Last night, Rio de Janeiro was on its feet as UFC Fight Night 261 set the Farmasi Arena ablaze with electrifying action. From the opening bell to the decisive second-round submission, hometown hero Charles Oliveira dominated former KSW champion Mateusz Gamrot with authority and marked a triumphant return to the lightweight win column. Brazil’s warriors carried the night with unmatched energy. However, across the cage, the night proved harsh for Florida’s renowned American Top Team.

Under coach Mike Brown, ATT fighters — including Gamrot and Karolina Kowalkiewicz — faltered under the Rio lights. Watching from afar, former UFC star Dustin Poirier opened up during a live Q&A on X. As a proud ATT veteran who spent nearly his entire career representing the gym, ‘The Diamond’ couldn’t hide his emotions while watching his teammates battle, and he also shared his thoughts on Ilia Topuria and the BMF title.

Dustin Poirier admits he misses fighting while hailing Ilia Topuria’s rise

During the Q&A session on X, a fan asked about reigning lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and his weaknesses in the 155-pound division. Dustin Poirier said, “That’s a tough one bro, he’s shown no weakness, but styles make fights.” He praised Topuria’s skills inside the Octagon and predicted that there might be no one in the division who could stop the Georgian-Spaniard. Another admirer credited ‘The Diamond’ for sparking their love for MMA, and he replied, “Let em know.”

After losing the trilogy bout against BMF champion Max Holloway at UFC 318 back in July, Dustin Poirier called it quits. The Louisiana native laid down his gloves in his own backyard at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans in front of 18,138 fans — a fitting farewell for one of the sport’s most respected warriors.

Months into retirement, the 36-year-old embraced fatherhood for the second time. Yet, the fire never truly fades. In fact, that restless itch for competition surfaced recently when a fan asked him on X, “How much do you miss it?” Poirier replied, “Every day.” And why wouldn’t he?

The Lafayette native has lived and breathed this sport since he was 18. Reflecting on his life’s work, Poirier said, “I’ve done it for two decades, dedicated my life to it… A part of me has died.” Meanwhile, in another X exchange, when a fan said they missed him, the Louisiana native responded, “Trust me, I miss it too.”

For all his accolades and unforgettable wars, Dustin Poirier ranks among the greats who carried the sport on their shoulders but never captured undisputed gold. Of course, Max Holloway also dashed his BMF title hopes. Still, Poirier turned his attention to the next big fight in the division and wrote, “Charles vs Max for BMF is a great fight to make.” Whether UFC CEO Dana White and the matchmakers will make that fight remains uncertain.

Retirement, however, has not slowed the Louisiana native. A few weeks back, ‘The Diamond’ even expressed his desire to step back into the ring, this time in a boxing bout against former UFC star Nate Diaz, directly challenging the Stockton native. What are the odds we see that fight in the squared circle?

Poirier shares update on potential boxing bout with Nate Diaz

Long before his retirement, Dustin Poirier reserved a seat at ESPN’s analyst desk and broke down fights for fans with the same intensity he brought inside the Octagon. Yet the lifelong fighter’s hunger for combat shows no sign of fading. A few weeks ago, ‘The Diamond’ even challenged Nate Diaz to a boxing match under Zuffa Boxing, saying, “Zuffa 12 rounds, me & Nathaniel I’d do it.”

Last month, Dana White launched Zuffa Boxing with the Canelo vs Crawford card. Like many MMA stars, ‘The Diamond’ aimed to test his market value in boxing — after all, his hands rank among the deadliest in MMA and could draw a decent crowd. However, Nate Diaz quickly showed no interest, replying, “I’d beat ur a– or not Aldo.” Since then, the back-and-forth had gone silent, until today…

When a fan asked about the status of his potential bout against Nate Diaz, Poirier simply wrote, “Crickets,” indicating that his former UFC peer is not eager to push the fight forward.

The pair were slated to face each other at UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden back in November 2018. Things looked promising until Poirier withdrew from the fight with a hip injury. Almost a year later, ‘The Diamond’ pulled the curtain back on all that had went down.

“He [Nate] wanted it he just couldn’t come to terms with UFC,” Poirier said in a response on Twitter. “They offered us the main event at MSG but he would only agree if it was on his terms. I was tired of playing games with the guy and that’s when I decided to address an injury I had been dealing with. Now you all know.” He even claimed that Dana White was ready to give Diaz the main event slot at MSG! Oh, what could have been…

With no update from Diaz, Poirier turned the spotlight to the fans. Who do you want to see Dustin Poirier fight in a 12-round boxing match? Do you think maybe even a McGregor vs. Poirier boxing bout would work? Drop your choice of opponent below