As per a recent announcement from UFC president Dana White, lightweight stalwarts Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje are set for a rematch. The two-time title challengers will run it back at UFC 290 in July. As an added stipulation, the former interim UFC lightweight champions will also be competing for the vacant BMF belt.

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While many fans are excited about Poirier vs. Gaethje 2, not all of them were happy about the BMF belt stipulation. UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev had taken a sly dig at Poirier and Gaethje for fighting for the BMF title after the fight announcement. Now, another former lightweight champion has fired shots at the pair of lightweights.

Dustin Poirier

USA Today via Reuters

A strictly inconsequential belt, the BMF title came into play in 2019, thanks to the legendary Nate Diaz. The BMF title was more about a fighter’s personality and delivering barnburner fights inside the cage. Therefore, it was befitting of the iconic fight between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal.

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Masvidal won the belt and took the mantle of the UFC BMF. He held it until his recent retirement at UFC 287. Although Dana White declared it was a one-off, he has now chosen to put the belt on the line a second time. But not everyone is a fan of this decision, including former LW champion Rafael dos Anjos.

Rafael dos Anjos trolls Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje

In a recent tweet, former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos targeted Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. He was responding to a fan’s tweet about how dos Anjos himself was the only BMF. His snide response was a jab at both Poirier and Gaethje falling short in their undisputed title quests.

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‘RDA’ wrote, “Forgot to mention that I became champion and defended the tittle successfully. But I think to fight for a BMF title you can’t be a champion or former champion.”

While they are exciting fighters with killer resumes, Poirier and Gaethje have never touched undisputed gold in the UFC. Both of them lost two title fights each, to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira. Meanwhile, dos Anjos became the UFC lightweight champion in 2015 and defended it against Donald Cerrone in the same year. He lost the title to Eddie Alvarez in 2016.

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What are your thoughts on dos Anjos’ comments? What do you make of the BMF title coming around a second time? Let us know in the comments below.

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Yeswanth Praveen

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As Senior Editor of EssentiallySports’ UFC division, Yeswanth Praveen brings firsthand experience to our combat vertical. A competitive boxer since his college days, he still trains four times a week, keeping his connection to the sport sharp. An English major with a strong command of language, Yeswanth combines technical insight with compelling storytelling, decoding complex fight sequences while capturing the heart of a fighter’s journey. Since joining EssentiallySports in 2021, he has played a pivotal role in shaping our combat coverage strategies. His work has earned recognition from UFC veterans like Bruce Buffer and former heavyweight Brendan Schaub. His UFC takes on Twitter keep him actively engaged with fight fans. Whether breaking down a high-stakes title fight or profiling a rising prospect, Yeswanth delivers authenticity and depth.

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Rohini Kottu