Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier bid his final farewell in July, making what was described as his last walk to the Octagon. ‘The Diamond’ faced Max Holloway, but the night didn’t go his way, as Holloway earned a unanimous decision after five hard-fought rounds. Still, the American Top Team veteran’s story might not be entirely finished.

Ahead of Friday’s UFC 322 ceremonial weigh-ins, the American southpaw took part in a special fan Q&A session. The event was held at The Theatre near Madison Square Garden, where Saturday’s card is set to unfold. Among the flood of questions, one fan used the moment to ask Dustin Poirier about a possible return for next year’s planned White House card.

Dustin Poirier admits to not being clean 

“Questions for Dustin? Any chance we ever see you again?” the fan asked, eager to see the Lafayette, Louisiana native back in action. Unsure how to respond, Poirier hesitated, clearly reluctant to give a definitive answer. Still, he offered a cautious response. “I don’t know, man, I… It would have to be.. the perfect, like, some reason for me to do it.”

Naturally, next year’s White House Card would seem like the perfect reason to return, especially since it promises to be a historic moment not just for the UFC, but for combat sports as a whole. Some of the promotion’s biggest stars have already expressed interest. Jon Jones, who had previously announced his retirement, reversed course and threw his name into the mix.

And then there’s Conor McGregor, who hasn’t fought in years but re-entered the testing pool to clear his path to the card. So why not Poirier as well? One fan had the same idea, suggesting, “One-off at the White House? White House! Let’s go, baby.” That’s when Dustin Poirier made his surprising confession about not being clean for USADA testing.

“I don’t know if I could pass a USADA test right now, man,” Poirier admitted during the Q&A session. The former interim lightweight champion even previously admitted that after retiring, he might experiment with steroids similar to the way Donald Cerrone did, which further suggested he had closed the MMA chapter. 

USADA oversees the UFC’s anti-doping program, requiring fighters to submit quarterly whereabouts for unannounced testing. Athletes can be called for urine or blood samples at any time, which are analyzed at WADA-accredited labs. Positive tests trigger investigations, hearings, and potential sanctions, though fighters can apply for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) when medically necessary. 

Results are made public, with appeals handled through arbitration. Regardless, Poirier’s confession suggests he might not be planning a return quite yet. Instead, he wants to watch from the sidelines. But he did reveal what it would take for him to return to fighting ways. 

Poirier wants to switch disciplines

Dustin Poirier may have walked away from MMA, but retirement hasn’t dimmed his competitive fire. ‘The Diamond’ was hinting at switching disciplines altogether. Just months after saying he was battling himself over whether he made the right decision to retire, Poirier has surprised fans by calling out Nate Diaz—not in the Octagon, but in a boxing ring.

With Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing striking an exclusive broadcast deal with Paramount, Poirier jumped on X and made his intentions clear. “Zuffa Boxing, 12 rounds me and Nathaniel I’d do it. Only 1 more fight I’d take.” The statement marks Poirier’s strongest hint yet that a combat sports comeback may not involve MMA at all. 

That said, Dustin Poirier doesn’t seem in any rush to return—not only because he’s retired, but also due to concerns about whether he’d even pass USADA testing at this point. Still, would you want to see ‘The Diamond’ make one more walk to the Octagon?