Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje will rematch for the vacant BMF title at UFC 291, and Poirier has also expressed interest in a future fight with Nate Diaz should he return to UFC.
Dustin Poirier was fully aware that a rematch with Justin Gaethje was inevitable. The rematch will ultimately take place this Saturday for the vacant BMF title at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City. Poirier expressed his feelings during UFC 291 media day, stating, “When they called me about Justin potentially being the opponent, there were those butterflies, that anxiety that hit me right away, and it was like, ‘We’ve got to do this.” He went on to recall it was five years ago that he defeated Justin and the two have been on an apparent collision course since then. They are the No. 2 and No. 3 fighters, with No. 1 currently battling the champ, so it only makes sense for them to face off again.
During their initial fight, Poirier managed to halt the former interim lightweight champion during the fourth round. His victory over Michael Chandler in the UFC 281 in November, and Gaethje’s recent win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286 in March, indicate the stars are indeed perfectly aligned for a thrilling rematch. Regarding their individual careers, both Poirier and Gaethje have witnessed everything and achieved incredible feats except winning the undisputed lightweight title. The fight between Islam Makahchev and Charles Oliveira for their second meeting in UFC 294‘s main event in October could determine that; the victor in Saturday’s main event could face the winner of that title fight.
While Poirier acknowledges the potential implications of the game, he chooses not to speculate too far into the future. His family, friends, and fans are all aware of the intense combat that awaits Saturday night. Poirier seems to be eager for it, stating, “Everyone knows what this is, and I’m willing to go there.” He expresses his confidence passionately, insisting that facing chaos and being at his most violent is where he does his best work, and Gaethje should be aware of that.
In addition to this, Poirier did not hesitate to discuss his old rival, Nate Diaz, who has recently parted ways with UFC and is slated to face Jake Paul in a boxing match come August 5 in Dallas. Should Diaz decide to return to the UFC after that, Poirier would be more than willing to welcome him back. In Poirier’s own words, “If he comes back, I’ll beat him up.”