Former UFC interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier, is seeing a positive outlook for his ultimate career showdown. Recently, the thought of retirement has been increasingly catching his attention, especially post his third attempt at the championship against Islam Makhachev last summer. Poirier, with a history of 40 fights, isn’t quite prepared to gracefully exit without one final intense bout. In recent months, the champion has been continuously hinting the UFC for another opportunity, preferably a farewell fight, in his native state, Louisiana.
One might wonder when this much-anticipated event might occur. In Poirier’s words, ‘My discussions with the UFC have been frequent and ongoing, but it appears my farewell fight in New Orleans during the summer is not far from turning into a reality.’ A summer pay-per-view event in New Orleans would be a spectacular sight. With anticipation mounting, it’s what Poirier insists on, and it’s equally what the UFC is striving for.
The progress for this landmark event is quickly advancing. The thought of ending his career in his birthplace of Louisiana, where it all began, fills Poirier with pride. The UFC, quite remarkably, has not staged any of its action-packed events in New Orleans for the past decade, since June 2015 to be precise.
Should Poirier’s proposal take the stage, it would mark the first event of this kind in the city in close to ten years—an honor for him, and a treat for the locals. Poirier, fondly referred to as ‘The Diamond,’ has been tight-lipped about his potential rivals for the grand event. However, the guessing game seems to be inching towards clarity as Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker have chosen to square off against each other instead of Poirier.
Despite the speculation, the identity of Poirier’s final adversary is still wrapped in mystery. There’s still no certainty on who will challenge him in his farewell fight, and no definite promise that this iconic bout will take place in his homeland. These unanswered questions add a layer of suspense and anticipation to this much-awaited UFC event.