
Following Dustin Poirier’s thrilling, stoppage win over Justin Gaethje at UFC on FOX 29, the lightweight contender’s made it clear he wants to fight for the title next. But, recently “The Diamond” also said the door’s not closed on a 2018 rematch with Eddie Alvarez either.
Since the first bout between Alvarez and Poirier ended in controversial fashion, there’s been talk about the two fighting again for months. The fighters battled at UFC 211 last May, but after nearly two rounds of non-stop action, Poirier was ruled ineligible to continue, after he was blasted to the head with an illegal knee. The bout was declared a no-contest, prompting plenty of calls for the two to run it back.
The lightweights have traded plenty of verbal shots since their fight, but a rematch hasn’t materialized. Poirier’s gone on to defeat Anthony Pettis and the aforementioned Gaethje, while Alvarez also fought the latter in December, and finished the former WSOF champ as well.
Well, Poirier was a guest on the latest “MMA Hour” this week, and while discussing his beef with Alvarez, he said this (quotes via MMA Fighting):
“The things that he said after our fight, just the way he acted, I tried to stand up for the man and tell the crowd stop booing him not a dirty fighter, have some respect for the man,” Poirier said. “… Just way he acted after that. Saying that I was trying to milk the knee, he tweeted me “are you finally off your stool yet’ just all kinds of stuff like that that was very disrespectful. This isn’t a bar fight. You don’t knee somebody in the head and expect the guy to just keep going like it didn’t hurt. He got me pretty good with that knee, and it could have changed the outcome of fight. This is a sport. There has to be some line drawn.”
“If I do not get the title shot next, it’s going to be Eddie,”
So, while Poirier’s understandably trying to get a scrap with the new champ, Khabib Nurmagomedov next, it looks like he understands that might not happen. After all, if Conor McGregor comes to terms with the UFC on a new deal, and wants to fight Khabib, that bout is a lock. Tony Ferguson recently underwent knee surgery, so he probably isn’t in the mix for Khabib’s next opponent, but you never know.
In other words, if either McGregor or Ferguson can fight Nurmagomedov, then Alvarez – Poirier II is a must right?