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Should Dustin Poirier Be Getting a Title Shot Over Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira?

Published 03/19/2021, 2:52 AM EDT

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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?

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Written by:

Ishaan Bhattacharya

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is an NBA, NCAA Basketball, and Combat Sports writer at EssentiallySports. Currently, Ishaan is pursuing a Post Graduate Degree in Journalism from Xavier's Institute of Communication. Previously, Ishaan has written for The Indian Express, The Quint, Sportskeeda, and WrestleClub.
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