Dustin Poirier has a lot of options available to him now that he’s healthy and ready to fight. But unfinished business with Nate Diaz might top his wish list of potential opponents.
“Of course I would love that fight,” Poirier told MMA Fighting. “Not just because of the stuff between me and him leading up to that last fight, but he’s a guy coming up I always wanted to fight. I want to fight guys I’m excited to watch fight. Any time Nate Diaz fights, I’m tuning in, I promise you.”
The ex-interim lightweight champ was previously scheduled to face Diaz in November 2018. But the fight fell apart in the weeks leading up to the event; Diaz clashed with the UFC over his contract, and Poirier was sidelined by a lingering hip issue.
After the bout was cancelled, Diaz went on the offensive whenever Poirier’s name was mentioned, which only added more fuel to the fire when it came to a potential meeting inside the Octagon.
Poirier has personal reasons for wanting to fight Diaz. But nothing trumps his desire to test himself against someone he knows will give him everything he can handle.
“Whether I like the guy or not, I’m a fan,” he said. “I think it would be an incredible fight. That’s why I want to fight him, because I grew up watching the guy fight.”
One highly appealing idea to Poirier is sharing a card with his teammate Jorge Masvidal in a pair of fights against the Diaz brothers. Masvidal dispatched Nate Diaz at UFC 244, and it appeared that his older brother Nick Diaz might be interested in returning from his five-year long hiatus to avenge that loss.
Poirier would gladly take the fight anywhere at any time. But if the UFC could orchestrate an American Top Team versus the Diaz brothers event, it would be even better.
“Let’s do it,” Poirier said. “I train with Jorge, so it makes sense. American Top Team versus the Nick Diaz Academy. They can bring Kron Gracie, we have some 145-pounders who can run it with him. We’ve got Charles Rosa, we’ve got Renato Moicano, we got a squad. I think that would be great.”
More than anything, Poirier is just excited to get back into action after having hip surgery last year that took him out of the gym for several months. He just recently returned to training, and the Louisiana native is anxiously awaiting word from the UFC on his next fight.
It’s impossible to know if Diaz will be the opponent he’s offered. But Poirier is obviously ready to make it happen, even if it happens in a different weight class.
“I’d fight Nate at 170 (pounds), or 155, or we can make it at 165 and go there,” Poirier stated. “I would definitely do it. Not have to cut a little bit of weight to make it. I’m not a small guy.”
“I’m all for it. Let’s call (UFC matchmaker) Sean Shelby and the UFC right now.”