Dustin Poirier made a stunning revelation about his lightweight title clash against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, highlighting the remarkable toughness and resilience of ‘The Diamond’. The fight was Poirier’s third attempt at the undisputed lightweight crown after having lost in his previous attempts against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira at UFC 242 and UFC 269, respectively.

While he put in an impressive performance and even left the Dagestani champion bloodied, ultimately, Poirier got caught in a D’arce choke in the fifth round and had to tap out. But at the post-fight press conference, the Louisiana native revealed that he persevered through what could be a serious injury to his knee!

Dustin Poirier reveals he “messed up” his knee at UFC 302

During the post-fight press conference, Dustin Poirier revealed that, “I might have messed my ACL up against the fence in the 3rd or 4th round, before I hit him with the switch, I don’t remember what round that was.”

He further went on to describe the sensation in gruesome detail as he stated that, “My knee bone and my shin bone, I felt a slide, and then it started burning”. The knee injury added a layer of complexity to an already challenging fight. Despite the pain, he continued to compete, not fully aware of the extent of the damage.

He also mentioned discussing the issue with his coach through the fence. “I was telling Mike that through the fence,” Poirier noted, adding that his coach initially misunderstood the complaint, thinking it was about something else.

The severity of the injury wasn’t immediately apparent to Poirier during the fight. “It didn’t bother me getting off the stool and stuff,” he explained, though he admitted that it did hurt. This injury, coupled with the high stakes of the match, might have played a role in Poirier’s performance against Makhachev but it’s a testament to his toughness that he performed the way he did despite essentially working with a compromised limb.

‘The Diamond’ also stated in the interview that he will “…get that checked out” and the injury will likely play a crucial role in his decision-making process regarding his future in the sport as he indicated in his post-fight interview that retirement might be on the horizon for him!

Poirier leaves fans wondering about his future in the UFC

In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan inside the Octagon, Dustin Poirier revealed that while he was still confident in his ability to keep up with the best the lightweight division has to offer, he isn’t sure if he wants to continue to fight. In an honest confession, he stated, “…but if I fight again what am I fighting for? Just to fight again? I’ve done that 50 times… I honestly think this might be it.”

While he didn’t announce his retirement from the sport, he did leave the fans with a message dedicated to the women in his life. Poirier thanked his late grandmother, his mother, his wife, Jolie, and his daughter in the speech where he stated, “If this is my last fight, I wanted to dedicate this journey to the people who made me the man I am, to the women in my life.”

In conclusion, Poirier’s UFC 302 performance, despite the injury, highlights his enduring spirit and dedication. Whether he chooses to continue fighting or not, remains to be seen. But there’s no doubt that his legacy as one of the best lightweights of his generation has been cemented already, even without holding the undisputed title.

Do you think Dustin Poirier might be one of the best UFC fighters to never win a title? Share your thoughts in the comments below!