crazy son of a bitch.

“All the ups and downs, all the lessons I learned. At UFC 302, I will knock out Islam Makhachev and become world champion.”