A week after his defeat against Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier posted a mysterious message on his social media, hinting at a possible move up to the welterweight division for new challenges.
The UFC 291 headliner for the BMF title was highly anticipated, and Gaethje surprised almost everyone with a stunning head kick to secure a victory and avenge his previous loss to Dustin.
Dustin Poirier posts cryptic update on his UFC future
After his loss to Gaethje, Dustin was visibly devastated, having put in tremendous effort and being in great physical condition. During the post-fight press conference, the former title challenger expressed his deep disappointment with the result, despite holding great respect for his long-time adversary Gaethje.
“I feel like I’m the better fighter. I got hit with a great shot — not by luck or chance, he set it up beautifully and I was just a victim to great technique. I was in the wrong place and I didn’t guard myself properly. ” Dustin said.
JUSTIN GAETHJE JUST SENT DUSTIN POIRIER INTO THE SHADOW REALM!!!! HEAD KICK IN SALT LAKE CITY!!!!!#UFC291 https://t.co/SQhaefxakh
— 🪐🥊 (@plutommaboxing) July 30, 2023
After an impressive training session and a significant weight cut ahead of UFC 291, the number three ranked lightweight fighter caught many fight enthusiasts off guard by expressing his intention to move to the welterweight division.
If this happens this decision will mark a new chapter in his MMA career. Shavkat Rakhmonov, upon hearing the news of Dustin’s potential move, replied with a short but welcoming word.
However, it’s worth noting that ‘Nomad’ has a fight date coming up on short notice, so the speculations about him facing Dustin in the welterweight division might be premature.
Shavkat Rakhmonov wants a fight pic.twitter.com/bIrqELkuYt
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) August 6, 2023
The welterweight division is currently stacked with great fighters, including the reigning champion, Leon Edwards, making it an exciting and competitive weight class for Dustin to explore new challenges and opportunities.
Poirier drifts further from lightweight title shot following Gaethje bout
Dustin Poirier’s UFC career has been filled with memorable moments, including winning the interim lightweight title against Max Holloway at UFC 236. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov in the title unification bout at UFC 242 a few months later.
However, Diamond showcased his resilience and skills in subsequent fights, defeating Dan Hooker and Conor McGregor, with the latter being a significant highlight of his career. Although capturing the BMF title could have been an additional achievement, Poirier’s focus seems to be shifting to a new weight class.
After losing the recent title eliminator bout, the Louisiana-born fighter’s chances of winning the gold strap in that weight class appear to be fading away, even though he has been a lightweight superstar for almost a decade.
