Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz have a long-standing rivalry. Poirier has expressed his desire to fight Diaz on multiple occasions. Diaz recently emerged victorious from his fight against Jorge Masvidal last weekend. As such, Diaz has indicated his interest in returning to UFC if he can find the right opponent.
Meanwhile, Dustin Poirier is seeking an exciting fight that he can get motivated for. During an interview on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Poirier shared a story from two years back. It was a time when the ‘Diamond’ almost faced Diaz on just 24-hour notice.
I’ve never told this before. I accepted a fight against him (Nate Diaz) on 24 hours’ notice…. I’m facetiming with the Nevada State Athletic Commission…. so I can show them I could make weight safely. I was gonna fly out the next day…they somehow switched it up. He fought Tony [Ferguson], and then [Kevin Holland] fought Khamzat at a different weight. They switched it around, but I was in and I was gonna go.
Dustin Poirier via The MMA Hour Show
Poirier and Diaz almost fought at UFC 279, but it didn’t happen. Diaz was supposed to fight Khamzat Chimaev at the same event, but the fight fell through when Chimaev missed weight. Diaz fought and won against Tony Ferguson, while Chimaev defeated Kevin Holland. Poirier was almost a replacement for the UFC 279 main event.
Given Poirier’s on-and-off winning streak, he has teased retirement. However, he has also teased one final appearance in the Octagon. He’s not just going to fight to fight; it has to be an opponent that gets him excited. With interest in this topic, a popular UFC commentator shared his views on Poirier’s next potential matchup.
Jon Anik suggests Nate Diaz vs. Dustin Poirier matchup for ‘Last Dance’
Jon Anik has suggested that Nate Diaz should address some unresolved rivalries if he returns to the UFC. After defeating Jorge Masvidal, Diaz called out welterweight champion Leon Edwards. Anik is uncertain whether Diaz should compete against the top fighters in the UFC. Nevertheless, he believes there are several exciting options available for him.
Jon Anik wants Dustin Poirier to fight Nate Diaz next (via X)Anik suggested the name of Dustin Poirier. After losing via submission to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, Poirier had considered retiring. However, “The Diamond” has recently hinted at a potential return to competition. Recently, Jon Anik discussed why Nate Diaz would be a perfect matchup for Poirier’s “One Last Dance.”
There aren’t that many fights for Dustin (Poirier) right now…. Now, on the very short list of opponents that actually makes some fiscal and competitive sense is Nate Diaz.
Jon Anik via Anik and Florian Podcast
Poirier and Diaz share a past. Their scheduled fight in November 2018 didn’t happen, and they have since made several attempts to reschedule it. In July 2023, Poirier expressed his willingness to have Diaz return to the UFC. Now, there is a lot of speculation regarding their fight. However, it remains to be seen what UFC thinks of their potential matchup.
