Dustin Poirier has established himself as a prominent figure in the UFC, but there is still one achievement absent from his collection – a championship title.
“The Diamond”has never been in a dull fight, and his style, which is loved by fans, has earned him nine Fight of the Night bonuses in his 39-fight MMA career. This achievement ranks him second in UFC history in terms of the most Fight of the Night bonuses.
However, despite the 35-year-old’s previous attempts, he has yet to succeed in claiming a UFC world title. Nevertheless, he now has a third chance to solidify his legacy as he takes on Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight world title at UFC 302 on Saturday, June 1.
Dustin Poirier’s Complete Record
Poirier’s MMA career has consisted of 39 fights, with 30 wins, eight defeats, and one no contest on his record.
Out of his 30 wins, 15 have been achieved through knockouts and eight through submissions. Poirier holds the record for the most knockout wins in the UFC’s lightweight division, tied with Drew Dober.
Conor McGregor’s Defeat Marks the End of His Featherweight Run in 2014
After accumulating a record of 8-1, Poirier joined the UFC through the 2010 merger with the WEC. Upon entering the UFC, he swiftly established himself as one of the top featherweight contenders globally.
He was victorious in his initial four UFC matches, which included a triumph over Max Holloway. However, in 2012, he suffered a loss to “Korean Zombie”Jung Chan-sung, earning him his first Fight of the Night honor.
After that loss, Poirier bounced back and went on to win four out of his next five fights, leading to a highly anticipated showdown in 2014 with the rising star, Conor McGregor.
Poirier held the fifth spot in the featherweight division, while McGregor, who entered the UFC with much fanfare following his two-weight championship victory in Cage Warriors, was ranked ninth.
The Irishman’s first three victories in the UFC had been impressive, but Poirier was widely considered to be a major challenge to his abilities.
McGregor lived up to the expectations and emerged victorious with a first round TKO. This marked the first instance of Poirier being defeated by strikes to the head, prompting him to make the decision to move up in weight, a pivotal moment in his career.
According to Poirier, the Conor McGregor fight was a significant turning point. He recalls being backstage, preparing to walk out, when he saw McGregor and received a smile and a pointed finger from him. Poirier admits that for some reason, this interaction greatly affected him and messed with his head.
Interim Lightweight Title Shot Set Up by Wins of Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez in 2018
Poirier made the decision to switch to the lightweight division following his defeat against McGregor and made a promise to himself to become a world champion in his new weight category.
Despite losing one of his first eight fights at lightweight, this setback set him up for a defining moment in his career – a crossroads fight against Justin Gaethje. This highly anticipated match ended up being recognized as the Fight of the Year in 2018 by numerous MMA publications, with Poirier emerging victorious in the fourth round via TKO.
In the same year, Poirier was given the chance to solidify his position among the elite of the lightweight division when he faced off against former world champion Eddie Alvarez in a rematch.
The initial bout between the two had been declared a no-contest as a result of Alvarez landing two illegal knees on Poirier while he was backed against the fence.
Despite his previous loss, Poirier was able to seek retribution by winning via TKO in the second round.
Max Holloway’s rematch victory paves the way for a world title shot in 2019
Poirier, who was initially scheduled to fight Diaz after defeating Alvarez, had to withdraw due to an injury. However, this setback ultimately resulted in Poirier earning an interim title opportunity.
Following the victory of Khabib Nurmagomedov against Conor McGregor, both fighters were issued an indefinite ban due to their involvement in a post-fight altercation. The ban would remain in effect until a thorough investigation had been completed.
This resulted in Nurmagomedov being unable to defend his interim lightweight world title, prompting the UFC to arrange an interim title bout between Poirier and Max Holloway, who was also the reigning UFC featherweight champion.
Despite Poirier defeating Holloway as a featherweight in 2012, Holloway entered the fight as a world champion boasting a 13-fight win streak.
Despite this, Poirier emerged victorious through a unanimous decision, securing his first opportunity to compete for a world title.
Defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, 2019
After his return to the UFC in 2019, Nurmagomedov was promptly instructed to defend his title against Poirier.
One could make the argument that Poirier was the closest fighter to defeating Nurmagomedov, as he successfully put the Russian fighter in a Guillotine choke hold during the second round.
Despite being initially trapped, Nurmagomedov eventually broke free and secured a win in the third round with a rear-naked choke submission.
Revenge Twice Over Against Conor McGregor, 2021
After experiencing defeat in his first world title fight, Poirier quickly recovered by defeating Dan Hooker. This victory paved the way for a highly profitable rematch against Conor McGregor, a former UFC featherweight and lightweight world champion.
Despite being defeated by the Irishman in a featherweight match seven years prior, Poirier was able to claim victory at a lightweight bout, securing a TKO win in the second round.
The duo came to a mutual decision to have an immediate rematch. While there was a great deal of mutual admiration leading up to their second bout, the pre-fight banter for their third encounter was taken to a higher level.
Despite the anticipation leading up to the fight, it did not live up to expectations as Poirier emerged victorious due to a doctor stoppage caused by McGregor’s first round tibia fracture.
Second world title heartbreak, 2021
Poirier’s consecutive victories against McGregor paved the way for another opportunity to compete for the lightweight world championship. Following Nurmagomedov’s retirement with a flawless record in 2020, Charles Oliveira claimed the vacant title with a knockout win over Michael Chandler.
Oliveira’s first defense was against Poirier, resulting in another heartbreak for the American fighter as he was once again submitted by Oliveira in the third round.
Michael Chandler victory, 2022
Both Poirier and Chandler, who had both suffered losses to Oliveira, were scheduled for a pivotal fight as they sought to rebound from their respective defeats in world title matches.
In the end, it was Poirier who came out on top, successfully submitting Chandler in the third round and securing a chance at competing for the prestigious “BMF”(Baddest Motherf****r) title.
Unsuccessful tilt at BMF belt in 2023
This meant that a rematch with Justin Gaethje was in store, as he had previously attempted but ultimately failed to defeat both Nurmagomedov and Oliveira for the lightweight world title.
Despite Poirier’s dominant win in the first fight, it was Gaethje who ultimately came out on top in their rematch, delivering a fatal head kick in the second round to defeat Poirier.
UFC 299 win sets up third world title shot, 2024
Poirier made his comeback in March 2024, facing off against French contender Benoit Saint Denis in a high stakes fight. A loss would have likely resulted in the end of Poirier’s career, but he defied the odds and delivered a knockout in the second round, proving he still had what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Despite facing tough competition, Poirier’s exceptional performance received widespread praise, with even former US President Donald Trump, seated in the front row, acknowledging his skill. This impressive victory has granted Poirier another opportunity to fight for the world title at UFC 302.
Now, he is set to compete against Islam Makhachev, the third champion he will face. Makhachev had previously defeated Oliveira for the title and has also emerged victorious against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice.
Despite Poirier’s suggestion that he may retire if he does not win the world title this time, he remains optimistic that he will achieve his long-held goal of becoming a UFC world champion.
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