For Dustin Poirier, his Father’s Day arrest in late June at an Atlanta airport not only hit him on a personal level but also affected him professionally and financially. After being arrested for public drunkenness and a misdemeanor, though he was released on bail, Poirier revealed that one of his major sponsors, Bud Light, decided to part ways with him. But even during those dark times, the 37-year-old revealed that the UFC, through their CBO, Hunter Campbell, reached out to him, had a detailed conversation with him about his arrest, and assured him of the promotion’s continued support.

“I mean, literally one day after the arrest and everything that happened, Hunter Campbell and the UFC reached out to me to ask what they could do,” Poirier told Ariel Helwani. “They told me the UFC had my back and that if there was anything they could do or anything I needed help with, I should let them know.

“The UFC, the company, immediately reached out to me and had my back. His exact words were something along the lines of, ‘I can’t let somebody who fought for this company for 15 years try to handle this on his own. We have your back. Let us know what you need from us.’”

While Poirier revealed that he hasn’t heard from Dana White personally, the fact that the promotion has his back despite him being retired for almost a year now means a lot to him.

Following his arrest, Dustin Poirier publicly admitted that he needed help to get through this difficult juncture in his life. And it’s commendable that the UFC reached out to help one of their retired veterans who has delivered multiple memorable moments for the company and been with them since January 2011. For now, it’s unclear what sort of help Poirier is receiving from the UFC. However, Dana White has seemingly indicated that UFC fighters have access to a rehabilitation program similar to what WWE offers its performers.

At the UFC 329 post-fight presser, a reporter asked Dana White about Dustin Poirier’s current situation and whether the company would help its retired star the way other organizations do through dedicated programs for ex-athletes. In response, the UFC CEO confirmed, stating, “We do the same,” and highlighted that the UFC follows WWE in providing such support. But when the reporter further pressed White to reveal details about their program, the head honcho replied, “Ah, we don’t talk about that stuff.” Yet, he assured that the promotion would help former fighters like Poirier.

Considering their history of helping fighters through difficult times, it’s no wonder they might be extending the same to Poirier as well. The UFC also reached out to Jon Jones after police arrested the former champion on a felony hit-and-run charge in 2015 that ultimately led to his suspension from competition.

In an interview with MMA Fighting after the incident, Jones revealed that Dana White and the UFC’s former CEO, Lorenzo Fertitta, came to visit him in Albuquerque after his arrest. At first, he revealed the discussions revolved around the belt that ‘Bones’ needed to vacate following his suspension. But Jones later disclosed that Lorenzo Fertitta showed genuine concern for him, asking, “How are you doing?” during one of the darkest phases of his career.

While Dustin Poirier is doing comparatively better since his arrest, he has also confirmed that Bud Light has, in fact, terminated its partnership with him.

Dustin Poirier says his Bud Light sponsorship ended following arrest

For a retired athlete like ‘The Diamond’, sponsorships are one of the primary sources of income. However, Bud Light, one of Poirier’s biggest sponsors that officially partnered with him in 2024, according to him, supposedly terminated its partnership with the former UFC interim lightweight champion following his arrest at the Atlanta airport.

“No, they terminated my contract immediately,” Poirier confirmed in the same interview.

Poirier’s revelation about losing a major sponsor sparked another question from Helwani, who asked him whether he was upset about losing them. The 37-year-old responded that he’s actually at peace with losing a brand like Bud Light, but admitted there was still a few hundred thousand dollars left on the deal that he regrets losing out on for the sake of his family.

“No, they terminated my contract immediately,” Poirier added. “I don’t need that f—-ng poison in my life. I mean, it sucks that my family loses out on the money I had left on the deal with them, which is a few hundred thousand dollars. But also, if I’m representing something that I’m not going to be a part of, if I’m advertising something I’m not going to be taking part in and promoting, then, you know, it is what it is.”

Though Poirier remains at peace with losing a sponsor like Bud Light, Sean Strickland, for his part, urged the brand to stand by the UFC star during his difficult time. Meanwhile, the brand is yet to issue a public statement regarding them terminating their partnership with Poirier.

That said, Dustin Poirier receiving support from the entire UFC community, including the promotion itself, shows just how profound an impact he made during his run, both as a fighter and as an individual.