Dustin Poirier may soon experience a full-circle moment as he prepares for his swansong after a Hall of Fame-worthy UFC career. The former interim lightweight champion recently shed light on retiring in a way that pays tribute to his roots. “It’s looking like summer in New Orleans is close to happening for my retirement fight. A pay-per-view in New Orleans this summer would be incredible. That’s what I’m pushing for. That’s what the UFC’s working toward… Lay the gloves down where it all started in Louisiana. It would be an honor for me.”

Though ‘The Diamond’ never claimed an undisputed UFC title, his legacy as one of the sport’s most respected and beloved fighters is undeniable. For the uninitiated, the Louisiana native has competed for 155lbs gold on three separate occasions. The first one was against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 while the second opportunity arrived when ‘The Diamond’ went toe to toe against Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. His final chance came knocking at UFC 302 against Khabib’s protege, Islam Makhachev. However, just like the previous two attempts, Poirier fell short of UFC history in the final round. Interestingly, all these setbacks came via submission!

Since announcing his intentions to step away from the Octagon, fans have flooded social media with tributes, celebrating his remarkable career. One fan, TheSportsAlien, created a video showcasing Poirier’s peak moments, accompanied by a heartfelt caption listing his many accomplishments. The post quickly gained traction, even catching the attention of Israel Adesanya, who took a moment to share his admiration for Poirier.

“Whenever I said UFC 243 was my first title defense, some get salty. I consider my ‘Interim’ title win a title win; any fight after that is considered a title defense and a unification. Two things can be true at the same time 🧠. @DustinPoirier and I won our belts on the same night! ‘Undisputed’ or not, he was the champion—y’all can’t take that away from him. Head high my guy, let’s strive!”

For the uninitiated, Adesanya and Poirier both became champions on the same night. However, what they claimed was not an undisputed piece of gold but interim championships in their weight classes. Moreover, the duo had a memorable run-in during their fight preparations for UFC 236 in 2019. While cutting weight for their respective interim gold bouts against Kelvin Gastelum and Max Holloway, Adesanya admitted that his perception of Poirier changed entirely.

“I wouldn’t say I was, like, a big Dustin Poirier fan, but then we cut weight at the same time when I fought Gastelum, and he fought Max Holloway. I always thought he was a square guy, like real squeaky clean cuz that’s how he kind of presented himself, but the jokes he was making in the sauna… When you’re cutting weight, and you’re dehydrated, you be saying some sh*t, so for me, that made me kind of like him a little bit more,” Adesanya revealed in a past YouTube video.

That night at UFC 236, both fighters delivered career-defining performances. Poirier outclassed Holloway to claim the interim lightweight title, while Adesanya bested Gastelum in a legendary war to secure the interim middleweight belt. To cap it off, both men took home Fight of the Night honors.

Now, as Poirier prepares for his ‘last dance’, Adesanya has made it clear that he’s rooting for his fellow UFC veteran every step of the way. But the biggest question remains—who will be Poirier’s final opponent? While speculation runs wild, former UFC champ and analyst Michael Bisping has weighed in with his verdict on who might stand across from ‘The Diamond’ in his farewell fight.

Michael Bisping’s bold take on Dustin Poirier’s final outing

With Dustin Poirier’s retirement looming, the MMA world has been buzzing with potential opponents for his final fight. Big names like Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, and Justin Gaethje have all been thrown into the conversation. However, Michael Bisping offered a wild-card pick during the Believe You Me podcast—Colby Covington.

Calling it a “great fight”, Bisping laid out his reasoning: “Perennial contender at welterweight, grudge match, big name—Colby Covington at the end of his career as well, respectfully. You know, I think it makes sense. Of course, Colby’s going to be a little bigger being a welterweight, but Dustin is probably not that much smaller. He wouldn’t have to cut weight, he could take more damage, his chin would be better, and he’d be a little bit stronger. Two big stars, big names, pay-per-view.”

Bisping’s matchmaking instincts make sense, considering the history of bad blood between Poirier and Covington. The two were once teammates at American Top Team, but their relationship soured when Covington’s brash trash talk targeted fellow ATT fighters, including Poirier, Jorge Masvidal, and Joanna Jedrzejczyk. This ultimately led to Covington being kicked out of the gym.

Despite their long-standing feud, Poirier has previously refused to entertain a fight with Covington, stating that he doesn’t want to give him the financial benefit of sharing the cage. He spoke with Fight Bananas last year and said, “[Colby] will never make money with me. Its B.S.” However, Colby Covington wasn’t letting this prospect slip away without a verbal jab of his own.

On his YouTube channel, ‘Chaos’ reignited the flames, taking direct shots at Poirier: “No word on the Dustin fight. He’s been scared of my shadow for years, ever since we trained together at that old gym. He knows exactly what I bring to the table. He knows he can’t beat me… Dustin won’t even try. He’ll retire knowing I’ve got his soul, and that he never defended his family’s honor or legacy. So, Dustin’s a little c–k.”

With Covington’s relentless taunting and Poirier’s emotional farewell on the horizon, could this be the grudge match to end all grudge matches? Or will Poirier stick to his word and refuse to give Covington the fight he wants? What do you think about Izzy’s tribute to one of UFC’s greatest-ever sluggers? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!