The lightweight division is full of options for Dustin Poirier since he defeated Conor McGregor in their rematch at UFC 257.
Poirier spoke with ESPN's Ariel Helwani about the win over McGregor and what could be in the cards next, now that the UFC's lightweight division has some form of clarity. The Lafayette, Lousiana native is open to pretty much anything whether it be a potential McGregor trilogy bout, a rematch with Justin Gaethje, or a matchup with Charles Oliveira, so long as the lightweight title is on the line. Poirier responded with the following when Helwani asked him if his next fight has to be for a championship.
"I think coming off of a title loss, beating a top-five guy (Dan Hooker), beating another top guy (McGregor), why wouldn't it be?" he said. "Who else has put the resume together that I have in my last six, seven fights whatever it's been. And also beating Conor, a two-weight world champion adds another former world champion to the list of guys that I've taken out."
But it was another name Helwani brought up that seemed to excite Poirier the most. When asked about a potential fight with Nate Diaz, an opponent Poirier was originally supposed to face back at UFC 230, he had this to say about the Stockton star.
“It is exciting, it is fun. Those are the kind of fights I want to be part of. Fights that are exciting to me and that I’m motivated to get up and bust my ass every day,” Poirier said (h/t BJPenn.com). “That is exciting. That is a guy I grew up watching, a guy who is still a very big name, that’s it. “I think the fans would be in for a great fight if that one happens,” Poirier continued. “Does it make sense in the lightweight division? No. Does it make sense where I am at, standing in the door front of a title shot? No. But, it is a fun fight and this is entertainment and this is fighting.”
Diaz also seems up for the rescheduling of their UFC 230 meeting, even though prior to that fight he was non-committal to the bout and insulted Poirier for pulling out due to an injury. But after UFC 257, Diaz seems ready to go and more than open to fighting Poirier next, tweeting the following after the former UFC interim lightweight champions knockout win over McGregor.
I’m training to whoop ur ass next.
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) January 24, 2021
Be about it don’t talk about it ---- pic.twitter.com/M7FKHvIbFu
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