Diamonds are Forever
Dustin Poirier is everything I love about MMA.
The first UFC main event I ever sat down to watch was UFC 242, when the then-interim champion Dustin Poirier fought the champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for the Lightweight title. I’d seen some UFC clips in the past, like Conor McGregor finishing Jose Aldo in 13 seconds and Khabib throwing hands with McGregor’s team after subbing him, but had never gone past that introductory threshold. Most of what I knew about MMA revolved around the notorious Irishman, a result of him being the biggest star in the sport.
I didn’t know much about Khabib, but even I understood one thing - he was scary. I’d heard about him from ESPN talk shows, my friend who trained in MMA, and even my driving instructor (who actually knew Chris Weidman). Khabib was an invincible human being. He absolutely mauled his opponents. He wrestled bears as a child. And, looking back on it now, those things kind of turned out to be true.
I saw the promo for UFC 242 on my YouTube feed - the website’s wonky algorithms at work - and found myself involved in a stare down with “The Eagle”. His eyes were deep and menacing, though clearly peaceful as he looked into the camera’s soul. I was intrigued and clicked on the video, as I had nothing better to do on a Friday night in New York City (sad, I know). Khabib was, as I expected, frightening. As proclaimed by the UFC announcers, whose names I did not know at the time, he had destroyed everybody in his path, and had been suspended from competition inciting a brawl after UFC 229. He was the overwhelming favorite, as indicated by the YouTube comments and his own speech.
But there was something about Dustin Poirier that drew me to him. Maybe it was his grit, maybe it was his tattoos, or maybe even his salon quality hair. We had nothing in common - he’d apparently never finished 9th grade and had built himself up through fighting. I was in college, having graduated from the most prestigious high school in the country, and had never thrown a punch at someone other than my reflection in the mirror. But one thing was clear - I liked this guy and I suddenly wanted to see him knock out this unbeatable Russian beast.
I went on a deep dive of everything I needed to know going into UFC 242. I watched as McGregor threw a dolly into Khabib’s bus. I whistled as I saw the replay of Khabib jumping the cage after submitting Conor, and laughed when he said he didn’t care about going to jail. It was all crazy and dramatic, not stuff I really cared about. But then I watched the replay of Dustin Poirier’s fight against Max Holloway, the fight that earned him interim gold.
I’d never watched a full UFC fight in my life before that. I didn’t know who Max Holloway was, but I understood he was a fan favorite and the consensus greatest of all time in a different weight class (featherweight). Poirier was apparently coming off a few huge wins against fighters named Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, and Eddie Alvarez. And the two men went to absolute war.
I probably couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to high level MMA striking - boxing in particular. And my goodness was Poirier’s boxing attractive, even to a novice like myself. While the reporters gushed over Holloway’s output and unrelenting pressure, I was fascinated by Poirier’s smooth, effortless striking that was not only accurate, but unbelievably powerful for someone who weighed in at 155 pounds. He would roll his shoulder, using it with his left hand to form a shell around his face - a defense from which he could seamlessly transition into offense. His technique and flow of movement was unlike any I’d ever seen - and I still haven’t to this day. Holloway showed amazing heart, but Poirier was the better fighter on the night.
Wanting to see more of Poirier’s boxing, I then watched his fight against Eddie Alvarez. Again, Dustin was the underdog, fighting against a former champion, though this time from multiple organizations. This fight, though, I really learned what kind of a person Poirier is. The fight was, like the Holloway bout, a back-and-forth contest, but this time it seemed that Alvarez had the edge. Standing up, the two would trade blows before backing away and re-engaging. Once Alvarez got Poirier to the ground, though, it seemed like Dustin was set on course for defeat. Alvarez mounted him and began raining down punishment, but Poirier withstood the pressure. He took the elbows and the punches before referee Mark Goddard stood them back up (Alvarez had thrown a few illegal blows). Poirier immediately went to work, breaking his way through Alvarez’s guard, and landing six or seven clean punches to the head. In the face of highest adversity and pressure, Poirier pulled through - not unlike the old adage about diamonds.
Poirier vs Gaethje was the final fight that I watched, and as much as I’d like to describe what the fight was like for you, I wouldn’t be able to do it any justice. It was a crazy dogfight, with much of what I’d seen in Poirier’s other two outings all packed into one event. While the reporters loved Gaethje’s leg kicks, I again marveled at Poirier’s boxing. Poirier was hurt several times in the fight, but powered through, eventually finishing the supposedly unfinishable “Human Highlight” early in the fourth round. If you haven’t seen this bout, I urge you to do so.
Having seen three of his fights in quick succession, I realized one thing about Dustin Poirier: he was still getting better. His boxing and defense was so much more polished in his fight with Holloway than in his fight with Gaethje. To specifically see improvement in athletes with every outing is such a rare thing, but that is a testament to the work and talent of Poirier. I went to bed that night, excited for the next evening to come so I could watch Poirier fulfill his dream of becoming the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.
That didn’t happen, and my heart broke while I watched Khabib utterly dominate - as he had done in all of his previous fights. Poirier’s boxing looked good, and he caught Khabib once or twice with good shots, but the Russian fighter seemed unbothered and drove forward for his takedowns. Every time the fight went to the ground, it was at risk of getting stopped, whether it be by submission or by ground and pound - both in Khabib’s favor. In the third round, Poirier held a guillotine choke for a few seconds that looked good, but had to give it up once it became evident that it was not a fight ender. From there, Khabib took Poirier’s back and went to work on a rear naked choke that did end up concluding the bout. In all honesty, it was just a vintage performance from the Eagle, a man who many believe to be the greatest of all time, considering his 29-0 record and the fact that he’d never bled in any one of his fights.
Poirier took the loss hard, and watching the post-fight press conference was enough to make any grown man cry. He gave credit to Khabib, but you could tell he was still coming to terms with that fact that the Eagle, not the Diamond, was the undisputed champion. Through tears, he apologized to his fans and lamented over things that he could have done better, saying that he’d have to live with the “what-ifs” for the rest of his life. As his voice broke, he answered reporters’ questions about his charity, the Good Fight Foundation, and what it meant to him that Khabib and UFC president Dana White were donating huge sums of money. Yes, Poirier runs a charity with his wife, Jolie. His humility and the genuine pain that he felt in saying he let himself down only furthered my respect for Poirier, who wears his heart on his sleeve.
Poirier has since bounced back from that loss with two wins - one against the always tough Dan Hooker and one against the notorious Conor McGregor, the latter of which he was considered an underdog again. As I’m only a relatively new fan of the UFC and MMA, I still don’t know a ton about fighting, even if I’ve been trying to educate myself. I’m a Poirier fan, not just because he’s a brilliant fighter, but also because he’s a good person, not afraid to show his emotions, and always, without fail, looks inward rather than outward following tough times. He’s brutally honest with himself, and this honesty is something that fans are drawn to - think Nate Diaz, the authenticity of his character, and the following that he has garnered as a result.
In June 2020, the UFC released a video regarding Poirier’s Good Fight Foundation and their actions in helping local and foreign communities. Through the Foundation, Poirier has brought smiles to faces and has changed the world for the better, little by little. With his growing fame, Poirier has never failed to continue to shine light on his charity. In the video, Poirier spoke about seven-year-old Aaron Hill, who suffered from Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a genetic brain disease that effects the nerve endings in one’s brain and usually results in death within 10 years. Poirier had a tough time speaking about Hill’s dying wish, which was for the Good Fight Foundation to build a playground for other children could enjoy. Seeing a UFC fighter, a profession in which we usually picture stereotypically tough, stoic, muscle-bound men, break down talking about Hill was not only emotional, but refreshing.
Poirier isn’t just a badass - he’s one of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever seen. He’s only now really becoming one of the biggest stars in the UFC following his win over McGregor at UFC 257, but you can bet he won’t change one bit. In the face of ups and downs, Poirier has only ever stayed true to who he is - a man who loves his family, loves to give back to the community, and, maybe more than anything, loves to scrap. I will forever be a fan of the Diamond, the prime example that nice guys don’t always finish last.