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“It Sucks That He’s Gone Now”- Dustin Poirier Shares His Thoughts on a Missed Opportunity Against a Fan Favorite Ex-UFC Fighter

Published 11/10/2022, 7:15 AM EST

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UFC 281 is just days away. The fighters are preparing for their bout against their respective opponents with hardly any time left. Yet there was a moment to reflect upon one of the most famous fighters to grace the octagon, leaving the organization. Dustin Poirier discussed how he missed the opportunity to fight one of the best fighters of his generation, Nate Diaz.

When Nate Diaz announced earlier this year that he wanted Dustin Poirier as his retirement fight, fans may have missed something golden. But Diaz has given fans many moments to remember him by. Whether it was him rocking up Leon Edwards at UFC 263, throwing objects at Conor McGregor during the pre-fight press conference at UFC 202, or making him tap at UFC 196. Things always stay interesting when Nate Diaz is involved.

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via Imago

Here’s what Poirier had to say about him. He said, “No, I’ve always wanted to fight Nate. … We tried to make it happen a few times. It always fell apart.

He further added, “It sucks that he’s gone now. I won’t get the chance to fight him. But it is what it is. The sport moves on.” Indicating that the organization has to look past the Stockton Slugger’s retirement.

Dustin Poirier Vs Nate Diaz: What could have been

Fans know ‘El Diamante’ for his aggressive, striking, and fighting style, but he has the stamina and endurance to last as much as anybody, which is equally matched by Nate Diaz.

Both possess the prowess to knock out their opponents. At the same time, both fighters can take damage and keep on fighting. It’s quite normal for Diaz in his career to be bloodied and rocked at the beginning of the fight, but still, go on to compete and finish the fight. He even made ‘The Notorious’ tap at the end of the second round, years ago.

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Although Poirier has a better defense against jiu jistu, it would have been interesting to see if Diaz would have tried to submit him.

Will The Diamond try out his luck in boxing as well?

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Dustin Poirier has excellent boxing technique, a stellar punch, and has immense power. This was evident when he TKO’ed ‘The Notorious’ in the 2nd round at UFC 257. Moreover, the excellent striking skills were on display when he emerged victorious against Max Holloway. Holloway is widely regarded as one of the best boxers in the promotion.

via Getty

This clears any doubts that he can not hold himself in the ring. The other advantage the American as over other UFC fighters who have tried their hands at boxing is stamina. McGregor faced that issue while competing against Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather. He found himself grasping for air against the ‘Pretty Boy’ as the fight entered later stages.

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One possibility also remains open that Dustin and Nate can still face up against each other, but in the boxing ring instead of the octagon. Do you want to see them compete against each other with the boxing gloves on?

Watch this story: Joe Rogan, Conor McGregor, Dana White – A Peek Inside the Luxurious Mansions of the UFC Personalities

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Written by:

Himakshu Keval Vyas

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Himakshu Vyas is a Combat Sports author at Essentiallysports. He is passionate about sports, with soccer and MMA being the sports he is most involved in. Aside from that, he follows the global soccer scene.
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Edited by:

Rohini Kottu