Dustin Poirier reflects on his loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 291, acknowledging the disappointment but emphasizing his perseverance, stating the importance of having bouts that personally motivate him, and hinting at a potential trilogy fight with Gaethje while reiterating his love for the sport.
Dustin Poirier has had a career filled more with victories than losses, yet the bite of defeat leaves a mark regardless of its rarity. During UFC 291, Poirier faced a shocking defeat, suffering only his second knockout loss in his lightweight career. Justin Gaethje was the one who brought him down, delivering a powerful head kick in the second round that ended their main rematch event. The result was stunning, understandably leaving Poirier upset. However, during the post-fight press conference, he addressed the knockout with respect and acceptance.
“It sucks obviously”, Poirier admitted. “Losing sucks but I’ve lost before. The career I’ve had and the fights I’ve had, and where I come from, I feel like I’ve already won… I’m just taking it minute by minute but I’m good. If I win like a man, I’ve got to be able to lose like a man.” With regards to his performance, Poirier mentioned that he had a strong opening round. He had landed a few hard shots on Gaethje, including a combination that seemed to make the one-time interim lightweight champion wobble for a moment. However, Poirier admits that he made the strategic decision to pace himself for what he thought would be a 25-minute fight.
Reflecting on the match, Poirier acknowledges that he felt he was in good rhythm. “He was moving backwards a lot, kind of making me chase him, and I didn’t want to open up too much brawling trying to get him,” he said. He acknowledges that perhaps he should have “hit the gas”, but given the circumstances at the time, he’d decided to play the long game. “I thought I had four more rounds. I didn’t know I had two more minutes,” he admitted, adding with reiteration, “Losing sucks.”
Poirier expressed that the emotional sting of defeat was amplified because of the high stakes attached to the match with Gaethje. The winner was expected to secure a future title shot in the UFC lightweight division, something Poirier had his eyes on. Looking ahead following his defeat, Poirier mentioned that he is not just looking to fight just for the sake of fighting. If he were to step back into the ring, he expressed that he would want his fight to be for something more significant. Despite the recent loss, his love and passion for the sport is still alive and thriving. Poirier shared, “I still feel great. I got hit with a shot I just didn’t see…I just did a nine-week camp in south Florida and pushed myself every day.” He concluded his statement by acknowledging that he’s been dealt a hard blow, but reminded everyone that he’s already a winner in life. He said, “I’ve won life. Where I come from, I already won.