We are just a little over a week removed from UFC 302. That night in the main event, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (26-1) defended his title against former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier (30-9). The Diamond was getting his third crack at undisputed gold.
Poirier made it a very close fight and even on one of the judges scorecards, it was tied 38-38 going into the final round. However, Makhachev was able to land a takedown that he chained into a d’arce choke. Poirier was forced to tap giving Makhachev the win at UFC 302.
When Poirier was interviewed inside the octagon, he wasn’t sure whether or not he was going to retire. Poirier has made it clear that the thing that’s kept him fighting is his desire to be the undisputed lightweight champion. A title that has evaded him throughout his career.
Poirier leaning retirement after UFC 302
Yesterday, Poirier made an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour. It was his first interview since his loss at UFC 302 and Poirier said that he still hadn’t made up his mind in terms of his future. That said, there was a direction that he was leaning towards as of yesterday.
Poirier said that he was leaning towards retirement. Going back to his pursuit of the title, Poirier talked about how tough it is to climb up the mountain to get a title shot. He talked about whether or not he would want to go through that journey and wasn’t sure how many fights it would take before he gets back to that point.
People in Poirier’s inner circle are torn, but the former interim UFC champion’s wife wants him to hang up the gloves. If you ask me, I don’t think Poirier is done. While he said that’s how he’s leaning as of yesterday, Poirier still has so much fight left in him and I think it’s just a matter of the right fight coming along. He’ll take an extended break to heal up but eventually, I say we see The Diamond return.