DUSTIN POIRIER rides off into the sunset this weekend after a long and storied career.
The former interim lightweight champion and fan favourite will bring the curtain down on his days as a mixed martial artist early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 318 in New Orleans.
GETTYDustin Poirier brings down the curtain on his mixed martial arts career this weekend[/caption]
GETTYPoirier has faced a who’s who at featherweight and lightweight over the years[/caption]
GETTYPoirier won interim UFC gold in April 2019[/caption]
Poirier admits he’d love to relive the build-up to and the result of his rematch with Conor McGregorGETTY
Poirier will retire having fought a who’s who at featherweight and lightweight and with a resume that aspiring fighters could only dream of having.
The beloved southpaw has never been one to sit back, smell the roses and reflect on his body work.
But he finds himself doing just that ahead of the end of a bona fide Hall-of-Fame career.
Despite never touching undisputed UFC gold, Poirier insists he wouldn’t change a thing about his story.
But if he could, he would love to relive the build-up to what proved to be one of the most satisfying moments of his career – his stunning knockout of long-time rival Conor McGregor in January 2021.
In an exclusive interview with SunSport, ‘The Diamond’ said: “It would have to be either the Max fight when I won the belt or that second Conor McGregor fight in Abu Dhabi.
“Just because I felt like the odds were against me and it was COVID. I had to travel across the world.
“You know, the guy [knocked me out] and I had to wait seven years for the rematch.
Dustin Poirier lost his first encounter with Conor McGregor in September 2014SPORTSFILE
REUTERSHe got his revenge in January 2021 with a second-round KO of ‘The Notorious’[/caption]
“Just a lot went into that, so much media, so much hype.
“And to go out there and knock him out and. It was an incredible night, you know?”
As satisfying as it was to exact revenge on McGregor, whom he beat a second straight time in July 2021, Poirier insists the feeling didn’t come close to the one he had when Dana White wrapped the interim title around his waist in April 2019.
“I mean, that felt good,” he said. “But winning the belt was the best [feeling].”
Poirier’s retirement, which will see his ‘Last Dance’ be a trilogy fight with fellow fan favourite Max Holloway, comes when he’s still very much at the peak of his powers.
But he’d rather call time on his career on his own terms than have retirement thrust upon him like so many before him.
He said: “I’ve been fighting since I was 17 years old, so making this decision is tough.
“But the decision was made because, you know, I have over 50 fights.
I felt like the odds were against me.”
Dustin Poirier on his rematch with Conor McGregor
“My wife’s pregnant, I have a little girl at home.
“I’ve said this over and over again, ‘I don’t want this sport to retire me.
“‘I want to walk away from this sport.’
“And if that’s putting only great performances and fighting and beating the best guys in the world, that’s the way I want it to be.
GETTYDustin Poirier has shown he can still mix it with the elite in his last few fights[/caption]
GETTYBut ‘The Diamond’ insists now is the right time for him to call time on his career[/caption]
GETTYPoirier will close out his Hall of Fame career with a trilogy fight against Max Holloway[/caption]
“I want to go out on top with stuff still left in the tank.
“I don’t want to empty myself out and leave this game broken and bruised for a paycheck.
“It’s just time. I just feel like it’s time, youu know. I’ve done a lot in the sport.
“And I want to be healthy and be with my family. I’ve been doing this for a very long time.”
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