Getty
ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 13: (L-R) UFC President Dana White places the interim lightweight championship belt on Dustin Poirier after defeating Max Holloway in their interim lightweight championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Getty
ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 13: (L-R) UFC President Dana White places the interim lightweight championship belt on Dustin Poirier after defeating Max Holloway in their interim lightweight championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Dustin Poirier is the best lightweight in the UFC right now. That isn’t a statement we are making, but it is something that the UFC’s rankings reflect. Despite being the #1 ranked fighter in the division by the UFC, ‘The Diamond’ has not been given the next title opportunity.
Despite rumors suggesting that Poirier and Conor McGregor could have fought for an interim title at UFC 257, neither man has been offered the title. While McGregor lost his fight, Poirier won it in an emphatic manner and is still title-less. The former interim champion lost his last opportunity at the title when he lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2019 at UFC 242.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
With Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira getting ready to scrap, is it fair for Poirier to have not been included? He is the active best lightweight. Before beating McGregor, he beat Dan Hooker, who was the same opponent that Chandler beat to get this shot. So should Poirier be in the title shot?
Dustin Poirier: Snubbed or making a business decision?
Though Dustin Poirier is the best lightweight on paper right now, he has other avenues to explore. The Louisiana native has not been in a rush to get to the title, and would rather see out his rivalry with ‘The Notorious’. With Poirier’s win in January, the overall score between the pair is 1-1. A trilogy has been in the works and should happen over the summer.
Imago
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 23: (R-L) Dustin Poirier punches Conor McGregor of Ireland in a lightweight fight during the UFC 257 event inside Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island on January 23, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Poirier knows that a trilogy with Conor would be a better business decision than the title fight. With his recent win, he would also be expected to have a massive advantage over Conor. That isn’t the case with him matching up against Chandler or Oliveira.
Poirier will anyway get the title fight if he gets past McGregor again. While it is a risk to keep his title shot in limbo, ‘The Diamond’ will get a massive check for fighting the former two-division champion again, anyway. The best case for him would be to win that and then make his way back to the title fight. Should Poirier have gotten the shot? Yes. But did he need to get it now? No, not really. Let’s see what happens next.
What is your take on the events that unfolded at 155 pounds?
