This week, Dan Hooker’s hand injury and subsequent withdrawal from his fight against Justin Gaethje threw the lightweight division into turmoil with UFC 313 less than 10 days away. As a result, the unexpected setback fueled intense speculation among fans and analysts about who would step in on short notice. Among the top contenders, Renato Moicano and No. 11-ranked Rafael Fiziev emerged as frontrunners. Ultimately, after much deliberation, Fiziev secured the co-main event slot, setting the stage for a highly anticipated rematch with ‘The Highlight’.

Reacting to the news, Justin Gaethje took to X to commend Fiziev for accepting the fight while also taking a swipe at other lightweights. “Arman and Charles understandably said no. Max and Dustin understandably said no… Life’s a trip.” Gaethje wrote on X. However, tensions quickly escalated when Dustin Poirier dismissed ‘The Highlight’s claim, insisting he had never received a fight offer. The Louisiana native, who has long expressed an interest in a trilogy bout with Gaethje—given their 1-1 record—did not hesitate to fire back on social media.

“I never got the call, I didn’t say no,” Dustin Poirier wrote on X. As a result, ‘The Diamond’s response immediately sparked fan speculation about whether his rivalry with Justin Gaethje was about to be rekindled. But the situation soon became confusing with some wondering if Gaethje misled himself or knowingly lied. To offer further insight, former UFC fighter and analyst Chael Sonnen provided a potential explanation, suggesting that ‘The Highlight’ may have simply received “inaccurate information.“

However, Sonnen also presented “another possibility,” in his latest YouTube video, raising the idea that Justin Gaethje could have intentionally fabricated the claim. But why? As Sonnen, also known as the “American Gangster,” put it: “There is a chance that Gaethje, who never lies to us—he never does anything in the media for a spoof, never—which is why it makes it so unlikely, but he might have. He might have just pulled Poirier’s name out. He might have been getting on a roll and wanted to give a bump to Dustin,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.

Dustin Poirier last entered the Octagon at UFC 302 in the summer of 2024. Since then, he has been away from the sport, dropping hints about retirement. However, his cryptic tweets like “trilogy” and “last dance” have fueled speculation among fans about a potential return. Poirier is now setting his sights on the summer for what could be his final MMA fight, with the possibility of closing out his career in his home state of Louisiana, in New Orleans, marking what many anticipate will be his farewell bout.

Justin came clean about telling “lies” regarding Dustin Poirier

When Justin Gaethje spilled the truth regarding Dustin Poirier, ‘The Diamond’ wasted no time coming forward and revealing that he had actually inquired with Hunter Campbell to secure a fight against ‘The Highlight’ after the news about Dan Hooker’s withdrawal emerged online. The controversy escalated further, and at one point, Gaethje came forward to clear things up and dispel any allegations against Poirier.

“I was just running back the crazy 48 hours I went through. I was not trying to imply any of you guys would not fight me. Arman was too heavy, same with Charles. UFC obviously has plans for you at a later date, so they said that’s a no-go.”, Gaethje said. And one can’t blame him for the confusion, given his worry about not finding an opponent in time. There’s nothing worse than an opponent pulling out after you’ve spent six to eight weeks in training camp.

‘The Diamond’ quickly ended the back-and-forth with a simple message: “All good, bro! Glad you got an opponent! Can’t wait to watch!” Now that the tension between Justin ‘The Highlight’ and the Louisiana native has been cleared, do you think the UFC should book the Poirier vs. Gaethje fight next?

Given that Poirier has already had a trilogy with Conor McGregor, revisiting that matchup might not be the best for his legacy. Instead, a fight between Poirier and Gaethje feels like a more fitting choice. What are your thoughts? Drop your opinion below.