Former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier, has named the ‘hardest hitter’ he has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Suffering his first loss in two years, ‘The Diamond’ from Louisiana was submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov in their unification bout last September.
Prior to this defeat, Poirier was riding a four-fight winning streak.
He defeated Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, and Eddie Alvarez all by way of technical knockout before outpointing Max Holloway.
Overall, he has 25 wins in 32 matches and has lost for only six times along with a single no-contest.
Poirier has taken on dangerous opponents in the lightweight and featherweight division.
But among his previous opponents, the American siad Conor ‘The Notorious’ McGregor has the most powerful punches.
Easy Win
Poirier and McGregor tussled at UFC 178 five years ago, when the Irishman was still climbing his way up to title-contention.
It was an easy win for McGregor, beating Poirier in the first round by way of technical knockout.
Though the fight didn’t last for more than two minutes, Poirier felt the sheer power from McGregor’s strikes.
In fact, he considers the former two-division champion as the hardest hitter he has fought in the UFC.
Back in September, the 30-year old lightweight called for a rematch with McGregor.
“I think me and Conor running it back makes a lot of sense at this point,” he said, following his UFC 244 loss to Nurmagomedov.
But the Irish star was quick to shoot down a potential rematch, saying Poirier was totally dominated in the first fight.
“I fed you to the canvas in 90 seconds bro. You should have spoke my name with a bit more respect in that build up. ‘McGregor’s not next.'”
“Motherf***er, it’s McGregor always! McGregor is the goal! Always! Say that now and I’ll think about it.”
MMA Comeback
Both lightweights are targeting an MMA return next year.
Poirier is eyeing to be a part of the Nurmagomedov vs Ferguson fight card while McGregor said he will fight on January 18.
In a potential battle of two fan-favourites, McGregor is likely to face Donald Cerrone in the UFC’s first pay-per-view offering in 2020.
“I would say that talks have been progressing,” his manager, Audie Attar, shared (per South China Morning Post).
“We’ve met them, we’re in close communication with them. I would hope that an announcement could happen in the coming weeks, but at the end of the day, it’s still a work in progress.”
“He strives for greatness and dreams for things that nobody thought that he could accomplish, and he’s doing that again.”
“That’s what’s exciting. It’s exciting to be a part of that and witness that and see that fire in him again. I love it.”
(Featured Image Spurce: Instagram/ Dustin Poirier)