Dustin Poirier will get a third crack at the undisputed lightweight title at UFC 302 against Islam Makhachev. The former interim lightweight champion was unsuccessful in his BMF title fight at UFC 291 against Justin Gaethje. At UFC 302, Poirier is a sizeable underdog against the Russian. However, Carlos Diego Ferreira, a former opponent of Poirier, thinks otherwise.
Diego Ferreria is no stranger to springing upset. The Brazilian finished Mateusz Rębecki, a huge favorite on a long winning streak, in his latest fight at UFC St. Louis. Nonetheless, very few have picked Poirier to spring an upset against Makhachev. However, Diego Ferreira firmly stated he believed in his former opponent to trounce the pound-for-pound king.
I’m going to Poirier just because of the skill he has, you know, the mentality of the champ he has. I think it’s going to be really massive for himself to get to the title, you know. I know [Islam] Makhachev is a tough dude, he’s on his prime, but, uh, you know, doesn’t matter what, I’m still gonna go Poirier just because I’m a big fan and I really like his style.
Carlos Diego Ferreira via Inside Fighting
Poirier has already flirted with retirement after UFC 302. However, if he upset the odds against Makhachev, he could potentially put himself in a position to defend the title against Conor McGregor. Even though he leads 1-2 in their rivalry, his latest victory was due to McGregor’s leg break.
A fourth fight with McGregor would be a big-money fight, and it would be difficult for Poirier to turn down. Nonetheless, a fourth fight would only happen if McGregor defeats Michael Chandler at UFC 303. Interestingly, Diego Ferreira also has aspirations to rematch Poirier, but the chances of it are slim as he is outside the rankings.
Dustin Poirier defeated Carlos Diego Ferreira at UFC Fight Night 63
Dustin Poirier began his MMA career at lightweight. However, he dropped down to featherweight when he debuted in the UFC. He had an average record at featherweight, but a brutal knockout loss against Conor McGregor made him move back to lightweight.
Dustin Poirier defeated Carlos Diego Ferreira (Image via: X)Interestingly, Poirier’s first lightweight opponent in the UFC was Carlos Diego Ferreira. Even though he was moving up in weight, he was a slight favorite against Ferreira. Aligning with the betting odds, Poirer defeated Ferreria via a first-round finish, winning the Performance of the Night bonus.
The fight began with Ferreira pressuring Poirer backward, with the latter looking to counter the former. Poirier and Ferreira would eventually grapple before they traded shots in the center of the octagon. However, a low blow from Ferreira halts the contest for some seconds.
After some grappling sequences, Poirier dropped the Brazilian with a left straight, forcing Ferreira to shoot for a takedown. The American would get up quickly and force Ferriera to stand. Since Ferreira was hurt, Poirier swarmed in with punches, dropping Ferreira again before he finished with ground and pound.
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