Among the sport’s elite is a man who was forged under pressure. They say “Pressure Makes Diamonds”, and Dustin Poirier is no different. April this year will mark 10 years since ‘The Diamond’ returned to the deepest division in the UFC, and his stay has been nothing short of spectacular. Since 2016, Poirier has only lost to the top 5 in the division, to reigning champions thrice, with two of those champions being the Dagestani exports Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. We don’t need to get into the details of the greatness of ‘The Eagle’ and his protege Makhachev. What we can confirm, however, is the fact that Dustin Poirier gave both those men tough fights. But which one of the two gave Dustin Poirier a tougher fight?

Dustin Poirier took both men to war. At UFC 242, he arguably gave Khabib Nurmagomedov his toughest fight as champion. Remember that guillotine choke by ‘The Diamond’ on ‘The Eagle’? Yeah, we all held our collective breaths at the prospect of Nurmagomedov tapping to gilly. And the UFC 302 fight against Makhachev  – there’s an iconic picture of the lightweight champion’s bloodied-up face. Quite the handiwork by the former interim lightweight champ. He ended up tapping out to both fights, but he had a better time neutralizing Makhachev’s grappling than Khabib’s. And that was the differentiating factor between the two for Poirier.

Speaking to The Schmo, ‘The Diamond’ had a clear pick regarding which Dagestani fighter was harder to deal with. ‘The Diamond’ said, “I would say Khabib is more – and also I was younger in my career I might not have the skills I had when I faced Islam. Similar styles with the foot trips and the sweeps against the fence. They have a different style of wrestling but I felt like Khabib was a lot tighter with his movements. I was able to get away from Islam a little bit more and stop his shots with Khabib it was just I couldn’t get away.”

“And I couldn’t move on the ground, he controlled me so much. Both guys are strong, I think Khabib is probably a little bit bigger, and a little bit tighter with his techniques but Islam’s an incredible champion.”, he added. And while Poirier showed his grace to both men, as per his usual MO, it would be criminal to not give ‘The Diamond’ his props. One could say he’s the greatest lightweight to never win a belt!

Poirier is currently focusing on his next fight which could be his last inside the Octagon. While there has been no announcement of the fight as of yet fans are eagerly waiting to see him in action again. There are many fighters who are willing to be a part of this monumental fight. But who exactly will Poirier fight next? Let us take a look at what he had to say about it.

Dustin Poirier is waiting to announce his last fight

In the UFC, retirement is rarely a simple decision. For many fighters, the Octagon isn’t just a place of competition—it’s their identity. Walking away from the sport they’ve dedicated their lives to is often harder than any fight they’ve endured.“The last dance. I promise ya.” With those words, the writing on the wall for ‘The Diamond’ is quite clear—his fighting career is coming to an end, but not before one dance in the Octagon. Poirier has never been one to shy away from a fight, but now, he’s hinting that the end of his UFC journey is near. After years of blood, sweat, and unforgettable wars inside the Octagon, ‘The Diamond’ is considering hanging up the gloves.

And if there’s one thing fans know about Poirier, it’s that he won’t go out quietly. In a conversation with ‘The Schmo’, he shared the exact details of when his next fight will be happening and is waiting to make the announcement.

He said, “I have actually been having calls every week with the UFC, but it’s looking like summer in New Orleans is close to happening from my retirement fight. My pay-per-view in New Orleans this summer would be incredible. That’s what I’m pushing for, that’s what the UFC is working towards and things are getting pretty close.”  Whether his next fight will be his last remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Poirier won’t leave without putting on one more show. If this truly is the end, ‘The Diamond’ will make sure his legacy shines forever.

However, the big question lies who will he be fighting next in his career? Let us know about your predictions below.