Dustin Poirier is preparing for his return against Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299, while Conor McGregor‘s future in the sport remains uncertain due to a lack of scheduled fights, and Poirier himself has hinted at potential retirement, stating any fight could be his last.
Dustin Poirier, the UFC fighter, is well aware of his connection with Conor McGregor. Their UFC trilogy has forever linked them.
Recently, Poirier has been gearing up for his comeback against Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299. Meanwhile, McGregor’s been in limbo, waiting to hear when he’ll step back into the ring.
McGregor had expressed a desire to take on Michael Chandler in June. He also hinted at a separate trilogy with Nate Diaz in September. However, on Tuesday, he voiced his frustration over the “lack of action” to get him back in the cage. He’s losing his enthusiasm for competing again.
It’s been three years since McGregor’s last bout against Poirier. With McGregor’s hiatus and the delays in scheduling a fight, Poirier can’t say for sure if his old rival will ever return.
“Who knows,” Poirier mused about McGregor. “I’m a fan of the sport, so I’ll be watching whenever he fights. But your guess is as good as mine. Will he ever come back? Who knows?”
Speculation about McGregor’s future will persist until he books another fight. Even though Poirier’s own match at UFC 299 is set, he faces similar questions about his future.
Poirier recently hinted at retirement if his fight with Saint Denis doesn’t go his way. On Wednesday, he clarified that any fight could be his last. But it’s not because he’s been thinking about hanging up his gloves for good.
“I’ve seen people say that a lot,” Poirier said about his future. “I think it’s because I did an interview a week ago. Someone asked me, ‘Is this your last fight if it doesn’t go your way?’ I said, ‘Well, any fight could be my last one, win or lose.'”
He’s been in the game for a long time. That’s why people ran with the idea. But for now, he’s focused on the fight. “We’ve just got to fight Saturday.”
As he gears up for his 30th UFC appearance, Poirier knows his time is running out. But he’s not done chasing his dreams.
Ideally, he’ll beat Saint Denis and then position himself for another No. 1 contender’s fight later this year. His ultimate goal? Becoming UFC lightweight champion. That’s the only thing left on his bucket list.
“The undisputed world championship is the last thing I really want to do in this sport,” Poirier said. “I’ve done a lot. I’m not boasting, but I’ve been fighting a long time. This is my 30th fight in the UFC. I’ve come up short, I’ve been victorious. It’s been a long journey. I’m thankful. I’m content with everything. I’m happy with who I am and the career I’ve had. It’s been beautiful. That’s the fight journey.
“What’s beautiful to me is I’ve been fighting for 17 years. I’ve been surrounded by so many guys with the same dreams and even the same work ethic. They leave this sport broken, broke, and beat up. I’m just thankful.”
When it comes to the title shot, Poirier is likely behind a couple of upcoming fights with championship implications. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is set to clash with Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300. On the same card, Gaethje will battle Max Holloway in a BMF title fight.
Poirier isn’t looking too far ahead. But he knows with his history in the division and the résumé he’s built, he’s never too far from earning the same opportunity.
“I think a lot of that depends on how I win,” Poirier said. “If it’s a big finish or something like that, I believe I’m a win away from a title shot with a great performance. But it rights the ship. It gets me back in the win column and we take it from there. I try not to look too far past these fights because Saturday isn’t here yet.
“We’ve got to go out there and do the damn thing, and then Sunday, that’s when we reassess and see really where we’re at and what’s next.”