Dustin Poirier confident of eventual UFC summer showdown against Nate Diaz
Both Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz have repeatedly admitted their interest in squaring-off in a long-awaited grudge match since December, however, the UFC has still yet to pit the two of them together.
Poirier, a former interim UFC lightweight champion, immediately flirted with a welterweight division move ahead of his eventual title challenge loss to Charles Oliveira, and insisted that the only fight that interested him was a bout against Diaz.
And, in turn, Diaz has claimed that he is now “done” fighting in the sport, and has urged both the organization and its leader, Dana White to book his “retirement” fight against the Louisianan puncher – as recently as last week.
Back in January, Poirier claimed he had received a bout agreement to fight Diaz on very short notice at the welterweight limit, however, the promotion quickly moved on from the potential fight.
Despite initial interest from the organization in pairing Poirier with Diaz, they eventually moved on from the bout, with reports detailing how Diaz would first need to re-up with the promotion with a view to a third fight with common-foe, Conor McGregor, before he would receive an offer to fight Poirier.
Infamously, Diaz retains just a sole fight on his current contract with the organization, and upon the completion of his deal, he would be free to test free agency and field offers from other promotion if he wished.
However, despite the fact Diaz has yet to extend his deal with the organization in regards to the number of fight he is contractually obliged to compete in, Poirier remains confident he will fight the Stockton native next – potentially this summer.
“I think there’s a good chance it’s going to happen,” Dustin Poirier said of a fight with Nate Diaz during a media appearance at UFC 271. “I think summer is probably a good target if I were to put one on a calendar, but I’m not sure, but I have a good feeling that it’s going to happen. I’m not sure if I’m going to stay at 170 pounds, but this fight makes sense.”
“I just want to be in fights that mean something to me,” Dustin Poirier continued. “Nate’s a guy I grew up watching fight, I respect him and his brother (Nick Diaz), I think that stylistically it’s going to be fun for the fans. This is a Fight of the Year type of fight, and those are the kind of fights I want to be part of.” (Transcribed by MMA Fighting)
Senior writer for FightBook MMA. An aspiring mixed martial arts reporter based in Ireland. Producer of news articles, interviews, opinion features, and exclusive features such as, ‘The Fallout’, ‘The Breakdown, and, ‘This Week In MMA’.
